A Slight Change of Plans Your Future Self Needs Your Help Today
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Nov 27, 2023 
Psychologist Hal Hershfield discusses the emotional connection we have to our future selves and the benefits of strengthening that connection. Learn how to strike a balance and build a better relationship with your future self, while also discovering new financial opportunities. Explore the challenge of feeling fear and negativity about the future and strategies to grapple with anxiety and uncertainty.
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Future Self as a Stranger
- Our brains perceive our future selves more like other people than like ourselves.
- This neural disconnect can impact our long-term decision-making, leading to present bias.
Neural and Financial Connection
- Brain scans reveal that thinking about our future selves activates similar brain regions as thinking about other people.
- Individuals whose brains showed stronger distinctions between present and future selves were less likely to save money.
Muted Future Happiness
- People report being less happy about winning the lottery in the future than now.
- This demonstrates that present events feel more impactful than future ones, even if the reward is identical.