n the 1960s, Stanford professor, Walter Mischel, conducted a series of important psychological studies known as the Marshmallow Experiments, which he published in 1972.  During his experiments, Mischel tested hundreds of children (mostly ages 4 and 5) and revealed what is now understood to be one of the most important characteristics for success in health, work, and life.

The experiment began by bringing each child into a private room, sitting them down in a chair, and placing a marshmallow on the table in front of them.  The researcher told the child he was going to leave the room, and if the child did not eat the marshmallow while he was away, then the child would be rewarded with a second marshmallow. However, if the child ate the first one before the researcher returned, then he or she would not be rewarded with a second marshmallow.  So the choice was simple: one treat instantly or two treats later.  As you can imagine, when the researcher left the room, some kids ate the marshmallow immediately, some kids agonized and fidgeted before eating it, and some restrained themselves until the researcher returned.

The interesting part of the experiment came years later.  As the children grew up, the researchers conducted follow up studies and tracked each child’s progress in a number of areas. What they found was the children who were willing to delay gratification and wait to receive the second marshmallow ended up having higher SAT scores, lower levels of substance abuse, lower likelihood of obesity, better responses to stress, better social skills as reported by their parents, and generally better scores in a range of other life measures. The researchers followed each child for more than forty years, and the group which had waited patiently for the second marshmallow consistently succeeded in every measured capacity — demonstrating the critical importance of delaying gratification to success in life.

The results of this experiment are validated every day.  Delaying the gratification of watching television until homework and exercise are finished results in better grades and health; and delaying the gratification of buying non-essential items for immediate pleasure results in long-term financial security and the ability to buy nicer things.

Success usually results from choosing the pain of discipline over the ease of distraction. The Marshmallow Experiments make one thing clear: success requires choosing discipline and action over ease and distraction.