Don't eat the marshmallow! | Joachim de Posada

Delayed Gratification and Success

Joachim de Posada presents delayed gratification—the ability to resist an immediate reward in favor of a larger later reward—as an important ingredient in success.

The Marshmallow Experiment

In the experiment, four-year-olds could eat one marshmallow immediately or wait 15 minutes and receive a second. About two-thirds ate the marshmallow, while about one-third waited.

Some children who waited managed the temptation by looking away, putting the marshmallow back, or distracting themselves by walking around and playing with their clothes.

De Posada recounts a follow-up conducted roughly 15 years later. He says the children who had waited generally had better grades and were doing well, while many of those who ate the marshmallow had academic difficulties. He presents this as evidence of the value of self-discipline.

Everyday Applications

De Posada says the principle applies to everyday decisions and sales: pause to ask questions and consider whether a choice is right instead of immediately giving in to what someone wants.

He also uses the marshmallow as a metaphor for spending, arguing that consuming more than we produce contributes to debt.

Presenters and Sources

• Presenter: Joachim de Posada
• Sources mentioned: An unnamed Stanford psychology professor and the experiment’s follow-up researchers; de Posada’s replication with children in Colombia; and a children’s book and teaching effort in Korea.