You've heard people say, "Good things come to those who wait." Most of us absorbed that lesson somewhere along the way — save the good stuff, delay the pleasure, wait until you've earned it. But my guest today says that idea backfires.
My guest is Ian Bogost, a contributing writer at The Atlantic and a professor at Washington University in St. Louis. His new book is The Small Stuff.
Some of the things we discuss are:
The three different types of contentment — and why we tend to overlook the most available one
What the famous marshmallow test actually got wrong about delayed gratification
Why saving the perfume, the outfit, or the "good china" for a special occasion might be backfiring
The one-step trick to noticing small pleasures without having to add anything new to your routine
Why gratification isn't the same as mindfulness — and why Ian has issues with how mindfulness gets sold to us
How modern life has quietly stripped away small sensory pleasures (Ian calls it "dematerialization")
Why you don't have to choose between being present and taking a picture — you can do both
How stacking tiny moments of gratification can build a buffer that makes hard days hurt less
The Therapist's Take: My top three strategies for finding more small pleasures starting today
Related Episodes
322 — This 60-Second Mental Strength Play Will Help You Stop Procrastinating (And It Doesn't Require Willpower)
270 — You Don't Need More Self-Discipline: 2 Strategies to Succeed Without It
Links & Resources
The Small Stuff
Connect with the Show
Buy a copy of 13 Things Mentally Strong People Don't Do
Connect with Amy on Instagram — @AmyMorinAuthor
Sign Up for My Newsletter — https://amymorinlcsw.com/newsletter
Sponsors
Helix Sleep —Go to helixsleep.com/STRONGER to get 20% off sitewide
AirDoctor — Head to AirDoctorPro.com and use promo code STRONGER to get UP TO $300 off today!
One Skin — Go to oneskin.co/STRONGER and use code stronger to get up to 30% off your first 3 subscription orders
Quince — Go to Quince.com/stronger for free shipping on your order and 365 day returns!
Boll & Branch — Get 20% off sitewide at BollAndBranch.com/stronger with code stronger.
Subscribe to Mentally Stronger Premium for exclusive content like weekly bonus episodes, mental strength challenges, and office hours with me.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
