Be Your Future Self Now: The Science of Intentional Transformation by Dr. Benjamin Hardy was published in 2022.
The book is focused on how to imagine and become the person you want to be by working on your future self. It explores the science behind intentional transformation and offers practical advice and tools for achieving your goals. It has received positive reviews and is recommended for anyone looking to make positive changes in their life.
Truth #1: Your future drives your present
Goals create the constraints that guide us. Flow most easily occurs as you break big goals down to their smallest chunk. If you’re a football team, rather than overly focusing on the goal to win the game, you simplify the focus to the set of downs and even to the specific play.
Rather than trying to win the game, you try to get the touchdown or the next first down. That’s the mile marker.
Focus on the goal right in front of you and do that again and again, knowing these are the critical steps to the overarching goal of winning the game and then the championship.
If you’re a writer, rather than focusing on the completion of the whole book, you simplify the goal to a single chapter, a single illustration, a single page, and a single paragraph.
Truth #4: The more vivid and detailed your Future Self, the faster you’ll progress
Effective progress comes with a combination of measurable metrics, a vivid vision of your future self, and clear mile markers. Without these elements, people wander.
The Japanese skateboarder Yuto Horigome is a great example of following a detailed and measurable future self. From 2017–2021, Yuto went from being an average pro skater to the top-ranked skater in the world.
Yuto succeeded because he created with extreme detail and craftsmanship.
His goal shaped his process. And he committed to that process until he won Olympic gold.
Truth #5: Failing as your Future Self is better than succeeding as your current self
A commitment to one’s future self means investing in loss or failure here and now to accelerate progress. The more willing you are to invest in momentary loss and pain directed toward a goal, the faster you’ll adapt to the level of your future self.
If you want to become your desired future self, play at their level as quickly as possible. Commit at the level of your future self. Adapt at the level of your future self. Your current self is clearly not there yet and will therefore need serious training, humility, and feedback.
People naturally avoid investing in losses. It’s comfortable doing something you can already do. Winning feels good. But if you want to aggressively become your future self, then investing in losses is how you get there.
Truth #2: Your Future Self is different than you expect
The promise of change empowers you to give grace to your current self. You can make mistakes. It’s okay that you don’t have all the answers. It’s okay if you’re a bit disorganized and camped in the messy middle. Things will change. If you’re committed to a certain change or outcome, then you will figure it out.
Albert Einstein correctly said, “Imagination is more important than knowledge.”
When you appreciate that your Future Self will be a totally different person than you are today, then you free yourself of needing to be perfect or finished now.
Your current self is radically temporary and fleeting.
You’ll even be different tomorrow.
Truth #3: Your Future Self is the Pied Piper
Small investments lead to bigger investments.
The more you invest, the more those investments compound.
Investing gets you committed.
Investing gets you results.
Investing is how you proactively upgrade your vision and goals. As you invest in yourself, you increase your commitment to a bigger vision. This change in commitment simultaneously alters your identity, since your identity is what you’re most committed to.
You can pay yourself now or put your Future Self in debt.
Either way, the Piper will be paid.
Start investing now. Then, make bigger and bigger investments.
