Embrace Your Future Self for a Better Life Journey
Written on
Chapter 1: The Importance of Connecting with Your Future Self
Establishing a friendship with your future self can significantly influence the decisions you make today. Recent research indicates that this practice leads to remarkably positive outcomes.
Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash
Since I was nine, I've kept a journal, which resembles my articles in style. Instead of addressing you, I write letters to my Future Self, imagining her as a lifelong friend I have yet to meet. A few years back, I maintained a list of daily choices I made with my Future Self in mind, decisions that I knew she would appreciate.
This practice greatly enhanced my mental well-being, and although I recognized its benefits, I hadn't delved into the neuroscience behind it until I came across a recent article in New Scientist. This piece highlighted extensive studies conducted by Hal Hershfield, a professor at UCLA’s Anderson School of Management, which he elaborates on in his book, Your Future Self.
Section 1.1: Understanding Our Future Selves
Hershfield's work emphasizes that feeling a connection to your Future Self, while recognizing the differences between your Present and Future Selves, can yield transformative benefits. His findings show that this awareness can lead to improved life choices—such as adhering to exercise routines or avoiding legal troubles. Additionally, individuals report feeling happier, achieving better financial outcomes, and excelling academically.
While this may seem evident at first glance, this straightforward technique brings immense rewards. However, it's essential to note that considering our Future Selves isn't something we excel at.
Marc Wittmann, a psychologist from the Institute for Frontier Areas of Psychology and Mental Health in Freiburg, Germany, points out that “Overall, there’s a tendency for us all to be present-oriented.” The allure of the present moment often overshadows rational decision-making, as our choices are frequently influenced by immediate emotions like fear or hunger, rather than thoughtful consideration of the future.
The first video, How to Connect with Your Future Self, explores techniques to foster this vital connection and discusses how it can lead to positive life changes.
Section 1.2: The Challenges of Present-Oriented Thinking
Consider how marketing strategies often exploit emotional triggers to motivate consumer behavior. It’s evident that people are more inclined to act based on feelings than to engage in critical analysis of their choices. This emotional manipulation can be seen in headlines crafted to provoke reactions rather than inform.
This tendency to remain rooted in the present significantly contributes to our difficulties with sticking to diets or fulfilling New Year’s resolutions. Wittmann and his team found that when given the choice between immediate gratification and delayed reward, individuals overwhelmingly opt for instant satisfaction, even when the latter offers greater benefits. This phenomenon, termed “temporal discounting,” highlights our inclination to overlook our Future Selves in decision-making.
Chapter 2: Neuroscience Behind Future Self-Connection
Research utilizing PET scans and fMRI technology reveals that certain areas of the brain become more active when we think about our Present Selves compared to our Future Selves. Notably, the medial prefrontal cortex, which is crucial for self-reflection and emotional processing, shows diminished activity when participants contemplate their Future Selves. This suggests that our Future Selves can feel like strangers to us.
The second video, Who is Your Future Self?, delves into the significance of recognizing and engaging with your Future Self, shedding light on how this awareness can influence your life choices.
Study findings indicate that the less connected individuals feel to their Future Selves, the more likely they are to engage in temporal discounting.
Section 2.1: Virtual Reality Experiments
In a later series of experiments, Hershfield and his team used virtual reality to allow participants to interact with artificial representations of their Future Selves, complete with aging features. When asked how they would handle a windfall of $1000, those who engaged with their Future Selves were significantly more inclined to save the money than those who saw their Present Selves. This suggests that visualizing their Future Selves made the concept more concrete and relatable, fostering empathy toward both their Future and Present Selves.
Section 2.2: Compassion and Decision-Making
Research indicates that those who procrastinate typically prioritize immediate comfort over confronting the emotional challenges of tasks that would benefit their Future Selves. Fuschia Sirois, a psychologist at the University of Durham, states, “There’s a whole emotional dynamic that happens after people procrastinate. You start to feel bad, experiencing shame and guilt, and that drives further procrastination.”
Fortunately, procrastination is a mindset that can be altered. Increasing self-compassion has proven to be one of the most effective ways to cultivate positive thinking patterns and beneficial behaviors. Intriguingly, individuals who practice self-compassion tend to feel less guilt about procrastination and are less likely to put off tasks.
Section 2.3: The Broader Implications
Hershfield’s research suggests that individuals with a strong connection to their Future Selves tend to be more humble and ethically responsible. This insight is particularly relevant given the pressing need for societal change, especially regarding challenges like climate change, which stem from decades of neglecting our Future Selves.
Finding a balance between enjoying the present and planning for the future is crucial. By considering the needs of your Future Self, even in small tasks like tackling a project or washing dishes before bed, you can initiate a cycle of positive change in your life.
In essence, nurturing your relationship with your Future Self can create a rewarding feedback loop, leading to actions that you’ll appreciate later. While changing thought patterns requires dedication and self-compassion, the benefits are undoubtedly worthwhile.
This article was first published in the author's newsletter, Curious Adventure, and later edited and shared on Medium with her permission.
Thank you for reading; your support is appreciated.