The trap of instant gratification

I was guilty of it, too. Yes, there were many instances when if I wanted something, I wanted it then and there. However, I learned over time to curb my desire to buy and own new things, especially immediately or as soon as I saw them in shops or online. I still act on impulse sometimes; yes, there are times when I cannot control my urge to indulge in high-calorie treats like a cup of cappuccino, a doughnut, or a slice of cheesecake. I think that it is okay to give in to your urges once in a while, but it is not okay to get caught up in that trap of instant gratification. 

When it comes to spending more money than what just a coffee or what a treat costs, I take time before spending my money. This waiting period helps me understand whether I really want the thing that I think I want and if it is worth the money. After having spent 14 years of my life in a country where people are generally believed to be more materialistic than the rest of the world, I have learned that when we act on impulse, we make poor choices. 

We live in a world where instant or immediate gratification is taken for granted. We do not want to wait for anything, even when waiting means more benefits or better products. Online shops and ease of making payments have enabled us to get what we want with just a few clicks. If we like something, we want it right now, especially when it does not cost us much. A result of all this is a world full of cheap and inferior quality products and also, substandard food items containing hormones, pesticides, antibiotics, preservatives, and artificial colours and flavours. Like consumers, producers do not want to wait either. They want to produce, sell, and reap profits right now.

Our desire to own things and to own things immediately have led us into adopting risky and unhealthy lifestyles; we are ready to steal, earn dirty money, get into debt, and deplete our savings to maintain a posh lifestyle. Unfortunately, to many of us, a posh or luxurious lifestyle is associated with owning material things. However, ownership of more material things than the person living next door, does not necessarily make us happier or more content. Moreover, once you get caught up in the instant gratification trap, it is difficult to break free from it. 

Instant or immediate gratification can be addictive. You perhaps know at least one person who is constantly shopping online. These people, who act on impulse, may feel bad afterwards, if and when they realise that they are foregoing long-term benefits for short-term gratifications. However, although a little difficult, it is not impossible to break free from this addictive behaviour. 

Two things that helped me overcome my instant gratification are: 

Quality over quantity

From the day I started giving more importance to quality of the things I own, as opposed to the number of things I own, I began to shop less and less. Reasons? One, because quality things cost more, you cannot purchase too many of them. Less is more! Two, in today's world of fast fashion, quality things are just hard to come by. 

Delay

Unlike before, when I now like something, I do not buy it right away. I ask myself: Do I need it? Do I really like it? How many times am I going to use it per week or month? Do I already own a similar item? 

Today, when I see and like something online, I do not make the purchase decision right away; I wait a few days. After a few days, if I still think that I like it and want it, I make the purchase. The risk of waiting is that the item might be sold out. In that case, I tell myself that it was not meant to be mine! 

It all adds up. With the amount of money that you spent on buying three or five cheap items of clothing made from inferior materials, you could buy one fine dress or shirt or whatever that you could wear for a long time, enjoy every time you wore it because of its superior quality, and one that would not quickly end up in a landfill. Acting on impulse often means a sheer waste of time and money, both that could have been spent on better things. 

When we are looking for immediate gratification, it does not cross our minds that it is a better idea to wait, save up, and buy a better product, something which will last and give you your money's worth. In our search for small and immediate pleasures, we give up lasting and meaningful enjoyments of the future.