Don't Eat the Marshmallow... Yet!

Ok, the blurb of this book by Jaochim de Posada talks about a Stanford University experiment on children who were left in a room, each with a marshmallow, and given the choice of eating it then or fifteen minutes later, when they were promised an extra marshmallow as a reward for waiting. The result of the "landmark study" was that the children who held out for the reward had become more successful adults than the children who had gobbled their marshmallows immediately.

Joachim then goes on (with co-author Ellen Singer) to make a 100-page book centering on a rich businessman Jonathan and his chauffeur Arthur and his marshmellows.

The amazing thing about this book was that it was ridiculously expensive (24000 Won, $US 24) yet I bought it anyway because it was hardcover and because the parable in it reminded me fondly of those in The Richest Man in Babylon by George S. Classon. Although Classon's book is by far better for being more precise in its guidance and practical yet simple in terms of financial advice, the strong point of Posada's book is that it focuses on the role of the subconscious in success and failure and the repression mechanism (although not explicitly). Thus, it endears itself to those interested in the psychology of success and not just those who think it is just a matter of "getting things done".

The best part of the parable for me was the way Arthur accumulated loads of marshmellows. In fact, I started to do the same thing with Hershey's Nuggets and it is likely to get way expensive.

Still, I guess in 30 days time I can look forward to a blown credit card and an apartment full of Hershey's Nuggets!

If they want a bigger ad, they can pay me for it! (hehe)