Absurdity of postponing your gratification

One of the big differences between children and adults is that children have not yet learned to postpone their gratification. A child that is offered one chocolate bar today or 3 chocolate bars tomorrow will take the one chocolate bar offer every time.

As we get older we are taught that the three chocolate bars choice is better. Good things come to those who wait right?

Not always, sometimes it is better to get your thrill now. By postponing your gratification you are denying yourself happiness in that very moment. You can wait till tomorrow all you want it won’t come. Because tomorrow comes today, in a sense you will never get your reward/gratification.

We are taught to believe that if we wait just a little bit longer something better will come along. Why can’t you plan your dream vacation now? Why do you have to wait till you retire?

Why are you waiting till you lose those extra five pounds before you head to the beach, even though you love swimming. And does it make sense to use the good dishes only when company's coming or because it’s a holiday. Why can’t you use them now?

Take the one chocolate bar now!

Do you really want to wait till your near death wondering where life went? Are you looking further and further in your life for your prize?

Are you thinking when I’m in my “thirties that’s when I’ll start living?” Then you reach your thirties and so you look towards your forties, your forties pass you by and you decide that your fifties will be when everything comes together.

Consequently, it becomes the age old story of striving but never achieving. You’ll end up eighty years old wondering “where did life go?”

The only way to remedy this is to admit that we are always complete and whole beings. It’s important to think that you have arrived and each present moment should be lived and enjoyed to the fullest no matter what age you are or what experiences you have.

When you start to deny yourself present gratification, consult your inner child. What would he do? Would he want to wait till later or would he want to enjoy the moment now. Living fully means no limits and endlessly postponing your enjoyment is a sever limitation to your fullest humanity.

The ideas of this article were borrowed from Dr Wayne Dyer’s Book “The Sky’s the limit” you can find his book by visiting here.

Related Article

The importance of being present

Find More Personal Development Resources