Why is delayed gratification better than instant gratification
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Delayed gratification is considered beneficial over instant gratification for several reasons, as discussed in the Huberman Lab. Here are a few insights from on the topic:
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Long-term Goals: In , Huberman talks about the use of our visual system to achieve long-term goals and mentions how delay discounting affects our ability to save money for the future. He brings up an experiment that showed how imagining oneself in the future can help motivate behavior towards achieving long-term goals. This emphasizes the importance of delayed gratification in planning and securing a better future 1.
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Performance in Specific Domains: In a discussion related to OCD and obsessive-compulsive personality disorder (OCPD) in , Huberman highlights that individuals with OCPD are better at delaying gratification which can result in better performance in various domains. This implies that delayed gratification is associated with improved outcomes and efficiency in tasks like architecture or cooking 2.
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Cognitive Benefits and Will to Live: Furthermore, during a conversation with Layne Norton in , Norton discusses how persevering through negative experiences by embracing hard things and practicing delayed gratification can lead to cognitive benefits and a stronger will to live. Huberman adds that challenging oneself both mentally and physically is beneficial 3.
These points suggest that delayed gratification is generally a component of disciplined behavior and long-term success, and it's associated with various positive outcomes, such as better performance in specific tasks and overall cognitive improvements.
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