The Willpower Instinct: How Self-Control Works, Why It Matters, and What You Can Do To Get More of It

WILLPOWER EXPERIMENT: MEET YOUR FUTURE
SELF
You can help yourself make wiser choices by sending yourself to the future (DeLorean not
required 
27
). Below are three ideas for making the future feel real, and for getting to know your
future self. Pick one that appeals to you and try it out this week.
1. 
Create a Future Memory.
Neuroscientists at the University Medical Center Hamburg-
Eppendorf in Germany have shown that imagining the future helps people delay
gratification. You don’t even need to think about the future rewards of delaying
gratification—just thinking about the future seems to work. For example, if you’re trying
to decide between starting a project now or putting it off, imagine yourself grocery
shopping next week, or at a meeting you have scheduled. When you picture the future, the
brain begins to think more concretely and immediately about the consequences of your
present choices. The more real and vivid the future feels, the more likely you are to make
a decision that your future self won’t regret.
2. 
Send a Message to Your Future Self.
The founders of 
FutureMe.org
 have created a way
for people to e-mail their future selves. Since 2003, they’ve been holding on to e-mails
people write to themselves, and delivering them on a future date chosen by the writer.

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Why not take advantage of the opportunity to think about what your future self will be
doing, and how he or she will feel about the choices you’re making now? Describe to
your future self what you are going to do now to help yourself meet your long-term goals.
What are your hopes for your future self? What do you think you will be like? You can
also imagine your future self looking back on your present self. What would your future
self thank you for, if you were able to commit to it today? Psychologist Hal Ersner-
Hershfield says that even if you just briefly contemplate what you’d write in such a letter,
you will feel more connected to your future self.
3.