Patience: it build character

We live in a world that rewards instant. Fast food. Instant delivery.

But nature does not operate like that.

Delaying gratification is the ability to resist an immediate reward for a better one in the future.

It sounds simple. It is not.

Instead, it could be one of the most powerful skills you can develop.

In 1972, the Stanford Marshmallow Experiment made this clear.

Researchers offered the children a marshmallow. If they could wait, they would get two. Some ate it instantly. Others waited.

Decades later, the ones who waited had better academic results, lower substance abuse, and better emotional control.

If you think this only affects children, perish the thought.

How many of us have cracked open a packet of wafers, savouries, chocolate only to regret it later?

But when you delay gratification, you activate the prefrontal cortex.

The prefrontal cortex is the seat of reasoning, planning, and self-control.

Your brain is like a muscle. The more you use it, the stronger it gets. You develop discipline and resilience. Resilience makes you stronger.

But how do you practice this?

Start small. Wait ten minutes before responding to a craving. Make small changes that create discomfort instead of comfort. For example, walking up the stairs instead of using the elevator.

You are delaying comfort.

Over time, your brain rewires itself. It learns patience.

There is a deeper benefit. When you delay gratification, you teach your body that it is safe. That you are not a slave to your urges. You feel in control.

That sense of control is linked to well-being. People with better impulse control report higher life satisfaction, more stable relationships, and fewer symptoms of depression.

In a way, this is the antidote to anxiety. Because anxiety often comes from feeling helpless.

Delaying gratification tells your brain that you have a choice.

It is not about saying no to pleasure. It is about saying yes to something bigger. Your goals, your future self, your ability to self regulate.

In the long run, it is not the marshmallow that matters. It is who you become by waiting.

Reach out to me on twitter @rbawri Instagram @riteshbawriofficial and YouTube at www.youtube.com/breatheagain