Don't eat the marshmallow! | Joachim de Posada

Summary

This talk emphasizes the importance of self-discipline and delaying gratification as key factors for success. A Stanford psychology professor conducted a study where children were asked to wait 15 minutes without eating a marshmallow to receive a second one. Only one-third of the children managed to wait, and years later, they were more successful academically and personally. The experiment was replicated in different cultures, showing similar results. The key message is that the ability to delay gratification leads to better outcomes in life, from education to professional success.

Takeaways

• 🍭 **Delayed Gratification**: The ability to resist immediate temptations in favor of greater rewards later is a key to success.
• 🧒 **Early Indicators**: A child's behavior at four years old can predict their future success.
• ⏱️ **Self-Discipline**: The capacity to delay gratification is a form of self-discipline, which is crucial for achieving goals.
• 📈 **Long-Term Study**: A follow-up study 15 years later showed a strong correlation between not eating the marshmallow and later success.
• 🎓 **Academic Success**: Children who did not eat the marshmallow had better grades and were more likely to succeed academically.
• 🌐 **Cultural Consistency**: The experiment's results were consistent across different cultures, including American and Colombian children.
• 🤔 **Cognitive Strategies**: Some children used strategies like looking away or distracting themselves to resist temptation.
• 👧 **Innovative Thinking**: One child's attempt to deceive by eating the inside of the marshmallow showed creativity and potential for success.
• 🏦 **Practical Applications**: The principle of delaying gratification applies to various fields, including sales and banking.
• 📚 **Educational Tools**: The concept has been incorporated into educational materials, such as a children's book in Korea.
• 🇺🇸 **National Implications**: The speaker suggests that the United States could benefit from teaching the principle of delayed gratification to address economic issues.

Q & A

What was the main message conveyed by the speaker in the transcript?

The main message is that self-discipline, specifically the ability to delay gratification, is a crucial factor for success in life. The speaker emphasizes how this principle applies across different aspects of life, from childhood behavior to professional success.

What experiment is the speaker referring to, and what was its purpose?

The speaker refers to the 'marshmallow experiment,' conducted by a Stanford psychology professor. The purpose of the experiment was to test young children's ability to delay gratification by offering them a choice: they could eat one marshmallow immediately or wait 15 minutes and receive two marshmallows.

What were the results of the marshmallow experiment?

The experiment showed that two-thirds of the children ate the marshmallow before the 15 minutes were up, while one-third managed to wait. The speaker suggests that the ability to wait, or delay gratification, was an indicator of future success.

What follow-up study was conducted, and what did it reveal?

A follow-up study was conducted 14-15 years later, examining the same children who participated in the marshmallow experiment. The study found that the children who had waited and not eaten the marshmallow were more successful, with better grades and stronger relationships. In contrast, many of the children who ate the marshmallow faced difficulties, such as bad grades or dropping out of school.

Why does the speaker believe the ability to delay gratification is so important?

The speaker believes that delaying gratification reflects self-discipline, which is critical for long-term success. Those who can control their impulses tend to make better decisions, leading to positive outcomes in education, work, and personal relationships.

What was the result of reproducing the experiment in Colombia?

In Colombia, the speaker reproduced the experiment with 4, 5, and 6-year-olds. The results were similar: two-thirds of the children ate the marshmallow, and one-third did not. A humorous observation was made about a girl who ate the inside of the marshmallow to trick the experimenters.

What broader life applications does the speaker suggest for the principle of delayed gratification?

The speaker suggests that the ability to delay gratification applies to various aspects of life, including sales, where a salesperson who takes time to understand the customer’s needs can sell more effectively, rather than rushing to close a deal. It also applies to financial decisions, as the speaker notes that Americans are 'eating more marshmallows than producing,' referring to excessive consumption and debt.

Why does the speaker mention that the principle of delayed gratification is being taught in Korea?

The speaker mentions that the principle of delayed gratification has gained attention in Korea, where they created a book to teach children this concept. This reflects the importance of instilling self-discipline in young children to foster success in life.

What humorous anecdote did the speaker share about one of the children in the experiment?

The speaker shared a humorous anecdote about a girl in the Colombian experiment who ate the inside of the marshmallow, leaving the outside intact to deceive the experimenters into thinking she had not eaten it. The speaker joked that this child would be successful but shouldn't work in banking or at a cash register due to her sneaky behavior.

What is the significance of the metaphor 'eating more marshmallows than producing' in the speaker's conclusion?

The metaphor 'eating more marshmallows than producing' refers to the speaker’s concern about societal behaviors, particularly in the U.S., where there is a tendency for immediate consumption and accumulating debt rather than saving or producing more. It highlights the need for greater self-control and long-term thinking to achieve economic stability.

Outlines

00:00

🍭 The Marshmallow Test and Self-Discipline

This paragraph discusses a significant study conducted by a Stanford psychology professor, which involved leaving four-year-old children alone in a room with a marshmallow and instructing them to wait for 15 minutes to get a second one. The study revealed that one-third of the children exhibited self-discipline by not eating the marshmallow, while two-thirds lacked this ability. The children who showed the ability to delay gratification were found to be more successful in later life, with better grades and social relationships. The speaker also conducted a similar experiment in Colombia with similar results, suggesting that the ability to delay gratification is a universal predictor of success.

05:01

🌎 Global Applications and Lessons from the Marshmallow Test

The second paragraph extends the discussion on the marshmallow test's implications, highlighting its relevance across various cultures, as evidenced by a similar experiment in Colombia. It humorously notes a child's attempt to deceive by eating the marshmallow's inside, suggesting a future success despite the action. The speaker emphasizes the test's broader applications, such as in sales, where delaying immediate gratification can lead to better outcomes. The paragraph concludes with a call to action for the United States to learn from this principle, drawing a parallel between the nation's debt and the metaphorical consumption of 'marshmallows,' and mentions a children's book on the subject that has become popular in Korea.

Keywords

💡Success

Success in the context of the video is closely tied to the ability to delay gratification and self-discipline. The speaker suggests that those who can resist immediate temptations, like the marshmallow, are more likely to be successful in life. This is illustrated by the follow-up study where children who did not eat the marshmallow were found to have better grades, happier lives, and stronger relationships.

💡Marshmallow

The marshmallow in the video serves as a metaphor for temptation and the ability to delay gratification. It is used in an experiment to test children's self-control. The children who could resist eating the marshmallow were later found to be more successful, demonstrating the marshmallow's significance as a symbol of self-discipline.

💡Delay Gratification

Delaying gratification is the act of resisting the urge to satisfy an immediate desire for a potentially greater reward in the future. In the video, the ability to delay gratification is presented as the most important principle for success. The children who could wait for the second marshmallow exemplified this principle, which was later correlated with their success in life.

💡Self-discipline

Self-discipline is the ability to control one's impulses and resist temptations. The video emphasizes it as the most important factor for success. The children who showed self-discipline by not eating the marshmallow were more likely to have successful outcomes, such as good grades and positive relationships.

💡Psychology Professor

The psychology professor in the video conducted the marshmallow experiment, which is central to the discussion on success and self-control. His role is to design and execute the study that provides the evidence for the claims made about the importance of delaying gratification.

💡Follow-up Study

The follow-up study mentioned in the video is a research method where the same subjects are re-evaluated after a period of time to observe changes or developments. In this case, the study found that children who did not eat the marshmallow had better life outcomes, reinforcing the idea that self-discipline leads to success.

💡Experiment

The experiment described in the video is the marshmallow test, where children's ability to resist eating a marshmallow is used to predict their future success. The experiment is a key part of the narrative, demonstrating the correlation between self-control and success.

💡Stanford

Stanford refers to Stanford University, where the original marshmallow experiment took place. The mention of Stanford adds credibility to the study and situates it within the context of reputable academic research.

💡Hispanic Kids

Hispanic kids are mentioned in the video when the speaker recounts replicating the experiment in Colombia. This part of the script shows that the findings from the marshmallow experiment are not limited to a specific culture or demographic, suggesting that the principles of self-discipline and success are universal.

💡Sales

The video uses the context of sales to illustrate the application of the marshmallow principle in professional settings. A salesperson who can delay immediate gratification by not rushing a sale but instead taking time to ensure it's the right choice for the customer is more likely to be successful, according to the video.

💡Debt

Debt in the video is used as a metaphor for the immediate consumption of resources without considering future consequences, similar to eating the marshmallow. The speaker suggests that as a society, learning the principle of delaying gratification could help address issues like debt.

Highlights

The most important factor for success was found through a study at Stanford.

A psychology professor conducted an experiment with four-year-old children involving a marshmallow.

Children were told they could have a second marshmallow if they waited 15 minutes without eating the first one.

For a four-year-old, waiting 15 minutes for a marshmallow is like an adult waiting two hours for coffee.

Two out of three children ate the marshmallow within a short time, unable to wait.

One out of three children was able to delay gratification and waited the full 15 minutes.

These children displayed self-discipline, a key trait for success.

15 years later, a follow-up study showed that children who delayed gratification were more successful.

Children who did not eat the marshmallow had better grades, relationships, and were happy.

Most of the children who ate the marshmallow struggled academically and had lower success rates.

The experiment was reproduced in Colombia with similar results.

One Colombian child cleverly ate the inside of the marshmallow to appear as if they hadn’t eaten it.

This behavior showed cleverness but also indicated potential issues if unchecked, such as dishonesty.

The principle of delayed gratification applies in sales: asking questions before closing a sale leads to better outcomes.

The experiment's findings are now part of educational programs in Korea to teach children self-discipline.

Transcripts

I'm here because I have a very important message:

I think we have found

the most important factor for success.

And it was found close to here, Stanford.

Psychology professor took kids that were four years old

and put them in a room all by themselves.

And he would tell the child, a four-year-old kid,

"Johnny, I am going to leave you here with a marshmallow

for 15 minutes.

If, after I come back, this marshmallow is here,

you will get another one. So you will have two."

To tell a four-year-old kid to wait 15 minutes

for something that they like,

is equivalent to telling us, "We'll bring you coffee in two hours."

(Laughter)

Exact equivalent.

So what happened when the professor left the room?

As soon as the door closed...

two out of three ate the marshmallow.

Five seconds, 10 seconds, 40 seconds, 50 seconds,

two minutes, four minutes, eight minutes.

Some lasted 14-and-a-half minutes.

(Laughter)

Couldn't do it. Could not wait.

What's interesting is that one out of three

would look at the marshmallow and go like this ...

Would look at it.

Put it back.

They would walk around. They would play with their skirts and pants.

That child already, at four, understood

the most important principle for success,

which is the ability to delay gratification.

Self-discipline:

the most important factor for success.

15 years later, 14 or 15 years later,

follow-up study.

What did they find?

They went to look for these kids who were now 18 and 19.

And they found that 100 percent

of the children that had not eaten the marshmallow were successful.

They had good grades. They were doing wonderful.

They were happy. They had their plans.

They had good relationships with the teachers, students.

They were doing fine.

A great percentage of the kids that ate the marshmallow,

they were in trouble.

They did not make it to university.

They had bad grades. Some of them dropped out.

A few were still there with bad grades.

A few had good grades.

I had a question in my mind: Would Hispanic kids

react the same way as the American kids?

So I went to Colombia. And I reproduced the experiment.

And it was very funny. I used four, five and six years old kids.

And let me show you what happened.

(Spanish) (Laughter)

So what happened in Colombia?

Hispanic kids, two out of three ate the marshmallow;

one out of three did not.

This little girl was interesting;

she ate the inside of the marshmallow.

(Laughter)

In other words, she wanted us to think that she had not eaten it, so she would get two.

But she ate it.

So we know she'll be successful. But we have to watch her.

(Laughter)

She should not go into banking, for example,

or work at a cash register.

But she will be successful.

And this applies for everything. Even in sales.

The sales person that --

the customer says, "I want that." And the person says, "Okay, here you are."

That person ate the marshmallow.

If the sales person says, "Wait a second.

Let me ask you a few questions to see if this is a good choice."

Then you sell a lot more.

So this has applications in all walks of life.

I end with -- the Koreans did this.

You know what? This is so good

that we want a marshmallow book for children.

We did one for children. And now it is all over Korea.

They are teaching these kids exactly this principle.

And we need to learn that principle here in the States,

because we have a big debt.

We are eating more marshmallows than we are producing.

Thank you so much.