Introduction
It's important to see some examples of instant gratification in order for you to relate to them in you're life. We'll get to them shortly.
What’s the first thing you do when you get up in the morning, and the last thing you do before you go to bed?
Does it involve using your phone, tablet, laptop, or watching TV?
What do you do to relieve stress?
Do you drink alcohol, smoke, take drugs, binge eat food, or shop online?
Today, we can literally have anything we want at the push of a button, swipe of a phone, or tap of a card.
Food can be delivered to our door in 30 minutes or less, we can instantaneously watch any show we choose and use social media to learn what every single one of our friends is up to!
People have little patience for things and have an addiction to receive instant gratification.
But there is a problem with that. The things in life which are important take time to build and grow.
What Is Instant Gratification?
Instant gratification is the immediate fix of ‘feel-good' hormones. It is actually a release of dopamine from the brain, which makes us feel an instant positive emotion for whatever it is we are doing.
Common examples of instant gratification methods:
- Social Media
- Text messaging
- Alcohol
- Drugs
- Porn
- Video games
- Sex
- Food
These 3 Key Areas Of Your Life Will Be Destroyed Through This Addiction:
- Relationships
- Business, work, purpose
- Health
1. Your Romantic Relationships And Friendships
It’s fair to say that times have changed a lot, especially since our parent's generations, however old you may be…
Today, it seems less likely to find a couple that has been together for a long time. And it appears normal for a large percentage of marriages and relationships to fail, instead of succeeding.
Rather than a couple communicating and working through problems, it is much easier for one person to decide they want out.
At the first sign of struggle, the exit door often becomes the destination for many.
There are so many choices that are easily available to us. Social media, dating apps, or going to the nearest bar, are there whenever we want them.
Why would anyone want to work through a little struggle when there are so many other options?
Are you dating your phone?
Have you replaced the connection with your loved one for the connection to your WIFI?
The sad truth is, many people have!
The increased usage of mobile phones, computers, and the internet, have given us even more of a reason to switch off from our partners. Because in a single moment, we are able to get that fix of dopamine.
And that drug is so addictive.
Without a doubt, your addiction to your phone, TV, laptop, or whatever else it may be – it will destroy your relationship eventually.
The same applies to friendships. Give yourself time to hang out with your friends and enjoy your hobbies together, without spending the majority of your time on your phone.
Many people today are lacking a real human connection, and friendships are often not meaningful. Social media has given us the option to put filters over our lives to make them seem something that they aren’t.
A few tips:
- Try and create some rules that allow you both to have some tech-free time.
- Engage in real human interaction, such as: talking to each other with eye contact, going for a walk, making food together, and sharing something about your day.
- Keep your phones away from your bed, or out of the room completely.
- Removing the distractions will make it easier for you.
They may sound so basic and simple, but it is always the little things that matter most. Don’t let them become the big things.
2. Your Career, Vision, And Dreams
Do you have bigger aspirations than your current way of living?
Would you like more happiness, health, and freedom?
Me too!
In fact, most people would say yes! But most people don’t…
The reason is, that all good things take time. The way we are conditioned today; we don’t have the patience. We want and need instant gratification.
I became aware in the past when I was doing some work on my laptop, that I found myself constantly checking my email, browsing Instagram, or watching ridiculous videos on YouTube.
I was procrastinating over and over again, avoiding the task at hand. It’s because there was no instant fix of dopamine. But watching stupid videos of animals, people fighting, or sport, seemed to give me that feeling.
Does this sound like you?
The starting point to fix it is to have the awareness for it.
Read: The 7 Levels of Awareness
A few tips:
- The best thing to do is to look at what you are procrastinating on first of all and evaluate if it is actually important and has meaning to you. From here, you can move forward.
- Let’s say it is important, and that it will help you move towards your big vision. Now it’s about being disciplined and making a commitment to yourself.
- Break things up into small manageable chunks. Spend a short amount of time doing the task, and then give yourself a break from it. Reward yourself with 10 minutes of shitty videos, or get some fresh air.
By breaking things down, it seems way less daunting, and you can still receive those immediate fixes of instant gratification.
It will also take away some stress of not achieving things because you would be moving gradually towards it.
3. Health And Nutrition
I heard a few days ago that cooking is a dying skill, and it doesn’t surprise me.
A number of fast food restaurants, order-to-go services, and online home delivery options, make it too easy for us to opt for simplicity.
Although there are multiple issues with this, including human relationships and connection, here I will discuss the effects on our actual health.
The big issue with fast food and pre-packaged meals is that they are simply designed for speed and cost-efficiency. That means that food manufacturers care very little about what goes into the products, as long as it tastes good, cooks quickly, and makes a profit…
People are addicted to certain foods, and sugar is a big culprit.
Do you ever find yourself eating through boredom? Or because you feel sad about something?
Eating that tub of ice cream is that fix of feel-good hormones again.
The problem is, none of these foods are good for you, and most of them are addictive!
A few tips: Take note of how you feel. Do you often feel tired, sluggish, and low energy?
Are you letting laziness affect your eating habits?
Give yourself some time to make your own food and cut down on how often you’re eating out. Nutrition is the fuel that you feed your body, so if you pack it full of crap, guess how you’re going to feel?
It’s fine to allow yourself treats occasionally, and I actually recommend it. You can read more on healthy eating habits here:
But the main thing is to keep your focus on the long term. When you eat better, you feel better. And when you feel better, you live a more productive and positive life. That means that other areas of your life will improve too.
Conclusion
In such a fast-paced, easily accessible world that we live in, it is important for us to recognize how our actions are affecting our lives.
The above examples of instant gratification should be taken seriously if you want to avoid the pain that comes from the destruction of them.
Human connection is one of the greatest things to be enjoyed in life; many of us are unconsciously destroying it with our addiction to instant gratification.
Take some time out from these things and enjoy real human interaction. Also, take time out for yourself to exercise, go for a walk, meditate, or journal your thoughts down.
The most meaningful things in our lives that make us happy, take time. Relationships are built, job skills are learned and developed, and our fitness is improved over time. There are no quick fixes.
Learn to be more patient, let go of expectations, and make time for what matters most to you.