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Self-leadership as a force for the future – Together against the temptation of quick rewards

Steffen Höllein, July 2025 in preparation for the MINT Heroines Arena. 

Contents

Social media and digital offerings make it particularly easy to get a quick reward at any time.

For many children, teenagers and adults, a constant back and forth between learning, playing and brief moments of success is part of everyday life.

When rewards are always readily available, it often becomes more difficult to focus on larger goals or to patiently persevere with something. The temptation to get distracted is great.

This is precisely why self-control is becoming an important force for the future. It helps us make our own decisions, set priorities, and avoid giving in to every impulse immediately. How do we stay on course in a world full of instant gratification? What small steps can help us rediscover the joy of waiting and persevering? Together, we want to explore how self-control can grow in everyday life—and why it makes us strong for the future.

Self-leadership: the ability to consciously control oneself, act reflectively and regulate oneself well – emotionally, mentally and practically.

Delaying gratification through self-leadership – the recipe for success in MINT

  1. Reflect on delayed gratification The conscious decision to forgo immediate rewards promotes the ability to keep long-term goals in mind – a key skill for sustainable learning success.
  1. Strengthen impulse control Controlling spontaneous reactions makes it possible to set priorities and not be guided by short-term distractions.
  1. Develop self-regulation Targeted control of one's own thoughts, emotions and actions helps one to remain capable of action and goal-oriented even in challenging situations.
  1. Use executive functions Planning skills, working memory and cognitive flexibility are essential for approaching complex tasks in the STEM field in a structured and solution-oriented manner.
  1. Differentiate motivation Consciously addressing extrinsic and intrinsic motivation helps to create sustainable learning processes and promote one's own enthusiasm for STEM topics.
  1. Build frustration tolerance The ability to endure setbacks and waiting periods is an important basis for perseverance and resilience in the learning process.
  1. Cultivate self-discipline Perseverance and consistent work towards your own goals contribute significantly to the successful implementation of even demanding projects.
  1. Use willpower Even in phases of exhaustion or when temptations arise, willpower enables the consistent pursuit of set goals.
  1. Pursue goal orientation Clear objectives and a structured approach make it easier to manage your own progress and make successes measurable.

  2. Maintain the joy of learning and curiosity Openness to new questions and the joy of discovery are key drivers for innovation and continuous development in the STEM field.

Self-leadership: the ability to consciously control oneself, act reflectively and regulate oneself well – emotionally, mentally and practically.

How children and adolescents can playfully practice self-leadership and delayed gratification

  1. Reflect on delayed gratification The conscious decision to forgo immediate rewards promotes the ability to keep long-term goals in mind – a key skill for sustainable learning success.
  1. Strengthen impulse control Controlling spontaneous reactions makes it possible to set priorities and not be guided by short-term distractions.
  1. Develop self-regulation Targeted control of one's own thoughts, emotions and actions helps one to remain capable of action and goal-oriented even in challenging situations.
  1. Use executive functions Planning skills, working memory and cognitive flexibility are essential for approaching complex tasks in the STEM field in a structured and solution-oriented manner.
  1. Differentiate motivation Consciously addressing extrinsic and intrinsic motivation helps to create sustainable learning processes and promote one's own enthusiasm for STEM topics.
  1. Build frustration tolerance The ability to endure setbacks and waiting periods is an important basis for perseverance and resilience in the learning process.
  1. Cultivate self-discipline Perseverance and consistent work towards your own goals contribute significantly to the successful implementation of even demanding projects.
  1. Use willpower Even in phases of exhaustion or when temptations arise, willpower enables the consistent pursuit of set goals.
  1. Pursue goal orientation Clear objectives and a structured approach make it easier to manage your own progress and make successes measurable.
  1. Maintain the joy of learning and curiosity Openness to new questions and the joy of discovery are key drivers for innovation and continuous development in the STEM field.

Not innate, not predetermined

Self-leadership isn't an innate trait, but a skill that grows with every conscious decision. By continually focusing on what's truly important to us and not allowing ourselves to be distracted by quick gratification, we actively shape our path. Together, we can create a culture where patience, curiosity, and initiative have their place – for more joy in discovery, more success in STEM, and a strong sense of community. The first steps have been taken. Now it's up to all of us to persevere and help shape the future.

For those who want to delve even deeper, there is a stimulating video by Professor Eric Vanman (University of Queensland) that looks at the famous Stanford marshmallow experiment from a new perspective and shows why it is worth taking a closer look: https://youtu.be/-aWnx8mVugM?si=CqSkJHdz_8jHVkX9

Out of sight, out of mind: Situation Modification

It is not willpower but environmental design that protects against distraction.

By changing the situation – for example, putting away the smartphone – problematic stimuli can be reduced from the outset.

The model " Situation Modification from James Gross is one of the most influential concepts for emotion regulation in modern psychology. It explains, how people consciously or unconsciously regulate their emotions - and at which points in the emotional process that happens.

  • Put your phone in your backpack or closet while studying

  • Turn the screen down or turn it off completely

  • Disable push notifications

  • Uninstall apps that particularly trigger you

What happens as a result?

  • Fewer cognitive load due to temptation

  • More Focus on the actual task

  • Lower probability of impulsive behavior

  • Higher Self-efficacy (“I can influence my environment”)

 

1. Situation Selection

I choose aware of what situation I am going into – or not. 

Example: I don't go to the party because I know I'll feel uncomfortable there.

2. Change in situation (Situation Modification)

I actively change the situationto influence emotions.

Example: I put my smartphone away to avoid being distracted or stressed.

3. Attention control (Attentional Deployment)

I direct my attention on certain aspects of the situation.

Example: At the dentist, I focus on my breathing instead of the noise.

4. Cognitive reappraisal (Cognitive reappraisal)

I reinterpret the situationto make them less stressful.

Example: The criticism was not meant to be malicious, but rather constructive.

5. Response modulation (Response Modulation)

I change my emotional reactionafter it occurred.

Example: I take a deep breath to calm my anger.

The development of the neocortex – Why impulse control is a particular challenge in adolescents

The ability to control impulses is closely linked to the development of the neocortex, particularly the prefrontal cortex, which is responsible for planning, reflection, and weighing alternative courses of action. Neuroscientific studies show that this area of the brain is not fully developed until young adulthood.

For adolescents, this means that the neural networks responsible for self-regulation and proactive behavior are still developing. During this developmental phase, it is biologically more difficult to inhibit impulsive reactions, keep long-term goals in mind, and resist temptation.

This finding underscores the importance of supporting adolescents in their development and providing them with space for practice and experience. Supportive structures, understanding guidance, and targeted promotion of self-control can contribute to sustainably strengthening the maturation of the neocortex and thus the ability to control impulses.

Sources, background, studies

MRI studies (magnetic resonance imaging) show that the prefrontal cortex, responsible for self-control, first up to mid-20s is mature – this explains typical youth impulsiveness, risk-taking and emotional ups and downs.

Dual systems model
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dual_systems_model

Adolescent development of the reward system
https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/human-neuroscience/articles/10.3389/neuro.09.006.2010/full

Dopamine Modulation of Prefrontal Cortical Interneurons Changes during Adolescence
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2204087/

Reappraising the role of dopamine in adolescent risk-taking behavior
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0149763423000544

Adolescent impulsivity as a sex- and subtype-dependent predictor of impulsivity, alcohol drinking, and dopamine D2 receptor expression in adult rats
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5988863/

Early Social Experience Is Critical for the Development of Cognitive Control and Dopamine Modulation of Prefrontal Cortex Function
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3682143/

The role of dopamine and endocannabinoid systems in prefrontal cortex development: Adolescence as a critical period
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9663658

Internet addiction alters brain chemistry in young people, study finds
https://www.theguardian.com/technology/article/2024/jun/04/internet-addiction-alters-brain-chemistry-in-young-people-study-finds

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