Putting Off Your Marshmallow Desires

In the 60's, a professor at Stanford University conducted an experiment testing the will-power of four-year-old children. He placed before them a large marshmallow and told them they could eat it right away or, if they waited the 15 minutes, they could have two marshmallows.

He then left the children alone and watched them through a two way mirror. Some ate the marshmallow right away, others waited a little while then ate. About 30% waited the 15 minutes. This professor kept track of the children in the experiment and noticed something interesting. The children who could not wait struggled later in life and had more behavioral problems, while those who waited tended to be more positive and better motivated, have higher grades and incomes, and had healthier relationships.

So patience is more than a virtue it is a key to success. We can learn patience, I am confident of it. I am sitting in an LDS church listening to youth talk about what they learned playing ultimate Frisbee. A few stated the long throw can get you a goal quickly but it is also more likely to get blocked, missed or intercepted. Short throws can be easily caught making progress toward your goal. They see the power of patience. A good marketer will analyze results regularly to show clients their ROI. Long term sales will result. Let us put off our marshmallow desires to gain the greater reward.

Fred Abaroa
The Marketing Imagineer
Fred [@] TMIFred.com
@TMIFred