People who can connect with their future selves are more likely to have accrued assets, report greater health and life satisfaction. What's the mechanism by which we are able to turn ourselves into friends, our future selves into friends? Well, to some extent, I think this is still an open question. But if we can empathize with others, if we can feel their feelings, those are the things that turn a stranger into a friend.
It may sound strange, but if you can learn to treat your future self like someone you really care about, then you'll be more likely to make satisfying, rewarding, and ethical long-term decisions.