Self discipline versus instant gratification

Have you heard of the marshmallow test?  You know the one that puts little kids in the room with a marshmallow and then are told if they can wait 15 minutes they can have 5.  The study goes on to show that those who were able to wait those 15 minutes are more likely to be able to succeed in life.

So I have a few marshmallows in my life.  Things like sugar, reading, being lazy etc.  These things give me instant gratification right now.  What does this instant gratification give me?  It gives me a sweet taste right now but a gain in weight and health problems later.  Reading allows me to disappear into another world right now, but it gives me a messy house, people at arms length and poor interpersonal skills.  Being lazy gives me pleasure right now, but it gets me no where in my future.

What does self discipline give me.  Avoiding sugar, carbs and exercising is a chore right now, but later on it gives me energy, weight loss and better health.  Putting down the books until after the work is done gets all my chores done, puts my focus on my business venture and helps me to connect better with people.  Having a plan and sticking to it even when I don't feel like it helps me to accomplish my goals and dreams.

There are times when I want that instant gratification and I find myself ignoring that self discipline that will help me be the person I want to be.  I sometimes lose sight of what is more important, the right now verses the desired future.

I know that if I do the grueling work right now that I will be able to slack off later and have the kind of life I want to have, but sometimes I lose patience and want that ability right now.

I am human.  I may know what I want and much like those kids in the study, the time between right now and the promised future seems so far away.  So I face each new day determined to do what needs to be done for the desired future.  There are days I do well and there are days I don't do so well.  Until I can get consistent and find better ways to motivate myself I will struggle with my goals.

In the meantime I am working on  making my dreams so real to me that I don't mind setting aside that instant gratification.  I was one of those kids who was able to wait the 15 minutes easily so what happened to me?  Life!  It got in the way and I am overcoming all the damage that has been incurred by my environment.  I am trying to give up the good for the better.

Are you struggling with self discipline?  You are not alone.  There are so many people facing the same struggles.  As long as you keep on working on attaining that self discipline you will eventually get there. Even if it takes your whole life, Don't you think it will be worth it?