Why do we sacrifice our future for our now?

Posted In: Me January 31st, 2015 divider No Comments »

As a species, it seems we’re all about instant gratification and I’m not sure it’s getting any better. And I’m a poster boy for this!

This is why I love training for races. There’s a bigger goal in mind and it keeps you focused. You’re making deposits into the bank for a future withdrawal. It’s all part of the process and it gives you that extra motivation when you need it.

Trust me, I’m probably worse than most people. Do I want to get up a do a workout? This bed is so comfy! And the comfy bed has been winning a lot these days even though I know full well I will enjoy my workout and I will feel much better after I do it.

This is also why I love growing vegetables. If you do the work (and the rodents don’t sabotage your plans), you reap what you sow. Literally!

I’m not saying you want to totally kill the fun in your present. It’s a just a balance that seems to be tilted towards the “now”. The same can be applied to food. Should I be eating that poutine? Probably not but it’s oh so good! I know I might not feel raring to go after eating it but it’s a choice that we make a lot of the times. The same can surely said about fast food. It’s slowly killing us but it’s cheap and quick. We often forget the price we pay for convenience…

I’m working on making some small changes to make get up in the morning but it’s not easy. But it’s all part of the fun, right?

Here’s a good reminder I saw recently that stayed with me:

“Never give up what you want most for what you want today.”
― Neal A. Maxwell

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And stay tuned for my #31in31 challenge recap early next week!