The Secret to Success

Would you believe me if I said marshmallows can be a reliable predictor of your success in life? Allow me to explain.

Way back in 1972, a Stanford researcher began an experiment that would test the willpower of young children. It began by bringing the child into a private room and sitting them at a table, and then placing a marshmallow in front of them.

At this point, the researcher would offer a deal to the child. He would explain that he was going to leave the room for a few minutes, leaving them alone with the marshmallow. If he returned in a bit to find that they hadn’t eaten the marshmallow, then the child would be rewarded with a second marshmallow. However, if they didn’t wait and ate the marshmallow before he got back, they wouldn’t get the additional marshmallow.

It’s a simple choice: You can have one marshmallow now, or two marshmallows if you’re willing to wait a bit.

While the footage of the children trying to resist the temptations of a tasty treat is amusing, the real gold comes from the series of follow up studies that tracked the progress of these children for the next 40 years.

Overall, the group of children that were able to resist eating the marshmallow (and were thus rewarded with a second) had significantly higher SAT scores, better health, better social lives, and a variety of other things. Children who displayed self-control had learned strategies that would help them pursue goals and sustain disciplined efforts throughout their lives.

Self-Control Might be “The Secret”

We live in a time when technology has given us the expectation of instant gratification. The internet is too slow, delivery doesn’t come fast enough, and that text message just can’t wait.

There’s no need to worry; techniques for self-control can be learned at any age.

Perhaps you want more out of life. Maybe you want a better career, or you want to do something with your life that makes you proud. Whatever positive change you’d like to see, it’s time to stop just wishing for a better life and take action to make it happen.

Taking action now doesn’t mean you have to drop everything and endure difficult challenges. It could be as easy as making time one day a week, for the next nine weeks, to train for a new career.  

This is your “Marshmallow Challenge”

This is your chance to make something happen. In just a couple of months, you could be starting your new career in the dental industry. There are many benefits to being a pediatric dental assistant, and all you need to do to get started is register.

If you want something badly enough, you’re going to need to delay gratification and work for it. The fruits of your labor will taste all the sweeter for your investment and hard work.

~ Dr. Rhea Haugseth