This famous experiment came from the 1960s and was designed and implemented by Stanford University psychologist Walter Mitchell.
The details are as follows: The researchers left each child alone in a room with a marshmallow on the table in front of them. The researchers will tell the children that you can eat this candy, but if this candy is still on the table when I come back after 15 minutes, I will reward you with another candy. If you can't wait to ring the bell on the desk at once, I'll be right back. Most children can't last for 3 minutes, and some of them.
Professor Michel said that this experiment is very predictive, because if a child can refrain from eating sugar for 15 minutes, then he will definitely do his homework before playing games and watching TV in the future. After work, he will also use some money as savings to prepare for large-scale consumption in the future, such as buying a house, instead of spending it all at once.
In subsequent research, Professor Michel found that those children who can persist in the marshmallow experiment for a longer period of time often show stronger self-control in the face of difficulties, are not moved by temptation, are more likely to concentrate, and are smarter, more independent and more confident, and trust their own judgments. In the face of pressure, they are less likely to collapse, nag, behave confusedly or repeat some immature performances than those children who don't persist for a long time. Similarly, they are more capable of planning, and when they are motivated, they are more capable of launching an impact on their goals. They are also hard-working and will not compromise easily in the face of setbacks.
To put it bluntly, this is an experiment about instant gratification and delayed gratification. This experiment shows that children with more delayed satisfaction and self-control are more likely to make a difference in adulthood.
The ability to delay gratification can also be understood as self-control ability. This kind of self-control can be continuously enhanced through training. Self-discipline/Kloc-Crossing the Blind Spot of Life in 0/00 Days quoted the marshmallow experiment to show that self-control is a scarce ability for us personally. And everyone's self-control is relatively fixed in a certain period of time. If you consume your self-control in this matter, you may lose it in other things. Therefore, self-control, as a scarce ability, should not be abused, especially this precious ability should not be used in things that are not important at all. Therefore, I suggest making a 100-day self-discipline plan and doing three things that you think are valuable for the future every day (such as reading, writing, sports, calligraphy, painting, etc.). Just to let our self-control focus on these three things, rather than being distracted by other things. Over time, through the 100-day self-discipline plan, we will do three things every day and continue to do them, and these three things will be transformed into our abilities and unique highlights over time.
The author's point of view is very enlightening to me. In the new year, I hope I can keep reading, writing and exercising. After half a year or a year, I will come back here to review my experience and experience.