180. Unlocking Your Future Self: Communication, Happiness & Wellbeing

180. Unlocking Your Future Self: Communication, Happiness & Wellbeing

Author: Matt Abrahams, Think Fast Talk Smart January 23, 2025 Duration: 21:59

Why creating happiness in the future starts today.


The new year gives us an opportunity to reflect on who we are and who we want to be. As we set resolutions and prepare for evolutions, this special four-part series on communication, happiness, and well-being explores practical ways to enhance our lives through better communication, deeper connections, and more meaningful choices.

In pursuing happiness and well-being, we often focus on the present moment. But according to Hal Hershfield, one of the best ways to help ourselves today is to have a conversation with ourselves in the future.

"When I say future self, I really mean any version of us that exists at some later point in time," explains Hershfield, a UCLA professor and author of Your Future Self: How to Make Tomorrow Better Today. By thinking of our future selves as different people — ones we should care about — we can make better choices in the present. "If we can tap into the feelings of our future selves, then we can do more that benefits them, which may make our lives easier now and later."

In this episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart, Hershfield and host Matt Abrahams explore how communication between our present and future selves can help us set goals, make decisions, and overcome pitfalls like procrastination, enabling us to take meaningful action now so we can thrive today and tomorrow.


This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at BetterHelp.com/ThinkFast and get ten percent off your first month.

Episode Reference Links:

Connect:


Chapters:

  • (00:00) - Introduction
  • (02:12) - What Is a Future Self?
  • (03:37) - Mistakes in Time Travel Thinking
  • (04:45) - Overcoming Procrastination
  • (07:16) - Connecting to Our Future Selves
  • (10:35) - Disappointment and Adjusting Goals
  • (12:14) - Goal Setting and Motivation
  • (15:02) - Public Accountability for Motivation
  • (16:04) - The Final Three Questions
  • (20:35) - Conclusion

********
Become a Faster Smarter Supporter by joining TFTS Premium.

Take advantage of our Sponsor offer from BetterHelp


Ever find yourself scrambling for the right words in a high-stakes meeting or struggling to get your point across clearly? That’s the territory Think Fast Talk Smart: Communication Techniques explores. Hosted by Matt Abrahams, a Stanford lecturer and author who understands the real-world pressure of thinking on your feet, this podcast digs into the mechanics of how we connect and convey ideas. Each episode features conversations with specialists across various fields, moving beyond theory to deliver concrete methods you can use immediately. Whether it’s navigating a difficult conversation, structuring a persuasive pitch, or simply becoming a more engaged listener, Matt focuses on the tactical skills that build confidence. The discussions are grounded in his professional experience and academic background, offering a blend of research and relatable application. You’ll hear specific techniques for organizing your thoughts under pressure, using storytelling to make data memorable, and adjusting your communication style for different audiences. This isn’t about abstract concepts; it’s a resource for anyone who needs to influence, lead, or collaborate more effectively in their career and daily interactions. Tune in to this practical podcast for a regular dose of insights that aim to make your communication more intentional and impactful, one conversation at a time.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 284

Think Fast Talk Smart: Communication Techniques
Podcast Episodes
257. Move Your Audience: Lessons From MLK You Should Use [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 24:57
Why it’s not about being born a great communicator, but becoming one.The greatest communicators aren’t always great from the start. As Lerone Martin knows, even the great Martin Luther King Jr. had to practice before he…
256. Be Kind: The Most Overlooked Driver of Success [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 25:49
Why being kind is the best investment.Can kindness be a company’s competitive advantage? Bonnie Hayden Cheng says yes — and she’s got a business metric to prove it: return on kindness.Cheng is a professor of management a…
255. How Leaders Sound Smart Without Saying Too Much [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 27:22
The keys to communicating clarity, not confusion.What separates communicators who clarify from those who confuse? The ability to “Simplify complexity,” says Adam Bryant. “I don't think you can be an effective leader if y…
253. Top 10: The Best Communication Tips from 2025 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 26:28
Our 10 favorite communication insights from 2025.The most transformative communication insights are the ones we actually remember to use. That’s why host Matt Abrahams is taking stock of his favorite communication tips f…
252. Rethinks: How to Make Complex Ideas Accessible [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 17:11
Presenting complex information for your audience to understand.As communicators, we often need to take complex information (e.g., financial, technical, or scientific) and make it more understandable for our audience – we…
251. How to Stop Performing and Start Communicating with Presence [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 28:25
Why good communication requires presence, not performance.Effective communication isn't about perfecting your performance. According to Dr. Kate Mason, it's about being powerfully present.Mason is a world champion debate…
250. How to Navigate Conflict: Tools For Productive Communication [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 29:07
Celebrate our 250th episode with expert strategies that make tough conversations easier — and more meaningful.Some of the most meaningful shifts in how we communicate come from the moments that challenge us the most. In…