There’s a lot of wisdom in being able to delay gratification. The inability to do so is such a common problem that we attribute ills of all manner to it. Rightly or wrongly, it’s undoubtedly true that some folks can’t seem to do it.
But other folks can’t seem to go the other way.
Sometimes it’s time for gratification. Time to let yourself be rewarded, to claim what you worked for. And just as some people can’t delay when the should, others (albeit more rarely) can’t seem to stop.
Memento mori. You’re going to die someday, and you need to be able to outlast your own effort.
The Opportunity Machine 