One of the things that is most difficult for us is to avoid immediate gratification, that is to say, not giving in to the current impulse in favor of a goal more distant in time but that will be of greater benefit to us, as when we yield to the impulse of binge in the middle of a diet or when we decide to accept the invitation and go out with friends instead of studying for the exam we have to date following. Not to give in to immediate satisfaction, we learn when we are little, we ask our parents for something and they tell us no. The normal reaction then is the tantrum, because as children, we do not understand that they behave in this way and the great impact on our lives that this learning is going to have, both from a financial, professional, emotional and personal point of view.
Learn to delay rewards, that is, to control immediate impulses It is important because it will help us achieve the goals that we set ourselves throughout our lives.
However, fighting immediate gratification is not easy, and even less in our current society, which is created to satisfy any desire immediately. The immediate reward also helps us not to suffer or have to face unpleasant feelings or that we do not know how to handle, which leads us, in the long run, to compulsive behaviors such as shopping, eating, drinking alcohol, having one relationship after another without getting emotionally involved in any of them, etc.
Studying public examinations, maintaining a relationship, following a diet or having a healthy economy depends to a large extent on what we are able to control immediate impulses in pursuit of a goal that, although more distant, will bring more benefits to U.S.
This article is merely informative, in Psychology-Online we do not have the power to make a diagnosis or recommend a treatment. We invite you to go to a psychologist to treat your particular case.
