I’m sure many of you have seen that marshmallow experiment where a child is offered one marshmallow now or two later. Some kids grab it instantly. Some stare like it’s calling their name. Others distract themselves and hold strong.
It’s delayed gratification in real time at five years old.
The Marshmallow Lesson: Delayed Gratification
The lesson is powerful. It’s not really about the marshmallow. It’s about what happens when someone chooses patience over impulse.
In the study, the kids who waited often demonstrated:
- Better academic performance
- More resilience when handling challenges
- Stronger habits
- Better financial outcomes
They traded what felt good right now for what felt great later.
The Pressure Trap: Why FOMO Destroys Returns
If patience is the foundation of wealth, then its enemy is FOMO (the fear of missing out).
FOMO is what drives investors to ignore their criteria, waive inspections, or overpay in a heated bidding war, all because they feel the pressure to “get in now” or risk watching everyone else succeed. This is when the desire for instant gratification (getting the deal) trumps long-term strategy.
Chasing the market high is often the fastest way to buy at the peak. Patient investors understand that the market is cyclical. They prefer “time in the market” to attempting to “time the market.” While the market keeps churning, they keep their capital ready, knowing that true opportunities often appear not when things are booming, but when others panic, pause, or when the perfect off-market deal surfaces.
Real Estate Rewards the Patient Mindset
Real estate rewards that same mindset.
Choosing a sensible rental property over a flashy personal upgrade. Holding long-term instead of chasing the fast flip. Continuing the search when settling feels easier. Saving cash and waiting for the right opportunity rather than stretching for the wrong one.
Sometimes that path looks boring. Sometimes it feels slow. Sometimes it feels like everyone else is sprinting ahead while you are quietly stacking bricks.
But bricks build homes. And foundations build freedom:
- Financial freedom
- Family freedom
- Time freedom
- Freedom to make choices based on values rather than pressure
It’s the freedom to build a life, not chase one. That’s the power of patience and intention in real estate.
The best move is rarely the one that creates instant excitement. It’s the one that positions you to win three, five, or ten years from now. It’s not the marshmallow on the table today. It is the pantry full of options for your future.
Your Future Wins the Long Game
This year, when you face a real estate decision, pause. Ask yourself:
- Is this the marshmallow moment?
- Is this a chance to choose long-term returns over short-term gratification?
- Is this a step toward long-term abundance or just a quick hit?
Your future self will always thank you for choosing discipline over rush, clarity over noise, and strategy over impulse.
Because the long term usually wins. And those who wait are the ones who build lives filled with choices, opportunities, and real freedom.
