The Benefits of Going Back to the Future

Do you remember?the scene ?in “Back to the Future” where George McFly musters the courage to punch Biff the bully? He’d just pulled Biff out of the car to stop him from assaulting Lorraine Baines. George and Lorraine’s future son, Marty, had inspired him to take that stand against Biff. Marty knew what was at stake because he came from the future. He knew that the future George, Lorraine and Marty would all be better off if George could do the difficult work required in that moment.

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about the gifts we give to our future selves and those we receive from our past selves. Think about it: What gift would you like to give your September self? What gift would you like to give your ten-years-from-now self? What gifts are you receiving now from your previous self?

Keep Looking at the Horizon

While future you would like to see those gifts, several factors today have increased the incentives to focus on our present selves rather than investing in our future selves.

Many people in parts of the world feel emboldened and released to finally gather and enjoy life NOW after having been limited in the 18+ months following the outbreak of COVID.

The war in Ukraine and broader global, climate and economic uncertainty make many wonder what lurks around the next turn. This can cause paralysis and pessimism about the future.?

Thinking about these and other similar scenarios we’re facing recalled a lesson I’ve learned from the physical and mental grind of distance running and other endurance activities: keep your eyes on the horizon. Resist the temptation to stare at the ground directly in front of you.

How focused are you right now on the horizon?

The Pull of Instant Gratification

Fascinating research, like the classic?Marshmallow Experiment ?by Stanford University, has shown how difficult it can be to resist what’s right in front of us — and how much we can benefit if we do.?

When we’re tired and have an opportunity to sleep, we are inclined to hit snooze.

When we’re hungry and have an opportunity to eat, we tend to consume it.

When we’re fearful of doing something difficult, we often avoid it.

When we’re angry and have an opportunity to hurt someone with our words or actions, we tend to do it.?

When we’re bored, upset or feeling down, we’re likely to go to a screen and start scrolling.?

The instant?dopamine ?hit we get in the instant feels so good and soothing to our aches.

But, of course, it’s short-lived and often creates an insatiable appetite for more instant gratification, not appreciating the future dopamine that we may be forfeiting.

Marty McFly could fully appreciate what was at stake for his dad in the future because he’d been there. But you don’t literally have to time travel to recognize what you might be giving up by giving in to those immediate interests. Taking a moment to stop and put yourself in your future shoes allows you to see what you could gain by resisting the pull of instant, often temporary, gratification.

Thank Your Past Self

Last week I received a note from someone I hadn’t spoken to in a few years. He said he wanted to hire me to do some work for him and his team. I appreciated hearing this and am looking forward to working with them. After thanking him for thinking about me, I also thanked myself. Not in an arrogant or self-aggrandizing way, just in a matter-of-fact way:

Thank you, four-years-ago self. You attended that somewhat awkward networking event and sent follow-up value to this person, not expecting anything immediate in return. At the time you didn’t feel like doing those things, but you did them because you sensed that they were worthwhile.

Recognizing past investments in the future can inspire continued gift-giving to your future self.

Let’s not just think about ourselves in the here and now. Let’s remember and care for ourselves in the future.?

What gifts do you want to give your future self?

Patterns are Inevitable. Growth is Optional. Check out my award-winning book Four Patterns of Healthy People to become more aware of the healthy and unhealthy patterns in your thoughts, relationships, ego, and daily operations.

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About the Author. Matt Norman coaches and advises executives on how to build great people and culture. He is President & CEO of Norman & Associates, which offers custom coaching and consulting in the areas of talent strategy, personal effectiveness, planning, and goal alignment. Norman & Associates also provides Dale Carnegie cohort-style action learning programs to help people improve how they communicate, lead, influence, and work together.

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