Q. What does the term delayed gratification mean and how is it connected with EQ?

A.Think of delayed gratification as the ability to “wait” to do a specific activity until another activity has been completed. Stanford University research with four-year-olds, sometimes referred to as the Marshmallow Experiment, concluded that the quality of self-control at  age four—defined as the capacity to delay gratification as a single skill—is twice as powerful a predictor of latter success in life, as compared to the person’s IQ. The ability to wait (e.g., finish your homework before playing the video game, choosing to get to work on time rather than surfing the internet awhile longer, saving money for that new fun item rather than purchasing it on credit) is a key component of high levels of EQ.