Be Your Future Self Now: The Science of Intentional Transformation

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Science suggested that human beings are the direct byproduct of their own past. This view is known as determinism-the idea that human behaviour is simply one domino toppled by the dominos that came before. The dominos of past events dictate who you are and what you’re doing now. There is no human agency or freedom-simply stimulus and response. That question is the answer to all your life's questions. When you know who you want to be then you know what you're going to do today. That answer directly impacts how motivated you are, and how you feel about yourself. It's the answer to whether you'll distract yourself on social media for hours, whether you'll eat junk food and what time you get up in the morning. Some people have a vivid sense of their future self, which feels very close to their current identity. These people tend to be more responsible with their money and more ethical in their treatment of others; they are keen to act in a way that will make life easier in the years ahead. Connecting with your future self is an investment that compounds dramatically. The more you are connected with your future self, the better quality decisions you will make in the present. You will find yourself gaining momentum towards a desired future state. Your very identity will transform.

As good choices compound, your identity begins to change. You get wins. You gain confidence. You begin to see that the ideal future you imagined could in fact come to fruition. Don’t underestimate the power of small, consistent actions toward your desired future. This is a rather long breakdown, so I'll keep this section short, but basically, who and what you're becoming - and your thoughts about it - directly affect the quality of your experience in the here and now. Elevate from needing to wanting to knowing. Knowing is a state in which you know that you already have what you desire. You are in a state of gratitude. You embody the identity of the future you, and the fulfillment of the vision arises naturally. Be your future self now, then do what that future self would do, and you will have the desired results. The story you tell yourself about your past affects how you think and behave in the present, which has real and specific consequences for what happens in your future. Creativity occurs by giving form or organisation to disorganised raw materials. For example, a table isn’t built out of nothing but organised from raw materials that were previously disorganised or undesigned.Another step of empathy is appreciating how your actions, or inactions, impact the other person. In this case, how are your current behaviours impacting your Future Self? Strategic Coach co-founder Dan Sullivan and I wrote an entire book on this subject called The Gap and the Gain. The gap is when you measure yourself or your experiences against what you ideally thought they should be. In the 1990s, the chip company Pringles had a catchline referencing their pop-off lids, “Once you pop, the fun don’t stop!” According to a wealth of psychological studies from the past decade, people’s responses often vary widely – and their answers reveal surprising things about their behavioural tendencies. Different questions spark innovative thinking and new angles. Psychologist and spiritual teacher Dr. Wayne Dyer said, “When you change the way you see things, the things you see change.” When you change what you’re looking for, you change what you see.

So this is the first and most fundamental threat to your Future Self and one that will stop your journey before it even gets started. In this highly practical book, you’ll learn everything about creating an ideal future self. Including all the pitfalls and threats you may face as well as the steps needed to create the identity you want. A must read for anyone aspiring to be better. James Clear later wrote that “If you genuinely care about the goal, you’ll focus on the system.” Behavior becomes more intelligent as it is intentionally designed for ends. Hershfield’s later research has examined the phenomenon in many other areas of life. In 2018, for instance, he found that people’s future self-continuity could predict their exercise behaviours and overall fitness. It seems if you identify strongly with your future self, you are more willing to look after your body to make sure that it experiences better health in the years ahead. People who want to develop a compelling vision for their future and imagine a better life for themselves, while receiving the support and guidance to get there as fast as possibleLet's begin... THREAT #1: Without Hope in Your Future, Your Present Loses Meaning “The first and most fundamental threat to your Future Self is not having hope in your future. Without hope, the present loses meaning. Without hope, you don't have clear goals or a sense of purpose for your life. Without hope, there is no way. Without hope, you decay." Don’t allow your future to be controlled by the stories you tell yourself about your past. It’s easy to frame the past in negative ways. Thinking upon our failures may cause low confidence and keep us from pursuing a brighter future. In this way of thinking, life happens to you, not for you. Reframe the way you think about the past, not as a victim, but as experiences to learn from that drive you towards a better future. Find things to be grateful for from them. Own your experiences. Don’t allow them to own you. THREAT #2: A Reactive Narrative About Your Past Stunts Your Future “We reinterpret or reconstruct our memory in light of what our mental set is in the present. In this sense, it is more accurate to say the present causes the meaning of the past, than it is to say that the past causes the meaning of the present." -Brent Slife This might be the most important book this author has written (and I’ve read all of his stuff so far). The information is so powerful but also so simple and easy to apply in one’s own life, regardless of your age or position in life. If more people would read this they would quit crying on a therapists couch about their past and start moving toward their brighter future. Not saying it isn’t important to be in touch with who we were, but getting in touch with your future self is nuclear powered! Nothing is more fulfilling than knowing our purpose in life, and this book lays out a roadmap to finding that for one’s self. It is geared towards the entrepreneur but honestly anyone in any walk of life could benefit from this. I’m going to have my 19 year old read it (and pretty much all my friends or people I care about). When you start to get excited about your future it is very uplifting and it’s easier to let go of the past. Even better, you get to appreciate your past and all its hardships. Individuals who want to learn how to use their imagined future as an invitation to live more fully in the present

Your vision of where or who you want to be is the greatest asset you have. Without having a goal it’s difficult to score.” -Paul Arden Renowned psychologist Dr Benjamin Hardy will show you how to allow your imagined Future Self to be the driver of your current reality so that you can change in unbelievable ways.

The Quality of Your Connection with Your Future Self is the Key

What few areas do you want to prioritise and invest big in so you can create 10X compounding results? Commitment requires vigilance. There’s never a time when lesser goals won’t present themselves to you. I also love the words of Lewis, that, “There are no ordinary people.” This view of God enables me to look at every person with awe and amazement.

This section looks a little bit different than the Key Ideas sections of other book breakdowns, and that's because Dr. Hardy has helpfully provided a perfect framework for understanding the key ideas in his book. This became the core tenet of Frankl’s logotherapy: human beings are driven by their views of their own future. Acting towards goals further into the future, however, is something we tend to struggle with. However, contemplating the future, and who we desire to be five, ten, or even twenty years down the road has has the incredible power of actually shaping our future. Remember that your actions in the present have a compounding effect on your future. Everything you do will have an effect, for better or for worse. Design your behaviors so that the future you will reap the benefits, rather than pay for the cost of poor choices, with interest.Without question, taking ownership of your time demands commitment and courage. Busy can be a comfort zone despite knowing you’re being ineffective. The theory was later expanded and championed by the British philosopher Derek Parfit, whose work caught the attention of a young researcher called Hal Hershfield. “It was just such a compelling idea,” says Hershfield, who is an associate professor of marketing, behavioural decision making and psychology at the University of California, Los Angeles. He suspected that a disconnection from our future selves might explain many irrational elements of human behaviour – including our reluctance to set aside savings for our retirement. If nothing matters anyway and you have no hope of improving your circumstances, why do anything? Why put forth any effort whatsoever? Without hope in the possibility of creating a better future, you will lose any motivation to take action now. If nothing matters in the future, why would you think anything matters now?