The idea of deferred gratification being superior to immediate pleasure has been part of our culture since long before the Stanford Marshmallow Experiment validated it.  The simple idea of foregoing an immediate reward for a later gain is a foundation of modern religions, and correlates to greater success in many life measures.

The counter to this approach is summed up in the expression “a bird in the hand is worth one in the bush”, or the sports analogy “getting points on the board”.  This approach notices that deferred gratification doesn’t mean much if the gratification never arrives.

At its core, the question is one of time horizons – how long a game are you playing.  The optimal choice changes depending on whether you care about the moment, the week or the next ten years.  Assuming that deferring is always better is as foolish as pure hedonism.

A balance is needed – all immediate reward and you eat your seed corn; all deferred and you will forget how to enjoy what you’re doing and why you’re doing it.