Are you future-focused or present-focused? The marshmallow experiment.
2009-06-05
What I'm about to tell you is one of the most interesting things I've read or heard in the last few months, and I know you're going to love it, so please read to the end.
The Marshmallow Experiment
40 years ago, at a nursery school at Stanford University, psychology professor Walter Mischel ran an experiment.
A bunch 4-year-olds were brought into a room, one at a time. They were given one marshmallow, and told they were allowed to eat it immediately, but if they could wait 15 minutes without eating it, they'd be given a second marshmallow, and could eat both.
70% of the kids ate the marshmallow right away. Only 30% of the kids could wait the full 15 minutes to get the second marshmallow. This experiment has been repeated in other countries (Brazil and Japan) over the years, and the ratio stays the same: two-thirds can't wait, one-third wait.
But here's the interesting part:
15 years later, the researchers followed-up and found that those kids who waited for the second marshmallow scored, on average, 250 points higher on the SAT test, and were higher achievers in whatever field they had chosen (academic, athletic, artistic). They were all-around more successful and happier.
So the ability to delay gratification is one of the best indicators of future success.
Your Time Focus
So what are you really doing when you delay gratification?
You're giving more importance to the future than the present. Willing to give up a little pleasure in the present, to benefit your future self.
The great book, The Time Paradox, notes that we all have a different time-focus that greatly shapes how we think and act.
- Future-Focused People
For future-focused people, long-range goals fuel today's decisions and actions. This keeps them ambitiously working, saving, and planning for a better life. Self-discipline and the ability to delay gratification are key.
Future-focused people are more successful professionally and academically. They also eat well, exercise regularly, and schedule preventative health exams.
But by always looking through the present to the next goal, they often do not fully appreciate the present. Think of the stereotype of the successful executive who is always too busy for his family. (Friends and family require your attention to be in the present.)
- Present-Focused People
Present-focused people actively seek activities and relationships that bring pleasure, variety, immediate gratification, and short-term payoffs. They avoid anything tedious, requiring effort, maintenance, or routine. They're playful and impulsive, engaging in leisure activities (until it becomes boring).
Present-focused people are more likely to gamble, use drugs and alcohol. They're less likely to exercise, eat well, floss, or get regular health exams. They are the least likely to be successful.
While some present-focus is needed to enjoy life, too much present-focus can rob life of the deeper happiness of accomplishment.
- Past Focus
How you view the past is also important because we see our lives as having a trajectory. If you remember the past as happy, you predict your future will be happy. If you are haunted by an unhappy past, you probably predict your future to be unhappy, too.
What causes or changes your focus?
Though the experiment with 4-year-olds shows that we each have a built-in tendency, we can intentionally change our focus.
Ask a future-focused person to name every background sound they can hear, or where their body is touching their chair. Their focus will change to the present. Ask a present-focused person to describe their ultimate career, then brainstorm step-by-step ways to achieve those goals. Their focus will change to the future.
Circumstances change focus. You need safety and stability in the present to start thinking about the future. Cavemen needed a full present-focus at all times to survive in the wild and find food each day. It was only after the development of agriculture that people could spend more time thinking about the future.
People who lived in tropical climates had less future-focus than people who lived in places with cold winters, since winters required planning and saving.
Political and economic instability also cause people to focus more on present survival than long-term investing of time or money.
Balance is best
Please don't think this means we should all be extremely future-focused.
The happiest and most effective people are balanced: equally high in future-focus and present-focus, and viewing the past as positive.
When you have work to finish, be future-focused. When your work is done and it's time to relax, be present-focused. During family holidays, be past-focused to enjoy family customs.
Which leads to the most colorful example of this need for balance....
Ghana football (soccer) team
The Ghana national football team always played beautifully and creatively but were at the bottom of the league because they often lost for not adhering to the disciplined rules of the game. In the context of this story, let's say they were very present-focused.
In 2004, they brought in a tough new coach from Serbia: Ratomir Dujković. He relentlessly focused on discipline, toughness, goal-scoring and punctuality. He set high expectations for future success, telling them they could get into the semi-finals for the world cup if they worked hard.
Sure enough, in 2006, with their great combination of present-focused creativity and a new future-focused desire to win, they almost won the World Cup, only losing to Brazil in the final game. They did win the FIFA “Most Improved Team of the Year” award.
Interested? See these related links:
- A video summarizing the marshmallow experiment
- The Time Paradox book
- An in-depth New Yorker article about this
I have to get better at being in the present. I need to remember to enjoy the journey. Thanks for the reminder.
You hit the nail on the head with "You need safety and stability in the present to start thinking about the future."
I came to that conclusion recently and it has changed my life. I realize that the only way I could truly focus on the large goals of recording an album and starting my own business was to take control of my PRESENT situations (finances, health, friends). Now that all my personal ducks are in a row I feel liberated and able to concentrate on my future ambitions.
Great insights!
You always have something interesting to throw at us. Love ya Derek.
Great post...I know it's a minor point, but the Ghana story is pretty loose with the facts. 1) They were a good team before Dujković took over. 2) They didn't make the final, they lost in the second round. 3) While they did lose to Brazil, Brazil were not eventual champions. They lost in the quarterfinals after beating Ghana.
Sorry, I know it's beside the point, but I'm a big soccer fan. Couldn't resist.
Some very interesting points. It's important to find balance with all extremes, but discipline is key to create direction and balance, without discipline we're like a leaf in the wind it seems.
It's funny, i was thinking about this today...
A balance is key.
«A few temporary mesures prevent a great journey from happenning.» Kung Tzu
Thank you for sharing this great post; Derek!
Being 100% in the present moment and taking care of the future are no contradiction.
The awareness of the moment helps to make the right decisions for the future.
While I record my Morning Tune Up videos I'm completely in the moment. But before I have to decide that I want to do it, set up the camera and plan to edit and upload the clip.
Setting up a routine can be helpful if it's not too rigid to destroy the fun of the journey.
Very insightful.
The marshmallow I could wait for, if it were chocolate...not so much. ; )
It's simplified for storytelling sake, but actually they let the kids pick the treat they liked best, then used that. -- Derek
Ineffective executives focus on the past; in fact, they see the present through the past; effective executives see the present through the future. Future Works
I appreciate the story about the Ghana team, being a soccer fan. This shed light in more areas than one. Thank you. Take care.
-Dennis
I think the real statistic here is that 30% of kids don't really like marshmallows.
Or that kids who don't like marshmallows are more successful? -- Derek
sha la la la la la live for today! ; )
Actually, Brian Tracy says the same thing in his goals program. The only danger is when a charlatan swoops in and steals the product of your delayed gratification- like Madoff, Mozilla, or any of the less well known versions thereof.
wwjs-
"Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Let the day's own trouble be sufficient for the day.
Matthew 6:34
Painful to read but too true. I've spent years trying to overcome the fact that I would have eaten the first marshmallow (and still do way too often). Great article!
Gavin
I would have, too, until I was 17. At 17, a teacher changed my focus and I got intensely ambitious and future-focused. Focus can definitely change. -- Derek
This is great, and I've really been striving to find that balance lately. Thanks for the encouragement!
I'd like to know more about your teacher...what could change your level of focus at 17 so intensely?
See sivers.org/berklee #2 -- Derek
I need to find my own balance between focusing on the present and also focusing on the future as well. at times I'm more present focused and other times I'm more future focused. At times I also find that I'm too future focused and don't pay enough attention to the present. My self fulfilling prophecy seems to be ever changing and I want to be successful, but I feel held back at times for whatever reasons I'm unsure. With that being said I am becoming more goal oriented and try to take some advice from an article I read a while ago. It was about having a "Groundhog Day" mindset at the beginning of each day, taking each day like it's new and the world is my oyster. Phew, that was long winded. Thanks for the great article. I'm feeling inspired.
well, it's like my mom always said- if you've got one foot in the past, and one foot in the future, you shit on the present
i think being present is the best way to stay the happiest. but yes, i do think balance is best when pursuing a goal like music. you have to sacrifice in the short term for what you see as a bigger accomplishment down the road.
I was one of those kids who used to do his homework the second I got home, or sometimes even at lunch the day before so I'm fairly certain I would have waited for that second marshmallow. I've come realize the value of the moment in my adult life though, and I'm convinced that balance you speak of is in fact an essential element to happiness.
Great post.
Thanks Derek.
I wonder if future-thinking people bristle at the thought of all their body parts touching their chair as much as I bristle at the thought of my ultimate career and how to get there. I'm terrified of the future. Whenever I think of planning my life, a chorus of murmurs and laments in my head drowns out the thought. I often wonder what it's like to be successful.
Nice one. This applied to personal micro-economy and savings is something that can potentially make people millionaire.
Interesting study. It definitely fits with my perception of how people are.
I found the comment about cavemen being present-focused a bit funny: how do we know? Maybe they had large stores of nuts and dried meat. Poor cavemen. Always underrated.
For decades, I keep telling companies to handle their present situation better (enforce stability and stop gambling) so that they can set up a future, but I get in trouble every time. Me and my stinking non-conformist attitudes.
Good article, Derek. Thanks!
Excellent article, Derek. You hit the nail on the head. Balance in Present, Future, Past thinking. Thanks once again for your efforts to support those attempting to live creative lives. Pam Mark Hall
Or I could create and build my own marshmallow-making machine and have them whenever I wanted.
sorry no comment here - totally despise marshmallows - I'll give it the 15 minutes if you can find a better candy to make me wait for - like say, a Kit Kat, or skip candy, I'll wait even 30 mintues for a great veggie-pizza! ANd an hour for a good pilsner - heck, we used to abstain for days until the 'good' weed would come in -
Okay, seriously - this is a great read and thank goodness this has been my MO for many years - has it paid off?
Let me get back with you on that one, I'm currently too future-focused to think back that far
I Love This Article Its So True
So do I get a marshmallow?
I just take one day at a time.
"Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."
Matthew 6:34
http://bible.cc/matthew/6-34.htm
"You’re giving more importance to the future than the present. Willing to give up a little pleasure in the present, to benefit your future self."
Thanks, Derek. My friends often tell me that I need to put on 'blinders'. Pick one thing and focus on that instead of delving into several things. Focus! I appreciate all of your advice and the articles you send. now all I need to do now is apply them. Thank you!
I'm finding that balance. I feel grateful and happy to be able to take care of those basic needs so that from there I get to go out and try new things. Like today, I got back to Shanghai after taking the slow overnight boat back from the Zhoushan islands and I got lost. I don't really mind being lost. Actually it is possible to be lost as often as you like here. I was lost because my reference point had been moved. The boat passenger terminal had been moved by about 10 miles since the last time I used it, about 10 years ago! But besides being lost on part of the trip I made some friends and saw places I would like to return to. Life has its ups and it definitely has its downs too. I've always thought that it is kind of a great experiment in the gathering of experience, both by individuals and by the collective of humanity. Dream, gather, reflect, share. Interesting statistics, those 30% and 70%. I wonder what it means.
Just wanted to point out that Ghana football team didn't reach the Fifa World Cup final in 2006: they lost with Brazil in the Round of 16 (Brazil lost in the quarters with France), but it was their best result after the quarterfinals in 1950. Actually the final was Italy vs France and the trophy was conquered by the Italian team after the infamous Zidane-Materazzi incident.
I know that this is completely off topic, but try to understand me: I'm Italian
Thanks for the correction! -- Derek
I am alway future focused. This always leads to tension in life. So live in the present moment.
My advice is live in the present moment hoping for a good future. How is this?