Gratification is the pleasurable emotional reaction of happiness when a desire or goal is fulfiled. Like most emotions, gratification is a motivator in all human social systems. While gratification brings a sense of fulfilment and brings satisfaction, instant gratification can lead to worries in the long run. In this post, we will explore how you can overcome instant gratification.
Instant gratification is a habit in which one indulges in momentary pleasures to overcome short-term pains. This consequently results in long-term pains. In other words, it is human to find reasons or excuses to disregard the necessary actions to indulge in instant gratification at the cost of one’s short-term and long-term goals.
So, is there anything wrong with instant gratification?
Yes! Let us take a look at two different standard ways of living. The first way is instant gratification: putting off work to chat or talk with friends, snoozing the alarm to delay getting up, eating expensive food and drink, incessantly surfing the internet, playing video games, buying an expensive TV, or setting up a home theatre, uninhibited shopping, gambling, etc., to list a few examples. Instant gratification makes us do anything we want without any limits and restraints. This attitude leads people to a debt trap, bad health, and an unhealthy life.
The second is the opposite of the above way of life: enjoy most of the above, but modestly and with restraint. This behaviour gives you a healthy way of living by enjoying all the gifts of life. To understand instant gratification psychology better, let us look at the history of instant gratification and the science behind it.
The desire for immediate pleasure is a primal human urge. While the expression "instant gratification" is modern, the dilemma of waiting for a bigger reward and taking the smaller pleasure now has likely been around forever.
Hormonal and nervous stimulations drive instant gratification psychology. Our brains are wired to balance seeking pleasure and avoiding pain. This basic principle, the pleasure principle, is rooted in our evolutionary need to survive and reproduce.
Fueled by dopamine, the reward system fires up when we anticipate or receive something pleasurable. This system is powerful in the limbic system, our emotional brain. However, the prefrontal cortex, responsible for planning and self-control, develops slower.
This creates a conflict: the emotional brain pushes for instant gratification (like that tasty cake!), while the logical brain argues for delayed rewards (like long-term health benefits). The outcome depends on the situation and individual brain development.
Want a healthier life? Skipping that instant gratification might help! Studies show people who wait for bigger rewards tend to sleep better, exercise more, eat healthier, and feel less stressed. It takes practice, but developing this skill can lead to many benefits down the road.
Resisting instant gratification can greatly affect your financial planning and management. Here is how saying no to short-term pleasures can lead to long-term financial gains:
Here are some ways to manage the urge to be instantly gratified and achieve your short-term life goals:
In a nutshell, do not avoid gratification entirely, but respond to it mindfully. Invest your money judiciously to care for your financial goals of various ranges and magnitudes. Allocate money for investment before you budget for expenses. Managing investment is critical and can spread across multiple asset classes depending on your risk appetite.
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