Time Preference. It is a phenomenon where the more distant a result is from the present, the more rational decisions seem, while closer results tend to lead to more emotional choices. When thinking about the distant future, we usually approach it rationally. However, when making decisions right now, we often act emotionally instead of rationally. This time preference significantly impacts areas such as finances, health, work, sleep, procrastination, and texting. For example, dieting is hard when delicious food is right in front of you; people often say it starts tomorrow, not today, because weight loss doesn’t happen overnight but over weeks or months. - Joseph’s “just my thoughts”
Human behavior and psychology are tricky and complex. If you ask someone who prefers short-term gains, “Would you like to get $1,000 now or $1,020 a year from now,” the person will choose the former. However, if you change the question, “Would you like to get $1,000 in 10 years or $1,020 in 11 years,” people will choose the latter. The taking of time and possessiveness are even under the same conditions, they make different choices. These two dominate the human personality. - Joseph’s “just my thoughts”