The difference between being successful at making and sustaining change is in the length of your vision.  If you take the short term view, and seek immediate satisfaction, you may be happy right now, but regretful later.  If you take a long term view, you’ll find it much easier to be successful reaching your change goal.

Let’s look at a couple of examples of each perspective:

Short term:  Eat a big, piece of rich, moist, gooey chocolate cake.  It will make you happy in the moment.  But, when you look in the mirror or try to put on those size 8 jeans, you’ll surely regret having indulged in the short term pleasure.

Long term:  Eat an apple.  It will curb your hunger and serve you in your effort to eat healthy foods, lose weight, become more fit and live a happier, healthier life.

Short term:  Lose my temper with my kids.  It will relieve tension in the moment and might get you the result you are looking for (peace and quiet) but you’ll regret your lack of control and the example you are setting when you cool off and have some space from the situation.

Long term:  Take a deep breath and calmly request that your kids stop doing what they are doing and encourage them to find something else to do or somewhere else to do it.  Offer rewards or consequences for a change in their behavior.  It will build your relationship with your kids, set an example for them of how to deal effectively with stress and conflict and give you  a greater sense of self-control.

Before you react, ask yourself:  Will this action merely serve me in this moment or will it help me reach my goal for a happier, healthier, more fulfilled life?