The marshmallow test

Self-discipline is a big factor in life's successes, especially in business. The focus and commitment to see things through, working when there are more fun things to do, or just staying on the page of complicated accounts to get it finished, instead of scanning social media. If you read the stories and habits of famously successful people, there is often a theme of getting up early to work out, study or just get a head start before others hit the office. There are strict routines, and an obsession with personal efficiencies and avoiding distraction.

I read a lot of business biographies, and take this example to also value my early morning work time before the phone starts to ring. The self-control and concentration are things I try to emulate. In our modern life of instant communication, there are always plenty of distractions. Messages from friends, Instagram feeds, and the wonderful ability to access any and every information and entertainment through the devices in our pockets and purses. The benefits are immeasurable, but self-control is perhaps harder than ever.

Around fifty years ago, Professor Walter Mischel at Stanford University began a series of marshmallow experiments. In this study, children were offered a marshmallow, and left alone for fifteen minutes to make a decision: if they did not eat the marshmallow during the fifteen minutes alone with it, they would get a second marshmallow. If they ate it, there would be no second marshmallow. The results were mixed of course. Some children could not resist eating the marshmallow. Others waited for the bigger reward.

Twenty years later, the children from the experiments showed some interesting differences in life outcomes. The children who had been able to control their impulses became more competent adolescents, according to their parents. Later one, they had better scores at school, and higher incomes.

We all face our 'marshmallow' choices everyday. People make plans for the future, career ambitions, savings targets and resolutions on their personal behaviour. We usually have a good idea of what is right for us in the long term and what is going to bring us success. But, people are always tempted by short-term pleasure, sometimes at the expense of longer-term reward.

With our routines and our work and social groups, we can help each other: if we commit with others to stick to a plan, we are more likely to do so. Some psychologists also argue that we have a limited capacity for self-control – a bank of it that can run out if we have to use it too much. It is better to find ways to avoid the temptations in the first place, and not test our self-control to the limit.

All of us have dreams and ambitions, and building our self-control is important to staying on track for those big success. Sharing a disciplined routine with a team helps a lot. On other days, we just have to avoid that situation, leave the phone out of sight for an hour or two, or find any other way to keep distractions and temptations out of our path to success!