Life takes self-control. Seriously. In an age where we have access to everything via a couple of keystrokes, self-discipline is more important than ever. You have to have the fortitude to handle what life throws at you, as well as that fire to keep you passionate about what you truly desire.
One aspect of self-control is the idea of delayed gratification. Yes, you could have pretty much everything you want now (thank you credit cards), but you'll pay for it in spades later on. And will you appreciate what you've taken, or will the feeling be as fleeting as the whim that brought you to it in the first place?
The great things that we yearn for in life entail some type of struggle that we just can't skip or avoid. Yet, our society has grown to be one that is impulsive in nature, and it's made many of us less content with our lives. And that impulsivity has brought about debts to be repaid, causing an even further downward spiral.
The Buddhists got it right with their first noble truth; there is suffering. Our life is filled with it, no matter how perfect we try to live it. But if one can understand and be aware of the suffering, one can be released from the bounds of it.
Delayed gratification in turn takes from this idea. There is a time that one must suffer before one can rid themselves of it. We control our own actions. Therefore, put yourself in those uneasy required situations to get to the benefits later.
What am I working towards? I'll be financially independent by 30. That means no more reliance on a job for my basic necessities. Will I still be working by then? Probably... but my main motivation will no longer be the paycheck itself. I've got lives to change, dammit!
How am I delaying the gratification of financial freedom? I'm saving like crazy. I don't go out as often as I used to. I've cut down on buying things that don't contribute to key parts of my life. And I'm willing to go through these "sacrifices" to accomplish this important choice. The beautiful thing is that these sacrifices don't even feel like a struggle anymore.
