Here is the full transcript of Emilio Justo’s talk titled “Delayed Gratification: Your Superpower to Success” at TEDxCherryCreekHS conference.
In this TEDx talk, Emilio Justo emphasizes the transformative power of delaying immediate pleasures for long-term goals. He shares his personal journey, from a challenging upbringing as an immigrant in Indiana to becoming a successful physician, attributing his achievements to the practice of delayed gratification. Justo discusses the struggles of growing up with limited resources, contrasting his experience with peers who enjoyed immediate gratifications.
He highlights how focusing on education and long-term goals, rather than short-term desires, accelerated his success. Justo references the Stanford Marshmallow Experiment to underline the scientific backing of his philosophy, showing how children who practiced self-control achieved greater success later in life. He outlines a three-step process for mastering delayed gratification: setting clear long-term goals, creating a structured plan, and practicing mindful decision-making. Justo’s talk ultimately encourages embracing patience and discipline to achieve greater personal and professional success.
Listen to the audio version here:
TRANSCRIPT:
The Power of Delayed Gratification
Do you practice delayed gratification? When traveling the world, I get approached by many people solely because they recognize the University of Michigan logo on my clothes. So get this: five years ago, I’m checking out of a hotel in Barcelona, Spain. On my way to a cruise ship, wearing my Michigan threads, the woman in line behind me asked if I’m from Michigan.
I said, “No, I’m actually from Indiana, but I did attend college and medical school at U of M.” “Well, where in Indiana?” she asked. “Small town called Crown Point.” Surprised, she said, “My husband grew up in Crown Point.” She shouted for her husband, who quickly came running up to us and said, “My name is John Kometz.” I was in total shock.
It turns out that John was one of my best friends in seventh grade. I hadn’t seen him in 40 years.
John and I quickly embraced, and we caught up on the last four decades in four short minutes while our families departed on the same cruise ship. Understand, I wasn’t always able to travel the world. I couldn’t get all the things I wanted when I was young. Growing up as a teenager in Indiana, we had no money.
A Journey from Struggle to Success
My parents and I emigrated from communist Cuba when I was only three, escaping a life of uncertainty in search for a better future. My father worked two full-time jobs. My mother went to college three hours away from home while attempting to speak a foreign language. I was sent a thousand miles away to grow up with my grandparents while my parents were reestablishing themselves in a new world.
We didn’t have a car, and I walked to school daily during the harsh winters of northwest Missouri. Some of my so-called friends made fun of our family for being different and having accents. Unlike many of my friends who had fancy summer vacations and were gifted cars when turning 16, I couldn’t have the immediate gratification that they got. As a freshman in high school, I wanted so badly to play hockey for our high school team.
My parents simply couldn’t afford the expensive equipment. I felt cheated. I felt envious. You know, I even felt a little bitter.
Embracing Delayed Gratification
We live in an era of instant gratification. We expect immediate results and instant rewards. However, you can embrace and achieve your goals and dreams faster by embracing delayed gratification. When I accepted setting aside immediate gratification and instead focused on my studies and education to become a physician, I quickly learned that my life goals occurred much sooner.
During college, I only had student loans and a few scholarships. I chose to live frugally, avoided spending on fancy meals, and instead ate the meals in the dorms. I limited my partying and concerts. After graduating and starting my ophthalmology residency, I chose to spend wisely and save.
Within a few short years of working, I could travel the world, buy fancy cars, and spend but most importantly, provide financial support to my parents who had sacrificed their lives for me. Delayed gratification is the practice of resisting the temptation for immediate rewards and instead choosing to invest time and effort into long-term goals. One of the critical benefits of delayed gratification is the development of resilience, strengthening our ability to overcome obstacles, endure challenges, and persevere through setbacks. Delayed gratification allows us to gain clarity about our goals and aspirations.
The Impact of Delayed Gratification
It forces us to reflect on what truly matters and identify the steps needed to achieve those goals. It teaches us to control our impulses and make conscious choices that serve our long-term interests. By delaying instant gratification, we become masters of our desires rather than slaves to our impulses. Delayed gratification teaches us the art of patience, allowing us to wait for the right opportunities to make thoughtful decisions, enabling us to embrace the journey rather than obsess over the destination.
One of the most famous and well-known studies that demonstrates the positive power of delayed gratification is the so-called Stanford Marshmallow Experiment conducted by psychologist Walter Mischel in the early 1970s. In this experiment, young children ages four through six were individually presented with either a marshmallow or another treat of their choice. The researchers then explained that they could eat their treats immediately, but if they waited about 15 minutes, they would receive an additional treat as a reward. The children were left alone in the room and their struggle to resist temptation was observed.
The results were fascinating. Some of the children couldn’t resist temptation and ate their treats right away, whereas others successfully delayed gratification in order to receive the second treat.
Now, years later, follow-up longitudinal studies showed that those children who displayed greater self-control and delayed gratification performed better academically, had higher SAT scores, and exhibited better social and emotional skills in adolescence and adulthood. Delaying gratification takes three simple steps.
First, clearly define your most important long-term goal. Reflect on what truly matters to you. Write it down. Keep it as a visible reminder of your vision.
Second, create a structured plan to achieve your goal. If necessary, break down your goal into smaller, more manageable steps. Assign realistic timelines to each milestone and chart your progress regularly. And third, practice mindful decision-making.
When faced with choices that involve immediate rewards but may hinder your progress toward long-term goals, pause and consider the consequences. Embrace self-discipline and choose actions that align with your long-term vision. So, I challenge you to step back from the immediate gratification culture and invest in your growth and potential.
Remember, success is not an overnight phenomenon, but rather a journey of consistent efforts and dedicated focus. Next time you encounter a temptation, simply stop. Write it down. Do not act on it. But wait one week and let it sink into your subconscious.
One week later, you can think about it again, but the temptation will be far less. This is how you learn to flex your delayed gratification muscle. So, let’s dare to be patient and persistent and let delayed gratification propel us toward accelerated achievements. Together, we can embrace our futures and make a long-lasting impact on ourselves and the world.