In the last WorkPuzzle, I introduced you to the work of Dr. Walter Mischel and the famous Marshmallow test. The defining connection between the character trait of delaying gratification and the long-term success of those who possess this trait was the take-away from Part 1 of the discussion.
Assuming this connection does exist (there is now a large body of research supporting this suggestion) it certainly begs the question:
How does a person increase their ability to exercise self-control?
A summary written by Dr. Chuck Chakrapani does a great job answering this question.
Commonly used strategies for self-control often include removing the source of temptations (don’t have junk foods around, if you are trying to eat healthy) or surrounding yourself with people who do not eat junk food. But these strategies are likely to fail without effective pre-commitment.
You can remove all cigarettes from sight and yet mooch them from others. You can clear junk food from the kitchen and yet help yourself to sugar-laden cookies in business meetings.
Dr. Mischel suggests that we should use more robust strategies based on research. Some such strategies are:
Make up If-Then Rules. We tend to react to cues out of habit. Create new habits with new cues. IF I go to a restaurant, THEN I will start my meal with a salad. IF I get an email notification, THEN I will finish the next item on my to-do list before reading the email. When well-rehearsed and practiced, the desired behavior is triggered automatically without effort.
Cool the Now, Heat the Later. Vividly imagine the negative consequences of immediate gratification: Whenever you are tempted to smoke, visualize the picture of a cancerous lung. If you are tempted overeat, visualize the picture of a person who is unfit and out of shape.
Distance Yourself From the Situation. Refer to yourself in the third person. Instead of saying “I have to finish the report by tomorrow”, I can say “Chuck has to finish the report by tomorrow.” This way you distance yourself and change your role to that of an observer. This makes the completion of the task easier.
Shift Your Focus From Hot to Cool Properties. Shift your attention from the hot to the not-so-hot attributes of the stimulus: Instead of looking at the chocolate as a tasty flavorful treat, look at it as a brown square, wrapped in paper. By focusing your attention on the on the cool attributes of a stimulus, we can decrease its appeal.
You can start applying these self-control strategies right away. If you’d like to learn more, I would suggest getting a copy of Dr. Mischel’s book.
If you don’t have time to read this lengthy volume, you might want to read the Wall Street Journal’s summary of the book. Also, the APA’s point paper on delaying gratification does a great job of briefly explaining the “hot and cold” framework referenced above.
If you’re not able to do any of these things, stay away from the marshmallows. This we know for sure – they’re not good for you!
Questions or Comments? Reply to your WorkPuzzle subscription email.
Didn’t get the WorkPuzzle email? Subscribe below. We promise not to share your email with others or use it for any other purpose but delivering WorkPuzzle notices.
