Future You

The human species is an enigma. We are the most anxious of beings ever created because we are constantly worried about tomorrow and longing for what we don’t have. At the same time, we are the most unprepared species on the planet.

“Careful planning puts you ahead in the long run; hurry and scurry puts you further behind.” - Proverbs 21:5 (MSG)

Most of us KNOW what we ought to do, but for whatever reason we put it off, trading it for anxiety about things out of our control. And while the future is not completely in your control, you can set up your future self for success.

A common joke is that a person can make bad decisions easily today because that is a “future you” problem. Wiser words have never been uttered in comedy. It’s true, that the decisions you make today will affect “future you” either positively or negatively.

In my coaching, we spend extensive time re-emphasizing this truth. The truth is that what you do and set up today can bring future you so much more success. Oftentimes, it comes in the form of this mindset: Future you doesn’t remember anything about today you. Here’s what I mean by that:

• Future you won’t remember the details of the project task you planned weeks ago (which is a great habit, btw).

• Future you will thank you for building in margin because you are self-aware enough to know your strengths and weaknesses.

• Future you likely won’t remember briefings or conversations you had months, or sometimes days, ago.

Future you is relying on current you to set you up for success. Do yourself a favor and always be thinking about Future You and what he/she needs to know in order to make the most out of the day you are asking them to tackle a project or task.