In 1968, a Stanford University researcher presented each member
of a group of preschool children with a single marshmallow. He
wanted to see which of them could resist eating it long enough
to earn a second treat. Follow-up studies found the children
who’d demonstrated sufficient patience to win the prize
experienced greater success later in life. They were more likely
than the impatient kids to earn good salaries and less likely to
suffer from addictions of all kinds. The researchers’
conclusion: Those blessed with an ability to defer gratification
enjoy greater life chances as the result. For the majority of
us, patience doesn’t come easily. And when it does come, it’s
often fleeting. The rest of the time, we rush, we interrupt, we
get exasperated when people squeeze ahead of us in line, we
charge things now rather than paying cash later, we curse
drivers who impede our progress in the fast lane. From decisions
made in haste to words spoken without reflection, impatience can
cause a vast amount of pain, was