Financial Gratification by Mason

Financial Gratification by Mason - February 2026 Scholarship Essay

"He that can have patience can have what he will." Benjamin Franklin. In a digital world where anything is a few clicks away, the concept of waiting often feels antiquated. For me, at the age of 18, navigating between instant-gratification and healthy spending has been a learning battle. It’s more than just budgeting; it’s about a mental pause, asking myself, “Is this a 'want now' or a 'need later'?” And if I am being honest for an 18-year-old boy, most things feel like a ‘need now’. Successful financial health demands that old-fashioned virtue: patience. Something that society is lacking today. Trying to keep long-term objectives in mind can help sway the impulse for instant gratification.
 
A few years ago, I found myself facing a budgeting temptation: a brand-new, top-of-the-line gaming console. It had just launched, and all my friends were raving about it. The reviews were amazing, the graphics were cutting edge, and the thought of unwinding with it after a long day made me very excited. My finger hovered over the "add to cart" button more times than I care to admit. I told myself, “I deserve it” and “you are only young once,” I thought I really had a compelling argument to just buy it.
 
My current gaming console still functioned well, it wasn’t outdated, just not the newest model. This was a "want" rather than a "need." Instead of making an impulse purchase, I decided to take a step back and pause. I checked my bank account on my phone, reviewed how far I'd come, and calculated what would remain after the expense. I also considered all the extra hours I'd worked to reach this point. In the end, I made myself a promise: wait three months. If I still really wanted the console then, I would revisit the decision.
 
Those three months passed surprisingly quickly. A few other expenses popped up unexpectedly, but they were manageable because I hadn’t drained my bank account. The initial hype around the console died down, new games were released for my existing system, and my initial desire for the latest tech faded into a mild interest. When the three months were up, I realized I no longer had the urge, it had simply dissipated.
 
That decision is still one that I reflect on as gained a valuable lesson in self-control. Not only did my savings remain intact, but it reinforced the idea that many "urgent" wants are fleeting.  True financial discipline isn't about deprivation, but more about intentional choice. Now, I am still an 18-year boy that has a lot to learn, so I don’t delay every purchase in my life, however, delayed gratification has since become my financial philosophy for large purchases because it reminds me that the best rewards often come to those who wait. “Money grows on trees of persistence” Japanese Proverb