A DIETER IS OFFERED CHOCOLATE CAKE at a party. Someone trying to save money stares longingly at a fancy new smartphone. A student trying to improve her grades considers skipping her studies to watch a binge-worthy TV show instead. These are all examples of want-should conflicts, in which people are forced to choose between instant gratification and long-term benefits.
Wants are defined as actions that provide short-term pleasure but no long-term benefits, while shoulds provide long-term benefits but often involve short-term pain. Due to ‘present bias’ — ‘the tendency to dramatically overweight immediate rewards relative to delayed rewards’ — people often choose wants over shoulds in the heat of the moment, only to regret their decisions later.
Unfortunately, evidence shows that over time, repeatedly selecting wants over shoulds takes a toll on our health, financial and professional outcomes. An estimated 40 per cent of premature deaths can be
