S1:E45 You v. You: Future and Past Self

We talked about comparing yourself to other people last time. Today I want to give you another way to think about the same phrase. You vs. you.The past can educate you. The future can inspire and compel you. But you are only actually in this game today. The decisions you make today are what lead you to that future version of yourself, and those same decisions are informed by the former version of you.There is real research behind this. Psychologist Hal Hershfield has spent years studying something called future self-continuity — the extent to which you feel genuinely connected to your future self, like she is actually you and not a distant stranger. His research found that people who feel a strong sense of connection to their future self make better long-term decisions, report better health outcomes, and are less likely to choose a small immediate reward over a bigger future one. The more real your future self feels, the better your choices become today.In this episode I walk through how to let your future self compel you forward and let your former self coach you from behind, all while remembering you only get to actually play the game today.What we cover:Hal Hershfield's research on future self-continuity and why it predicts better health outcomesWhy your future self is not a fantasy but a real compelling force in your decisions todayWhy your former self is a coach, not a source of shameThe one question to ask before every decision that honors both versions of youYour tiny step from this episode:Ask yourself this question before your next decision. What would future me thank me for right now? And what has former me already learned that applies to this exact moment?Grab your free Everyday Comeback Guide + join the newsletter: lesliebegin.myflodesk.com/comebackConnect with Leslie:📱 Instagram: @lesliebegin📧 Email: [email protected]🎙️ Subscribe to Dare to Begin wherever you listen to podcastsKeywords: future self continuity, Hal Hershfield research, long term decision making, women's wellness podcast, health coach, everyday comeback, healthy mindset for women, Leslie Begin, dare to begin, comeback mindset, delayed gratification, self improvement psychology, future self visualization