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Because self control tends to be consistent across domains (people who are able to say no to even more fattening foods, for example, tend to stick with other areas of restraint in life) you can make predictions early about what kind of a life they will have if they simply continue with whatever their current behavioral habits are.
In other words, when little kids learn to delay instant gratification and control themselves when tempted with treats, you can predict that will do better on tests that will get them into college. You can also predict they are more likely to be thin vs. obese. You also find they do better in thinking, pursuit of goals and pretty much everything we know leads to a successful life.
If you can delay instant gratification, if you can tough things out instead of being ruled by your emotions and desires, you can do pretty much anything in life.
But delaying instant gratification is not something humans do well. Very few are able to pull it off.
Power and Gratification
Power gives you energy to delay instant gratification.
Why do children who are raised in poor environments often excel in life? Because some of these children had to make due for YEARS before they were rewarded for behaviors that wealthy kids are instantly rewarded for.
When you see these little kids delaying gratification you can predict they are going to be the winners of life. People who are unable to face stress and the myriad of challenges in life tend to move away from the stress and challenges and seek out comfort leaving the stress and challenges for someone else to take care of.
This pattern CAN be broken but it requires more than self affirmations or a little patience.
Is power then the statement at the beginning of the day that says, I will eat only X calories today?
Not really. Everyone says something similar.
I will not get into an argument today.
I will be patient today.
I will work on the book today.
I will set up my IRA today.
I will skip fattening foods today.
But really, none of these spoken intentions is all that important.
People are loaded with good intentions but will not take the time to develop control over what they do.
Good intentions, by the way, do matter. They matter a lot. They tell the people around you where you would like to be moving toward and away from in life.
Is there power to turn thoughts into reality? Turn the page to find out.
