Instant gratification is choosing pleasure now.
Delayed gratification is resisting pleasure now for (or in hope of) a more rewarding pleasure later.
The kind of pleasure we feel with instant gratification is not the same kind of pleasure that we feel with delayed gratification.
One is a superficial, fleeting feeling of pleasure—the other is a deep, lingering feeling of pleasure. Some examples:
- Eating ice cream now will give you pleasure while you’re eating. Resisting the ice cream now gives you the pleasure of feeling healthy for much longer thereafter.
- Sitting on the couch now will give you pleasure while you’re sitting. Resisting the couch to partake in a workout gives you the pleasure of feeling strong for much longer thereafter.
- Buying the luxury item now gives you the pleasure while it’s admired. Resisting the luxury item purchase to invest your money gives you the longer-term pleasure of financial security.
That said, it would follow that we should delay gratification as much as possible in our lives.
And I would agree.
The more we delay gratification, the more of that deep, lingering feeling of pleasure—what I consider joy—we’ll have. However, the conversation doesn’t stop there.
I also don’t think we should always delay gratification.
If happiness is a recipe, and instant gratification are the sweet ingredients and delayed gratification are the bitter ones, we need to masterfully combine the two for healthy AND delicious meals.
Too much sweet and we’ll be eating pixie sticks all day (and feel awful).
Too much bitter and we’ll be eating spinach all day (and become bored).
We need to learn how to masterfully combine both for healthy, great-tasting meals.