Is Will a Skill?

This is too cool not to share.  During my Influencer training, we watched a video on delaying gratification.  Apparently, people that can delay gratification can do better in school, get more promotions, have better relationships and lead a more successful life.  Rather than do what they want in the moment, they choose what’s right for the long run.  That’s the will part.

In the study, kids are given a marshmallow and told that if they don’t eat it for 15 minutes, they’ll get another marshmallow.  Of course, most kids ate the marshmallow before the 15 minutes was up.  Those that didn’t became easy to spot.  They had self-discipline.

O.K. great.  So some people are born with willpower.  What about the rest of us?  Well, the good news is, will’s a skill. They repeated the experiment, but this time they told the kids they could use a technique.  Whenever they wanted the marshmallow, they could just think of their favorite moment or imagine their Mom or Dad watching.  Almost every kid got to his second marshmallow.

Here’s the lesson.  Before you act or react, take a pause.  You already know what you want to do, now ask a different question — “what’s in your best interest?”  Now choose your most effective response.  It’s the power of the pause.

Photo by Rob with Twobs.