Why You Should Think About Yourself - In the Future

Build a Relationship With Your Future Self.

Photo by Cottonbro studio from Pexels.

“Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards.” — Soren Kierkegaard

It may seem counter-intuitive, but if you want to lead a good life, your priority should be to think about yourself — in the future.

It’s easy enough to think about yourself now because that version of you is staring back from the mirror each day. But considering who you may become next month, next year, or even five years from now is critical for maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

Believing in a brighter future for yourself can help drive changes that have lasting positive effects on your well-being.

Research suggests that when we reduce our “futuristic selves” to mere abstractions rather than living people with identities and aspirations, we are more likely to avail ourselves of instant gratification instead of making decisions that benefit us in the long term.

All this could be avoided if our understanding of the human psyche made us realize the importance of d…