Self-control question?

[Nomina]

Do you Marshmallow Test yourself?

Not with the literal marshmallow lol, but with anything you like or want somewhere in your life.

And not for a particular goal other than to see if you can do it.

[TrueConfection]

Ironically, I will do this with food. Christmas is coming along with lots of goodies. I usually lose a few pounds before the holidays and don't eat ANY junk so that I can indulge on Christmas without the guilt or worry and knowing my pants will still fit by January 1st.

[TrueConfection]

Great question by the way! I think of I won the lottery, I'd take the immediate cash payout.

[Nomina]

That's what I'm doing for New Year's! I have to look good in my dress.

[TrueConfection]

It's not always easy. 😂

[SteveSmith1985]

Call me uncool... but... what is a Marshmallow test? Because I don't think it's what I'm thinking it might be...

[Nomina]

The Marshmallow Test is a behavioral test administered to kids. They're at a table, a marshmallow is placed in front of them. The parent or adult tells the child not to touch it while they're gone and that they'll be right back. From what I remember, it's usually a few minutes. And I think the child or children is also told that if they don't touch the one now, they'll get two when the adult comes back as a reward.

But the point is to see the child's level of self-control and they're ability to access short term vs long term thinking.
There's something else about what it might predict in terms of success and career and things like that, but I don't know too much about that part. Although now, I'll look it up.

What did you think it was? 😃

[SteveSmith1985]

You don't want to know what I thought it was.

Thank you very much for your excellent explanation! I do remember having heard about this, vaguely, at some point. I think I would have failed the marshmallow test, had I taken it as a kid.

To answer your question. No. I do not Marshmallow test myself. Neither for a particular goal, nor for fun. I just, could never imagine doing this.

Do... you do this? (I'm sort of... fascinated by the idea that anyone does!)

[Nomina]

I kinda do want to know what you thought it was. I'm trying to think of some weird double entendre related to marshmallows but I can't come up with anything.

And yes, I do that sometimes. Today for example was to see if I could keep a piece of news to myself. Whenever there's good news I want to tell everyone and do, but my goal was to try to not say anything to anyone and it was a success. I'll extend it to tomorrow lol.

[SteveSmith1985]

(Nah, I don't think I should reveal what I thought it was. I'll leave it to your imagination to come up with whatever weird depraved stuff it comes up with.)

You... are fascinating.

I have... so many questions.

Why marshmallow test yourself?

That is so alien to me. What is your thinking? So, when you have this piece of good news... You think___________?

[Nomina]

I'll DM you.

[Nomina]

NathanDavis in this thread here also does it. TrueConfection as well. But for different reasons.

[NathanDavis]

hmmm, not sure what this means

I will look it up

[NathanDavis]

oh that... I'm a Master Jedi of self-control and discipline, lol

[Nomina]

What have you done that with?

[NathanDavis]

more than anything else... probably with my sarcasm, lmao

especially with condescending people that try to ridicule in front of others, as kid and teen I used to respond sarcastically to it, those comebacks got me in trouble a few times, lol

so... that's one thing I've always controlled, whatever you've seen here at G@G that would be no more than 20% of how a smartass or caustic I could really be lmao

[Nomina]

Aw come on. Come out and play. Be sarcastic! Be snarky. Come to the dark side 😏

Pretty please!

[NathanDavis]

I have to behave for a month... lol

[Nomina]

Poo. Fine!
But I get it.

[NathanDavis]

I also defeated a Coca~Cola KindOfAddiction, many years ago, early 20's lol

[Nomina]

What is for the sake of defeating it? Or just to see if you could do it? To test your self-control?

For example, I'm the sarcastic caustic type 😏and I'm nowhere near dialing that down. However, there are days when I wonder if I could do it. Can I keep my mouth shut for a day? Can I smile instead of roll my eyes? Can I even switch off my sarcastic thoughts for a day, an hour, 30 goddamn minutes?

I already failed in this thread.

[NathanDavis]

well... it was around middle-school and high-school days, and I used to deal with some of those things with humor, tease, banter, joking around and sometimes when people would come up with remarks, insults, or arguments... I would respond to it sarcastically or wit

so, at this age... and most of them being men, it could provoke them lmfao... especially those dumbasses that would not quite get it, but still knew they were "insulted" back lol, many wanted to kick my ass or start a fight

then the times when many would get annoying and getting on my nerves, I could get "mean" sometimes, so that was kind of an overkill

also, authority and older people... some of them were really REALLY petty and tried to ridicule and/or "put me in my place" in front of others, and I never kept quiet about it lmfao, a few of them used their position of authority against me

but yeah, I just toned it down big time and also found other ways, different ways

[Nomina]

Very interesting. And that's a different perspective to the same kind of thing.

On that particular front, I don't think I'd want to stop being sarcastic. I have in mind the crazy old wise man who whips out sarcastic one liners/truth bombs and that's #lifegoals right there for me 😁

But.. gotta get the wisdom first.

What different ways have you found helped? If you don't mind sharing.

[NathanDavis]

well, I didn't stop being sarcastic entirely... lol, I just switched to a more general sense of wit here and there, right... lol, mixed up with some wisdom and cleverness

[TheSpaceGnome]

I have exceptionally good self control, life in general tests that automatically rather often.

[Summeroflove]

I eat lots of marshmallows. Lol

[Alex8736]

good things come to those who wait

[Nomina]

That's very nice. Very wise of you. But not the question.

[TotallyAlmost]

Masturbation. Fail. Lol

[Preeti161101]

I have self-control

[Nomina]

Good. That wasn't the question, though