Delaying Gratification

“Discipline is wisdom and vice versa.”

“We cannot solve life's problems except by solving them.”

“Problems do not go away. They must be worked through or else they remain, forever a barrier to the growth and development of the spirit.”

M. Scott Peck

I feel a little tired and discouraged by all I have to do.  I don’t want to do any of it, because very little of what I’m doing seems to be paying off.  I just want to go to bed, but I know that I need to write and also work on a resume.  I’d also like a little time to just relax and read some comics and eat some popcorn.  So I have an idea.  I’m going to do just those things, after I finish my work.

In his amazing book, The Road Less Traveled, M. Scott Peck says that the ability to delay gratification is a sign of maturity and good mental health.  However, my way of delaying gratification is to set aside a treat.  So I’ve got some comic books I’m going to look at and a bowl of popcorn I’m going to eat, as soon as I finish some work.

The good thing is I don’t even have to do a lot of work.  I can write a short blog and do just a little work on the resume and I’ll still come out ahead.  This is a much better plan than doing nothing and going to bed discouraged or trying to do too much and going to bed exhausted.  As I’ve said many times before, the hardest part is usually just getting started.  But once I do, things are fine.  And, as I’ve also said, it’s nice to have something to look forward to when I’m done.

Here are some things to look forward to in the short-term, in the next few months, and in the long-term future.

Short-term:

·      Comic books to read

·      Popcorn

·      Sleep

·      A movie or a cartoon

·      Satisfaction

In the next few months:

·      365 blogs written

·      500 blogs written

·      More income

·      More money in savings

·      Writing resumes for a lot of people

·      New work relationships

·      Satisfaction

In the long-term future:

·       A house on the beach

·      Having three books published

·      Speaking and writing for a living

·      Satisfaction

          So I have a lot to look forward to in life.  All I need to do is Get Started and Keep Going.  And I should do that now.  Some comic books are waiting for me.