The Story of Your Life Through a Marshmallow

If you're seven years old and they give you one marshmallows, don't eat it. Wait. If you wait, you'll get two marshmallows later and you'll have a better life. That's what the Stanford marshmallow researchers found out. The study found that those kids who waited scored higher in SAT tests, had less living problems, less obese, less addictions, less drug problems, and – blame it on the marshmallows, - had less divorces! Yes, the researchers followed the kids, including the losers, for several decades. 

If you're reading this and remember eating one marshmallow very fast, (about grade 2), and you're overweight, divorced six times, drink a bit much, - now you know it was the marshmallows they gave you. On the other hand, if you're doing well, find life a breeze, and remember eating two marshmallows, - there's your answer!

Waiting, or self regulation, after intelligence, was the single most important determinant of success in life. Why is life set up so backwards? Why do you age? Why does hair fall out and lawns grow in? I could have been one of those single marshmallow kids. Inhaled the first one and wondered why other kids got two later. Life isn't fair. 

"Wait and get two marshmallows later" is a lifetime attribute. You can't knock it out of people with coaching or incentives. Best find it at time of hiring. Instead of offering job candidates marshmallows to see who waits and who doesn't, better ask some polarizing questions. Eg., Living large, what does that mean to you? How many credit cards should you have? What's your ideal car? What's the ideal house look like to you? Does your candidate answer with the long view of self regulation? Or the short, "I want it all now" view? 

Wednesday this week my seminar is on Time Management. We can't manage time but we can sure manage choices. Short or long view? It's a choice that effects every decision you'll ever make. 

See you for breakfast! 
Wolf

p.s. Seminar is Wed. Nov. 23rd, Glenbrook Park Amenities Ctr in New Westminster. 8:00 am, please arrive 15 min early. Great hall, we will have extra seats. It's late, so why not ask Rachel for a guest seat. See what she says! 604-931-6813.