Human beings are wired for short-term gratification. It’s a fossil of evolution which served us very well in the early days of humanity, where each day was a fight just to survive until the next day.
Two separate brain systems are at war with each other when it comes to immediate and delayed gratification. The ventromedial area of the frontal cortex is the passion system that seeks immediate gratification. The ventrolateral area of the frontal cortex is the self-control system that fights to delay gratification in exchange for some future benefit.
Those who are able to get the brain’s passion system and self-control system working in harmony with each other become self-made millionaires. How do they do it?
They toss a wrench into this immediate gratification hard wiring when they pursue dreams and the goals behind those dreams. Dreams and goals re-program passion from it’s fondness for short-term immediate gratification to a fondness for long-term delayed gratification.
Pursuing dreams literally re-wires your brain for long-term success.
About Thomas C. Corley
what a great article