The Happiness Lab with Dr. Laurie Santos Does the You of Today Hate the You of Tomorrow?
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Jul 1, 2024 
Hal Hershfield, a UCLA professor and author of 'Your Future Self,' unpacks how our present choices often neglect the future. He discusses the disconnection people feel toward their future selves, proposing strategies like writing letters to enhance long-term planning. Virtual reality is explored as an innovative tool to visualize future selves, encouraging better financial and personal decisions. The conversation highlights the importance of balancing present joys with future goals, advocating for a compassionate approach to self-care and fulfillment.
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Mean to Future Selves
- We often treat our future selves poorly, neglecting their needs and overburdening them with tasks.
- This disconnect stems from perceiving our future selves as strangers, hindering our ability to empathize with their future burdens.
Third-Person Perspective
- Emily Pronin's study revealed that when imagining future events, we often detach, observing ourselves as separate entities.
- This third-person perspective underscores the psychological distance between our present and future selves.
Poor Future Predictions
- Our poor predictions about future desires lead us to make decisions that negatively impact our future selves.
- We overestimate our future motivation, often prioritizing present desires over long-term well-being.
