Published July 2022 on Spotfiy

703: Benjamin Hardy | How to Be Your Future Self Now

1. Introduction

Benjamin explains how we can guide our development into becoming the person we want to be in the future, rather than letting growth happen to us. He shares practical tips on how we can jump ahead on the timeline of our future selves and work backward to ensure we become the person we want to be.+

2. Investing in Your Future

Investing in Your Future:Benjamin explains the concept of prospection, which is the idea that as human beings, we spend a lot of time thinking about our prospects for the future. He also discusses how neuroscience supports this idea and how it's different from the traditional belief that we're all driven by our past.+
Shaping the Future:Benjamin explains how our commitment to the future shapes our present and how prospection can help us plan for a better future. He also discusses the common feeling of being on a hamster wheel and how it limits our ability to contemplate the future.+
Commitment and Behavior:Jordan and Benjamin discuss how commitment influences behavior and how being honest about our commitments can help us achieve our goals. They emphasize the importance of being aware of our behavior and how it reflects our commitments, whether it's going to work or spending time on social media.+

3. Future Self Connection

Goal-Driven Behavior:Benjamin explains that all behavior is goal-driven, and psychologists have categorized goals into two types: approach-oriented and avoidance-driven. Most people are driven by fear and tend to have avoidance-driven goals. However, becoming a proactive approach-oriented person involves imagining a future you want and investing in it, even when there is risk.+
Connecting with Future Self:Benjamin Hardy discusses the concept of connecting with our long-term future self and how it can help us make better decisions. He explains how humans have not evolved to think that far ahead and how our present self often wins over our future self. By becoming more connected to our future self, we can create a sense of future intent and purpose in the present.+

4. Future Self Connection

Connecting with Future Self:Benjamin Hardy discusses the importance of connecting with your future self and having a purpose that gives you a reason to survive, drawing on the research of Hershfield and the experiences of Frankl in the concentration camps. He invites listeners to imagine reliving today, knowing the negative repercussions, to become more intentional.+
Future Self:Jordan and Benjamin discuss how being connected to your future self leads to better decision-making in the present. They share personal experiences and insights on how to be more intentional and purposeful in the present by considering the consequences of their actions.+

5. Future Self Perspective

Future Self Perspective:Benjamin shares how seeing your current situation through the eyes of your future self can help you notice opportunities and gain a more mature perspective. Jordan adds that reframing short-term sacrifice as progress can help you achieve your goals.+
Future Self Connection:Jordan and Benjamin discuss the importance of connecting with your future self to increase motivation and decrease the desire for short-term rewards that may harm your future self. They explain how this connection can lead to a friendship with your future self and a willingness to make sacrifices for them. Additionally, they delve into the role of dopamine in seeking immediate rewards versus seeking bigger rewards in the future.+

6. Sponsors

Upgrade Your Sleep:Ben Hardy joins the show to talk about the importance of sleep and how upgrading your bed frame can improve your sleep quality. Thuma's eco-friendly bed frame, The Bed, is highlighted as a great option for those looking to invest in a quality bed frame that will last a lifetime.+
Protect Your Online Privacy:Jordan and Jen discuss the importance of online privacy and how IPVanish can help protect your personal information from hackers and prying eyes. They offer a 70% discount on IPVanish's yearly plan and a 30-day money-back guarantee.+

7. Future Self Regrets

Future Self Regrets:Benjamin and Jordan discuss the concept of future self regrets and how being more connected to your future self can lead to healthier and more intentional decision-making. They reference the work of Daniel Gilbert and Hershfield's research on avoiding delinquent acts.+
Creating a Mindful Environment:Benjamin Hardy and Jordan Harbinger discuss the impact of our environment on our goals and how becoming aware of our environment can help us shape our lives in the direction we want. They provide practical tips for creating a mindful environment, including removing items that pull us in the wrong direction and making healthy foods easily accessible.+

8. Shaping Our Environment

Controlling Your Environment:Benjamin Hardy discusses the importance of being conscious of the environments we put ourselves in, as they inevitably shape us. By being mindful of the types of people we surround ourselves with and the information we consume, we can shape our worldview and evolve into our desired future self. The pygmalion effect is also discussed, highlighting how we rise or fall to the expectations of those around us.+
Expectations and Performance:Benjamin and Jordan discuss a study on how teacher expectations can impact student performance, and how our own expectations can influence our language and behavior towards others. They also touch on the importance of imagining and directing our future selves towards success, rather than assuming failure.+

9. Future Self Realization

Future Self Realization:Benjamin explains how seeing your future self as a different person is important for decision-making. Dr. Daniel Gilbert's research helps people realize that their future self is going to be a very different person, and this realization is key to making better decisions.+
Future Self:Benjamin and Jordan discuss the importance of acknowledging that your future self will be different from your present self, and how this can be leveraged for a growth mindset and better decision-making. They also emphasize the importance of viewing your future self as a different person and connecting with them from an empathy perspective.+
Embracing Change:Benjamin Hardy discusses the benefits of embracing the idea that our future selves can be vastly different from our current selves. He explains how this mindset eliminates a fixed mindset and excites us to see how much we can change and grow. Jordan Harbinger shares his experience of learning languages, which he never thought was possible before.+

10. Future Imagination

Imagining Your Future:Jordan and Benjamin discuss the importance of imagination in shaping your future self. They explore how our past experiences can limit our ability to imagine new possibilities and how we can overcome this to create a vision for our future selves. They also touch on the dangers of not imagining potential threats and the power of connecting with our future selves to guide our present actions.+
Investing in Your Future:Benjamin and Jordan discuss the importance of caring for your future self and how having a growth mindset can help you develop new skills and abilities. They also touch on how addiction can be a result of not being connected to your future self and not caring about that future.+

11. Sponsors

Building a Personal Website:Jordan's guest Ben Hardy discusses the importance of having a personal website to showcase your work and build your personal brand. They highlight the ease of use and affordability of website creation with Squarespace.+
Shaving and Credit Cards:Jordan talks about his experience with Harry's razors and how they offer quality razors at an affordable price. He also discusses the US Bank Visa Platinum card and how it can be a useful tool for making large purchases and balance transfers.+

12. Future Self

Future Self:Benjamin explains the importance of vividly visualizing your future self in order to engage in deliberate practice and develop expert performance. He gives examples of how this concept applies to various fields, including podcasting and tennis.+
Being Your Future Self:Benjamin explains the importance of having a clear goal and measuring systems to engage in deliberate practice. He emphasizes the need to visualize your future self and act from that future self to shape who you are now. The practical exercise of writing a letter to your future self is discussed.+

13. Future Self

Future Self:Benjamin Hardy talks about the importance of connecting with your future self by writing letters or filming videos to your future self. This activity allows you to think about your future context and start to think about what you want it to look like. It's a great activity to get you connected at different timeframes.+
Failing as Your Future Self:Benjamin explains that attempting and failing as your future self is better than succeeding as your current self. By committing to a higher standard, you're forced to adapt to new challenges and grow. Deliberate practice is the key to becoming better and achieving your future self.+

14. True to Yourself

Being True to Yourself:Benjamin and Jordan discuss the importance of being true to yourself and avoiding shadow careers, which are subtle deviations from your true calling. Viktor Frankl's belief that having a worthwhile goal is essential for growth and success is also explored.+
Shadow Careers:Benjamin and Jordan discuss the concept of shadow careers, which are careers that are close to what you want to do but involve less risk. They emphasize the importance of being honest with yourself about your ultimate goals and not settling for a clear path to a lesser goal out of fear or to avoid failure.Show transcript +

15. Investing in Your Future

Benjamin Hardy discusses the importance of investing in areas that will take you where you want to go, rather than investing in areas that are taking you away from your goals. He emphasizes the need to focus on your future self and be honest about what you really want. Jordan Harbinger adds that starting small and building habits is key to achieving success.+

16. Outro

Jordan Harbinger reminds listeners to support the show by using the links in the show notes to purchase books from guests or take his free course on networking. He also highlights important deals and discount codes available on the website.+