achieving goals, instant gratification, long-term success, mindfulness, personal growth, self-control

8 Ways to Break Free From Instant Gratification

From an evolutionary standpoint, it is human nature to seek instant gratification rather than wait for it, and many aspects of the consumerist culture today serve to perpetuate this tendency. But people can get into trouble when they give in to this need too often or incorrectly. Relying too much on instant gratification at the ...

Viena Abdon

A group of people sitting around a table using their smartphones.

Anger: Beware of Impulsive Actions

Self-mastery comes when individuals learn to address their moods and emotions before they attempt to deal with causal situations or events. They analyze their minds before they analyze things. When one’s emotions, such as anger, are out of control, one’s reasoning and intellectual ability tend to decline, and one is prone to making mistakes to ...

Emma Lu

An angry man's fists.

Disagreeing Gracefully: How to Foster Understanding in a Polarized World

Most of us have found ourselves embroiled in a heated disagreement, feeling so hurt or frustrated that we vow never to speak to the other party again. But in retrospect, where exactly did things go awry? Could the conversation have taken a radically different turn if we had approached it with more understanding and grace? ...

Nathan Machoka

Man and woman in a heated argument.

Festinger’s Law: You Can Take Charge of Your Life

American social psychologist Leon Festinger proposed a famous theory later known as “Festinger’s Law,” which states that 10 percent of the troubles in life are caused by what happens to you. The other 90 percent is determined by how you react to them. In other words, 10 percent of life’s events are beyond your control, ...

Hermann Rohr

Leon Festinger.

Lu Shi Ke’s Rejecting Lustful Desires Led to Blessings

The Ming Dynasty’s Wanli period (1573-1620) was an era marked by political and economic stability, as well as significant cultural achievements. During this time, Zhejiang Province was a prosperous region with a thriving economy, and it was also home to many prominent scholars and intellectuals, such as Lu Shi Ke. As such, it was a ...

Mikel Davis

Pavilion in a park in Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.

How Anger Can Lead to Premature Aging

Everyone experiences negative emotions, but studies have shown that constant anger makes you age faster. Over time, people with high levels of hostility do themselves permanent physical harm. According to a study by psychologists Carsten Wrosch and Ute Kuntzman, permanently being angry is even more destructive than sadness. They believe that all emotions — including ...

Nathan Machoka

Being angry can give you a headache.

Want to Become a Good Man, Then Hone These Qualities as a Boy

It is expected that a man will have a solid character so that he can protect, provide for, and be with his family. But many men do not match up to these roles. Sons in such families do not get an ideal role model to follow. Here are some qualities which help in becoming a ...

Max Lu

Smiling African American boy sitting on the beach.

True Martial Arts Experts Refrain From Showing Off

Great martial arts experts with significant capabilities don’t show off their skills voluntarily. Even when they are attacked, they won’t use their abilities unless it is a matter of life and death. A martial arts farmer is provoked During the Qing Dynasty, there was a farmer named Wang Cui. A man In his seventies, Wang ...

Helen London

A martial arts expert.

7 Characteristics to Ensure Good Fortune

“Thirty percent destiny, seventy percent hard-work” is the Chinese saying about the factors that determine a person’s fortune. Everyone was born with a different destiny. As for your fortune, it’s partially due to inborn factors, but it is mostly determined by self-cultivation. What is self-cultivation? How do you go about doing it? Self-cultivation is primarily ...

Raven Montmorency

A woodland road.

Self-Improvement: 4 Ways to Become Disciplined

The key to leading a happy life is to become more disciplined. People who cannot control their behavior often end up with financial or psychological damage. A study conducted in 2013 found that those who had greater self-control were happier than other people, and were more capable of dealing with goal conflicts while avoiding behavior ...

Armin Auctor

A person with upraised arms on the edge of a cliff.