Delayed Gratification for the Medical Intern
By now if you have been reading about personal finance you will have read an article or two on delayed gratification. Most people will agree that an element of delayed gratification is very useful if you plan to accumulate wealth. In fact, some very smart individuals over at Stanford even did a study back in the 1970’s by offering hungry 4-year-olds a marshmallow, but told them that if they could wait for the experimenter to return after running an errand, they could have two marshmallows.
Those who could wait the fifteen or twenty minutes for the experimenter to return would be demonstrating the ability to delay gratification and control impulse. About one-third of of the children grabbed the single marshmallow right away while about another one-third were able to wait 15 or 20 minutes for the researcher to return.
Years later when the children graduated from high school, the differences between the two groups were dramatic: the resisters were more positive, self-motivating, persistent in the face of difficulties, and able to delay gratification in pursuit of their goals. Those having grabbed the marshmallow were more troubled, stubborn and indecisive, mistrustful, less self-confident, and still could not put off gratification. They had trouble subordinating immediate impulses to achieve long-range goals.
Every July I get a quick reminder of a different form of delayed gratification……SLEEP. Anyone who has had to take overnight call and function at a high level for 30-40 hours strait can truly appreciate just how great a full night’s sleep can be. I might not be any richer but waking up refreshed after a brutal call is just a wonderful feeling. Just another crazy way of practicing your skills of delayed gratification.
See you all in the morning.
