I Want It Pronto!

Hey there! Today, I wanted to talk about the phenomenon of instant gratification – that urge to get things fast. Let's unpack why this whole instant gratification thing might be messing up our game, especially for younger people.

With all these social media, online shopping apps, and content platforms, almost everything is just a tap or click away. Getting things fast isn't all bad, but there are some major downsides to it that some of us wouldn't think of. When we engage in activities that provide quick rewards, such as scrolling through Twitter or binge-watching Netflix, our brain releases dopamine, which is basically the hormone of pleasure. However, this repeated activation of the dopamine system can lead to desensitization, meaning that over time, we might need more and more of the same activity to experience the same level of pleasure. That sounds just like drug users chasing the "high" they got the first time. Yikes! Sadly, I can say I am one of the many victims of this scourge, especially on the professional side of things.

Think about school or just learning information in general. We're used to quick answers, quick info, quick everything. But that's not how real learning works. And when it comes to work and career, climbing the ladder in a workplace or building a business, if you're an entrepreneur, takes time. We're so into instant stuff that we forget about putting in effort consistently over time for bigger rewards later. It can even affect relationships negatively. With how communication works nowadays with smartphones and apps, we get those instant connections... but to the detriment of deep ones. In my experience, I feel like it makes it hard to build real friendships.

I'm all about optimizing life and trying to be as productive as we can, but we can't forget the magic of patience. As the wise Gandalf once said, “All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.” Now, I'm not a wizard, but we've gotta remember that some things, the important things, take time. Even if sometimes we'll have to grin and bear it, let's remember that good things come to those who wait (and also work hard!).

On another note, I finally started working on this Youtube thing I've been talking about! It took way to long to get started with it, but I'm confident that once I get the ball rolling, there's no stopping me. I'll keep you guys updated on that very soon. Have a good week!