You have heard the old adage, “An apple a day keeps the doctor away.” An apple would take you 5-10 minutes to eat. What if, instead, you replaced that apple with a candy bar. This would take about 5-10 minutes to eat as well. So, what? Imagine choosing to eat a candy bar every day versus an apple. Would it make a difference? Or what if an “an apple a day” really “keeps the doctor away?” Wouldn’t that be a better choice? You may crave that candy bar, and to you it may taste better, but the apple a day versus the candy bar is drastically different.
Hmmm…have you ever noticed…
Short-Term Pleasures Often Have Long-Term, Negative Consequences
The short-term pleasure of that candy bar is the immediate flavor and enjoyment. However, the long-term effects of the candy bar are not so good. Most times, the things that are great in the short-term are often not so great in the long-term. Imagine you just robbed a bank. Yay, you have a million dollars. But then, the cops catch you. You now have ten years in jail. Hmmm..not so good. Or what if you overeat every time you sit down at the dinner table? In the short-term, you may be satisfying a craving or really enjoying the meal. But the long-term effect of overeating every time you have dinner will surely have long-term negative consequences.
Let’s consider the reverse…
Short-Term Sacrifices Often Have Long-Term, Positive Consequences
What if, instead of overeating at dinner every night, you ate responsibly and healthy? Wouldn’t the long-term effect of that be much better? Or think about this. What if, instead of just sitting on the couch for an hour and watching TV, you prioritized an hour of exercising. Wouldn’t the long-term effect of that change be incredible. These short-term sacrifices can have long-term, positive consequences. Imagine if you substituted short-term pleasures for short-term sacrifices…wouldn’t that make a big difference? You bet it would!!!
Takeaways
Our short-term choices have a huge impact in the long-term of our lives. The simple, repeated choice of an apple a day versus a candy bar a day; the overeating at dinner versus eating responsibly; the hour of watching TV versus the hour of exercise…these are game changers that have a huge impact on your long-term well being. Sure, the choice is yours, and exceptions can be made. It won’t hurt you to have that candy bar once in a while, or enjoy a little TV at times, but you have to make short-term sacrifices your standard mode of operation, not short-term pleasures. Doing so ensures you are doing the things that will lead to a more positive life. Sacrifice the ten minutes, or the hour of pleasure for something that will be more positive. Make that what you typically do. Don’t undervalue the impact of your choices. It is these small, daily decisions that can make or break us.
I address these short-term sacrifices the 5and2Guy way. If it is Monday – Friday, I make the short-term sacrifices. If it is Saturday or Sunday, I enjoy the short-term pleasures. As my sister said, “It’s not what you do those two days a week that will matter in the long run. It’s what you do those five days a week.” That’s how the 5and2Guy came about. The approach works for me and it can work for you. Good luck!!!