If you look around and make a quick evaluation about your life and your surroundings you will notice that we’re living in a world of instant gratification where we want things now regardless of the possibilities.

Instant gratification is the need to have what we want or need without having to wait. Just think of how we get our food now, how we want overnight shipping, how we want quick answers. As technology advanced so did our expectations for obtaining what we want, but it has also affected our ability to be patient.

Now, because most things are accessible at the palm of our hand through our smart phone we can’t wait. While getting what we want in an expedited fashion is very convenient it has also eroded our ability to be patient. This is why it’s important to be aware that sometimes things will happen when they are supposed to happen.

Do any of these statements or situations sound familiar?

I want to lose weight a.s.a.p.
I want to make a lot of money over night.
I want our food really fast, sometimes beyond possibility.
I want our friends to pick us up as fast as possible.
If a website is not loading fast enough, you wont read the article you clicked for in the first place.

The main problem is that we’re living in the future and we’re missing out on any things because we fall in this cycle and focus on the outcome or the reward. As a result we don’t enjoy or learn as we should from the journey.

Fortunately, there are some things you can do to break this cycle of instant gratification.

We have to learn to distinguish between things that are urgent and those that are not. Sometimes we just want to get what we want as if it was extremely important but we can definitely wait. If you understand that some tings can wait you will eliminate some of that anxiety that’s created from wanting instant gratification.

It is also important to live in the moment and enjoy the ride. We spend so much time focusing on the rewards of our actions or the things we need that we are distracted from the present. Think of the projects you have, the course you’re taking, or that big purchase you’re making. For most of these situations the journey might be more important than the outcome.

Regardless of the situation it’s always important to understand that things will happen when they are ready to happen.  If you are patient enough you will enjoy your experience better and your results will even be sweeter. Chose to be patient and distinguish between things that urgent and those that are not. Also enjoy the moment, don’t focus too much on the results or the end product of whatever you’re working on. You will miss an awesome journey if you do.

Do you live in the moment? Or do you tend to get caught in a cycle of instant gratification?