Many of you have probably heard of the Stanford Marshmallow Experiment with children. If you haven't, go read that Wikipedia link and come back. The idea is that studies have shown that kids who can handle delayed gratification are, all around, much happier adults. This is not terribly surprising, nor is it rocket science.
I've studied yoga and meditation for years now, and I always felt that they were trying to get me to invest in kindness and compassion - and of course they are, and those are a big part of what I've gained from them. But increasingly, I'm feeling that their special message to me, specifically, is to really get a handle on this instant gratification thing. Which brings me to the bike riding and the distance running. You just can't be on the instant gratification wavelength when you do these things. I love that feeling of accomplishment that comes from the long haul. It's an interesting aspect of my mind that despite the fact that I can't resist eating a donut, I seemingly have no problem riding my bike for 8-12 hours a day for days at a time, often with little at the end of the day besides a grilled cheese sandwich and a tent. In fact, those grilled cheese sandwiches taste like caviar, and the tent is the Taj Mahal.
What, in your life, are you willing to wait for?
