Learn more

About Character Lab

Character Lab is a nonprofit founded in 2013 that’s dedicated to advancing the science and practice of character development. Learn about Character Lab’s work here.

Connect WITH OUR SOCIAL ACTION TEAM



Read

The author's book

Hal Hershfield, a professor of marketing at UCLA’s Anderson School of Management, is the author of Your Future Self: How to Make Tomorrow Better Today.

Sign up

For our newsletter

For a weekly dose of ideas, solutions and practical action steps, sign up for our newsletter:

* indicates required

/

( mm / dd )

(function($) {window.fnames = new Array(); window.ftypes = new Array();fnames[0]=’EMAIL’;ftypes[0]=’email’;fnames[1]=’FNAME’;ftypes[1]=’text’;fnames[2]=’LNAME’;ftypes[2]=’text’;fnames[3]=’ADDRESS’;ftypes[3]=’address’;fnames[4]=’PHONE’;ftypes[4]=’phone’;fnames[5]=’BIRTHDAY’;ftypes[5]=’birthday’;}(jQuery));var $mcj = jQuery.noConflict(true);
And follow us on Facebook, Twitter & Instagram.

CHARACTER LAB: Your Future Self Will Thank You

The latest installment in our partnership with Penn's Character Lab, co-founded by MacArthur Award-winner Angela Duckworth, makes the case that thinking about tomorrow more vividly may lead young adults to choose more wisely today

CHARACTER LAB: Your Future Self Will Thank You

The latest installment in our partnership with Penn's Character Lab, co-founded by MacArthur Award-winner Angela Duckworth, makes the case that thinking about tomorrow more vividly may lead young adults to choose more wisely today

Editor’s note: This article is part of a partnership with Character Lab, co-founded by Grit author and MacArthur “genius” Angela Duckworth at the University of Pennsylvania.

During my first year of college, the headliner at the annual “Spring Fling” concert was LL Cool J. I knew enough of his hits—and enough of my friends were going—that I didn’t want to miss out on a weekend of fun. 

The only issue? I had an Intro Spanish final exam on Monday morning, and I was woefully unprepared. As you might have guessed, I didn’t hunker down and study. I enjoyed the show alongside my classmates and ended up with a barely passing grade and a poor grasp of basic Spanish. 

Who hasn’t experienced a similar dilemma?

Part of the problem is that we often lack a strong emotional connection to our future selves: They can even seem like strangers to us. That’s why we have a hard time choosing to do something to benefit the future self—say, studying for an exam—when there’s a more fun option right in front of us. And the consequences for this disconnect are real: Research finds that young adults who lack a sense of closeness with their future selves perform worse in their classes in subsequent semesters. 

So how can you help young people make better decisions now that they won’t regret later? Telling kids that their actions today will have consequences tomorrow may not be effective if they don’t have a strong bond between their current and future selves. Instead, ask them to imagine stepping into the shoes of their future self to see the world through those eyes. Thinking about tomorrow more vividly may lead them to choose more wisely today.   

Don’t assume that kids think beyond the present. 

Do ask young people how they think they’ll feel about a decision in the future. Talk to them, without judgment, about both their current and future feelings. A concert might provide rich memories for their future selves, but if they always prioritize fun over sacrifice, they’ll surely be worse off in the long run. 

With curiosity and gratitude,

Hal


Hal Hershfield, a professor of marketing at UCLA’s Anderson School of Management, is the author of  Your Future Self: How to Make Tomorrow Better Today.

MORE FROM OUR COLLABORATION WITH CHARACTER LAB

The Philadelphia Citizen will only publish thoughtful, civil comments. If your post is offensive, not only will we not publish it, we'll laugh at you while hitting delete.

Be a Citizen Editor

Suggest a Story

Advertising Terms

We do not accept political ads, issue advocacy ads, ads containing expletives, ads featuring photos of children without documented right of use, ads paid for by PACs, and other content deemed to be partisan or misaligned with our mission. The Philadelphia Citizen is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, nonpartisan organization and all affiliate content will be nonpartisan in nature. Advertisements are approved fully at The Citizen's discretion. Advertisements and sponsorships have different tax-deductible eligibility. For questions or clarification on these conditions, please contact Director of Sales & Philanthropy Kristin Long at [email protected] or call (609)-602-0145.