Summary

The article emphasizes the importance of making decisions that positively impact our future selves across various aspects of life, including health, diet, finances, friendships, and work.

Abstract

The concept of being kind to one's future self is central to the article, advocating that our present choices significantly shape our future well-being. It suggests that by considering the long-term effects of our actions in health and fitness, we can build a foundation for a healthier life. Similarly, making mindful food choices can prevent the suffering of our future self due to poor dietary decisions. The article also touches on financial wisdom, urging readers to think critically about investments and expenditures. In the realm of social relationships, it advises selectivity with friendships to avoid negative influences. Lastly, it addresses work ethic, particularly for those with ADD, encouraging the completion of tasks to prevent future stress and regret.

Opinions

Exercise is seen as a consistent gift to one's future self, promoting long-term health benefits.
The article acknowledges the challenge of making healthy food choices due to the addictive nature of processed foods engineered for maximum appeal.
Financial decisions, such as impulsive purchases or poor investments, are portrayed as potential acts of self-sabotage against one's future financial stability.
The author reflects on personal experiences, suggesting that reducing interactions with certain friends can be beneficial for one's future self.
Procrastination at work, especially for individuals with ADD, is viewed as a disservice to one's future self, leading to stress and last-minute rushes.
The author believes that by asking ourselves if our current actions are a gift to our future self, we can make more conscientious decisions that will lead to an improved quality of life.

Be Kind to Your Future Self

There is a person we haven’t met yet that bears the brunt of every decision we make. We rarely think about them.

This person is our future self.

We spend too much money on something we do not need, never work out, eat things we shouldn’t and procrastinate at work. Our future self suffers the consequences of these actions.

Choosing actions right now that positively impact our future selves is one of the best gifts we can give.

If we apply this thinking to our decisions in key areas of our life, we can see how it will impact our future for the better.

Here are a few areas of our life where we can apply this type of thinking and how it will impact our future.

Health and Fitness

If we apply the question,

“Is this a gift to my future self?”

to exercise, you will see, it always is.

Making a sacrifice in the present moment so that your future self can enjoy a healthier life is the foundation of health and fitness.

The next time you are struggling with the decision to go for a run or taking a fitness class, consider how it will impact your future self.

Food Choices

This one is very difficult because our brains are hardwired to do the opposite of what’s best for us.

Food marketers and scientists have crafted the perfect campaigns and combinations of flavors and textures to release just the right amount of dopamine for maximum addiction.

What we need to find is a balance between entertaining ourselves with food and nourishing our bodies.

When I eat McDonald’s, my future self suffers.

The next day my intestines feel like they went on strike, my head and skin feel dried out from the salt, and my stomach is growling because it still needs nourishment despite the bombardment of what the author Michael Pollan described as,

“edible food-like substances.”

The problem lies in the moments leading up to the gorging and the event itself. We place more emphasis on short-term rewards and less on long-term rewards.

Asking the simple question,

“Will eating this be a gift to my future self?”

adds another layer of accountability to the decision-making process that can tip the scale in the right direction.

The next time you are tempted by the golden arches, think about your future self.

Finances

I could write a book on investing. I will take every decision I’ve made in the stock market and write “don’t do this” and whoever read it would be rich.

My past self has failed me so many times.

When you are making financial decisions, think about your future self. Think about what they have to say about it.

They might not think so favorably of you swapping your bitcoins for some pixelated ape JPEG.

Friends

This area is more nuanced. With friends you can reduce the interaction without creating any pivotal event marking a change in your friendship.

Over the years, I have had to reduce the amount of time I spend with certain people because they have a negative impact on my life.

When I became a merchant mariner, the port agent said something profound to me. He said,

“When I first became a sailor, I was worried I would miss out on what was going on at home. I would come home from a hitch, and all my friends were hanging out on the same steps, drinking the same beer, telling the same stories. The only thing that changed was I had been all over the world.”

Think about your future self when you are making friends and acquaintances. They are the ones who will have to deal with them if it all turns sour.

Work

I have ADD. That means when the stress of work piles up on me, I become hyper-focused on things that serve as an escape.

I will start writing, website building, exercising, reading books, or just daydreaming. I will do anything except the work that needs to be done. This is not nice to my future self.

One of the most effective ways I combat this is by considering the effects my procrastination has on my future self.

I apply this mantra,

“If I don’t want to do it now, I will not want to do it later, so I might as well go ahead and do it.”

The next time you find yourself doom scrolling, or liking cat pictures on the internet because you do not feel like working on your big report, think about the version of yourself that will be up at midnight the night before it’s due, mad for wasting so much time.

In a world where you can be anything

Be kind to your future self.

You can apply this principle to these 5 areas of your life. It will increase your quality of life. Each positive decision is a gift to your future self and they will cascade into an exceptional life.