If you considered life as a game, there are two games you could play – the short game or the long game.
The short game has immediate and small payoffs, but the longer it is played, the more the cost will compound. It’s the dopamine hit from watching another episode on Netflix. It’s going back for that second helping of dessert. It’s pushing back that assignment that is nearly due by one more day.
The long game has immediate and small costs, but the longer it is played, the more the payoff will compound. It’s choosing to study for an hour. It’s going on another date after being rejected. It’s investing a portion of your income every month.
The trick is you need to play both games, but our tendency is to play the short game for too long.
So, what is the long game you want to play?