Delayed gratification: The ultimate power move (Photo: iStock)
The world moves fast, and we’re hooked on it. Order a pizza, and it’s at your doorstep before you can scroll through ten TikToks. Post a selfie, and the likes roll in before you blink. Everywhere you look; Instagram, X, WhatsApp, someone is flexing a new ride, a fat stack of cash, or a viral moment that blew up overnight. It is tempting to think that is how success works: quick, flashy, instant. But for young people with big dreams, the real superpower is not chasing fast wins, it is mastering the art of waiting. Delayed gratification, that gritty choice to hold off for something bigger, is what turns small steps into lasting empires.
Picture this: you have got KSh 5,000 in your wallet. Those new kicks on Instagram are calling your name, or maybe it is a night out with the crew, bottles popping, stories popping. Spending feels like a rush, a quick hit of “I am winning.” But what if you slid that cash into a Sacco or bought a few shares in a solid company? It is not sexy today, no likes for a savings account, but give it five years. That KSh 5,000 could double, even triple, thanks to compound interest. Impulse buys fade. Investments grow. It is like planting a mango tree: water it, wait, and one day you are eating fruit for life.
Now think about your career or education. The streets are loud with stories of dropouts making millions from betting or “online businesses” that sound too good to be true. It is tempting to skip the grind for a shortcut. But the student burning the midnight oil for a degree, or the intern grinding unpaid to learn the ropes, they are building something solid. A degree can land you a job that pays for years. Skills open doors no get rich quick scheme can touch. Shortcuts might get you paid today, but the slow grind sets you up for tomorrow.
And personal growth? Same logic. Whether it is fitness, learning a skill, or building a brand, you cannot microwave a six pack or a killer YouTube channel. It is showing up to the gym when you are sore, practicing guitar when your fingers ache, or posting content when your views are stuck at ten. Social media sells the “soft life,” but real growth happens in those sweaty, quiet moments no one claps for. Delayed gratification turns those moments into muscles, portfolios, and audiences that last.
Take Mbusi, a 28-year-old from Nairobi. Back in 2018, he was a club waiter saving just KSh 1,000 a month in a money market fund. His friends laughed, calling him “too serious” while they blew cash on parties and drip. By 2025, Mbusi’s savings had hit KSh 90,000, enough to launch a custom T-shirt business. Today his brand is thriving, and he is eyeing a bigger shop. “I did not see the money at first,” he says, “but I saw the vision.” That is the power of playing the long game.
Keep Reading
- Self care: The path to being a better parent
- How to deal with sibling rivalry
- How to introduce children to budget literacy
- Why are teenagers hardwired for risky decisions?
Of course, waiting is not easy. It is brutal watching your friends flex while you are stashing cash or studying at 2 a.m. Social media screams that you are behind, and betting ads promise millions overnight. But delayed gratification works like a muscle, and it grows stronger the more you train it. The best way is to start small. Instead of chasing a huge savings target, break it down into weekly or monthly goals that feel doable. Instead of trying to master an entire skill in one go, focus on learning something small every day. Replacing endless scrolling with time on your craft also makes the process lighter. Surrounding yourself with people who share your grind can help too, because accountability keeps you consistent. And above all, you have to keep the vision alive. Picture the business, the degree, or the brand you are working toward and remind yourself why you started in the first place.
Here is the thing: delayed gratification is the real flex. Anyone can blow KSh 10,000 on a night out. But saving it for something bigger, is discipline. Anyone can chase quick clout with recycled content. Building a brand that lasts? That is respect. In a world of rented cars and fake followers, waiting is the ultimate power move. The real glow up is the one you build, not the one you buy.