Wait For It...

Anyone who has ever set a challenging goal, tried to start a positive habit, or made a New Year's resolution has experienced the feeling. The moment when you break that resolution, forget about the habit, or take a step away from, rather than toward your goal. It's the feeling of disappointment and regret. That feeling usually follows a decision you made to choose some short term comfort or pleasure over long term benefit. Some people call it poor self-discipline; others call it a lack of will-power, and both are technically right. However, what it boils down to, is an inability to embrace and put into practice the skill of delayed gratification. This is a skill that is simple to understand, but incredibly difficult to put into practice and one that we tend to falsely attribute to some lacking character trait. But make no mistake, it is a skill. It can be practiced, it can be improved, and it can be mastered. Simply put, delayed gratification, is the ability to endure some immediate or short-term difficulty or hardship in order to fully experience some future or long term benefit. It's the, "I want six-pack abs during the summer, but in March, the warm brownies just taste too good!" "I want go back to school and get my masters degree, but I'd rather sit and watch Netflix than study." We have all felt and probably given into those temptations, and while for a short time it does feel good, it always ends up leaving us empty and disappointed. So, what can we do to change this cycle? Here are few practical tips:

1. Set realistic goals, write them down, and break them into weekly and even daily tasks. Sometimes the overwhelming nature of goals can make the end result seem unrealistic, which discourages and beats us before we even start.

2. Get someone to join you in your efforts and hold you accountable. The research is clear that inviting others into our lives to encourage us and hold us accountable sends performance through the roof.

3. Get over yourself! If you do give into that temptation, don't beat yourself up. To assume you will never do wrong is only setting yourself up for failure. You are human and bad days will happen. Free yourself of having to be perfect and accept the fact that you never will be. As the stress of trying to live out perfection dissipates, your ability to follow through, will increase.

Each one of these is something that you can put into practice today and will get you on the path to a better tomorrow. Continue to grow and lead well!