Heroism is in Stopping

In 1957, the psychologist Burhus Frederick Skinner conducted an experiment that reveals the secret behind all slot machines in the world. He gave pigeons food when they pressed a button. When the food arrived every time, they pressed out of boredom. But when he gave food randomly, sometimes yes, sometimes [music] no, the pigeons went crazy. They pressed thousands of times without stopping. This is the mechanism behind every app on your phone. because we don't keep scrolling because we're having fun, but because maybe the next video will be amazing. It's that same maybe that keeps a gambler at the machine until he runs out of money. Let's admit it, the just one more that turns into 200. The two hours that disappear, the finger that won't stop. Benzma 2,000 years ago gave the precise definition in Pir who is strong. He who conquers his desires. He didn't say someone who has no desires. [music] He said, "A hero is someone who controls them because true strength isn't about not feeling the urge." We all feel it. The strength is in stopping your finger before the next click. [music] Science has proven that the brain is programmed to keep clicking. Benzma knew that heroism is in stopping. The Holy One, blessed be He, did not create our desires so that we would be slaves. He created them so that we could be heroes who conquer them. Let's not let maybe hold us back. Let's be the hero who sets the [music] boundary.