Episode 256: Prof. Hal Hershfield: Your Future Self

<div class="page" title="Page 1"> <div class="section"> <div class="layoutArea"> <div class="column"> <p>How does the connection we have with our future self impact the decisions we make today? And what active steps can we take to improve our connection with our future selves? Today on the show we welcome back Hal Hershfield, whose new book Your Future Self: How to Make Tomorrow Better Today delves into the science of our relationship with our future selves and what we can do to change it for the better. In our conversation with Hal, we discuss the concept of the self, how we change over time, and why so many of us feel disconnected from our future selves. He describes the research surrounding these subjects and their findings, including how the brain scans they performed demonstrate that we mostly see our future selves as strangers, and why this is caused, at least in part, by the fact that our future selves don’t technically exist yet. We also discuss the interventions that have been shown to improve our relationship with our future selves, like viewing age-progressed images or exchanging letters with our future selves, and why everyone responds to these interventions differently. Having a strong connection with your future self has many benefits. It means you’re more likely to make decisions that will serve you later in life, like saving for retirement, eating healthily, and exercising regularly. But Hal also warns that we risk losing sight of the present and what truly matters when we focus solely on the future. To hear all of Hal’s knowledgeable insights on this topic and what he wants to explore next, be sure to tune in today!</p> <p>Key Points From This Episode:</p> <ul> <li> <p>Defining the self and how our identity shifts depending on age, context, and the people we surround ourselves with. (0:04:08)</p> </li> <li> <p>An overview of Hal’s research and what it reveals about how most people connect (or don’t connect) to their future selves. (0:08:29)</p> </li> <li> <p>How empathy can influence our connecti