2 Simple Strategies You Can Use TODAY To Set Yourself Up For Success TOMORROW
This is not the first time I’ve talked about “ future you “.
But I heard some new research about this concept recently when listening to the TED Radio Hour podcast that added to my understanding of WHY this concept is so powerful.
And I want to share that with you.
If you’ve ever heard someone talk about “prioritizing your future self” and thought “BS! That doesn’t work.”, then I want to share a few things I learned with you.
Because I think they might help.
When you think about your future self, you’re thinking about a different person, literally, than the person you are right this second.
So it’s difficult to prioritize your future self because that person is literally not you.
When you think: “I should save this money so that future me can live a comfortable life in retirement instead of spending it on this delicious and delightful tasting menu experience”, that future you is a fictional person.
That person doesn’t have anything to do with YOU right now. And that’s why it’s so hard.
(And let me just say that I am not, in any way, knocking fine dining. I LOVE a good meal. But I also know I need to save for retirement. I have to hold both of these things at the same time.)
But, there are a couple of simple ways to trick yourself into believing that future-you is actually you and this knowledge can help you make decisions that set yourself up for success:
1) Make the recipient (aka your future self) more vivid
- Take a selfie and favorite it on your phone.
- Keep a photo of yourself on your desk (you can hide it before people come over so you don’t look like a narcissist!)
- Put a small picture of yourself on your laptop background
- Take a Polaroid of yourself and put it in your wallet (Uh oh, I think I just aged myself!)
When you’re making decisions that will affect yourself, look at a picture of yourself. (Weird, yes, but it’ll make it more real, more concrete.)
- Instead of saying “me/I”, or you, say “Alexis”. (Well, don’t say Alexis unless that’s your name, too. But you know what I mean.)
- This helps you to make that future you real in your own mind.
2) Try talking to yourself in the 3rd person
Still a little murky on the concept of “future you” and why it makes a difference?
Here’s how I invoke this concept for myself:
Got any tricks up YOUR sleeve?
Let me know in the comments if there are ways that you’ve been able to trick yourself into prioritizing your future self!
And if this is something you’d like help with my program Time Well Spent: Time Management for Real People is open for enrollment from 1/23/24–2/1/24. Check it out!
And if you have questions about whether it’s the right next step for you, please feel free to reach out.
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Originally published at https://www.alexishaselberger.com on January 22, 2024.
