We admire individuals like Beyonce and Steph Curry for their expertise and skill. What we fail to realize is that it is not the end product that mesmerizes us. Their story is what draws us in and seeing the outcome of their discipline and commitment is what continues to amaze us over time. Delaying gratification has so many benefits to your success personally and professionally. It refers to the ability to put off something mildly fun or pleasurable now, in order to gain something that is more fun, pleasurable, or rewarding later. Therapy and/or coaching can be helpful in figuring out if you have any obstacles getting in the way of you feeling fulfilled in your life and relationships. The tips below could be what you need to go to the next level. Leave a comment and let me know what you think.

Learning how to delay gratification will get

1. Visualize (keep your eye on the prize)

   Take time regularly to imagine the outcomes you want. Whether it is financial stability or genuine relationships, practicing the feelings associated with your dream fulfilled activates your Reticular Activating System in your brain and helps you to have laser focus.

2. Discipline

   This is a hard thing to practice without vision, hence tip number 1. When you have a clear vision the idea do sacrificing for that dream is a little easier. I share this Les Brown quote regularly. “ If you do what is easy now, your life will be hard. If you do what is hard now, your life will be easy.” What areas of your life can use some discipline? Identify that area, create a plan, start small, and commit.

3. Support

   Find safe people to share your plan with to hold you accountable. No man is an island. I really despise the idea of being “self made.” No one got made by them self. Also, no one ever became successful without support. Swallow your pride and ask for help. It takes a strong, self aware person to not only identify an area for growth, but then to get support to be successful in that area.

I have included a couple of articles that further explain what delayed gratification is and what the research suggests about how it can effect your life.

“Self control is a skill you can sharpen”

“People with this quality are more likely to succeed”

“5 Strategies for Delayed Gratification”

I hope my blogs are a helpful source of information. That they might help you to find comfort and solace in knowing that you’re not alone. That you matter and someone’s thinking about you. Submit blog topics and questions you'd like me to address here and subscribe below to stay updated. Until next time my friend.