POPULARITY
Send us a textKey Points Covered in Today's Maggie's Moment1️⃣ The Motivation Hack You're MissingWhy discipline alone fails (and what Stanford research says works instead).Hershfield's finding: People connected to their future selves 2X success rates.2️⃣ How to “Meet” Your Future SelfThe VR study reported a 42% reduction in procrastination.Why most entrepreneurs see their future self as a stranger (and how to fix it).3️⃣ The Retreat as Your “Mindset Time Machine”How immersive experiences accelerate change (vs. solo journaling).What you'll take home: Clarity, community, and a 10X action plan.Ready to meet her? Join the 10X Expansion Retreat on July 25th, 2025: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/10x-expansion-retreat-for-female-entrepreneurs-registration-1424847099029?aff=oddtdtcreator Limited to 25 women.
Cotton Council International's new Executive Director Liz Hershfield joins the podcast to discuss the programs and potential for marketing U.S. cotton around the world. Plus, Beck shares his experience with The Big Fib.
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:Hal Hershfield Hal's Book: Your Future Self: How to Make Tomorrow Better TodayConnect:Premium Signup >>>> Think Fast Talk Smart PremiumEmail Questions & Feedback >>> hello@fastersmarter.ioEpisode Transcripts >>> Think Fast Talk Smart WebsiteNewsletter Signup + English Language Learning >>> FasterSmarter.ioThink Fast Talk Smart >>> LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTubeMatt Abrahams >>> LinkedInChapters:(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
Introduction Hosts Bill and Pete Bush dive into a thought-provoking discussion about a pivotal moment in every financial journey where "the road diverges." This episode explores the crucial choice people face when determining their financial future—one path leading to confidence, success, and security, while the other leads to regret and missed opportunities. Bill and Pete share insights on why some struggle to choose the more secure path and how to build momentum toward financial confidence. Episode Highlights · [00:22] The Diverging Path Bill and Pete explore the concept that, at some point in every financial journey, “the road diverges,” presenting two potential paths. One path leads to confidence, success, and financial security, while the other can result in regret, doubt, and missed opportunities. They reflect on how people often face this crossroads, and while most would choose the path toward security and fulfillment, various obstacles keep them from progressing. The hosts suggest that identifying these roadblocks and addressing them head-on is key to staying on the path toward financial well-being. · [02:31] Taking the First Step Tackling financial goals can feel daunting, but Bill and Pete emphasize the importance of taking that first small step. They use the analogy of "eating an elephant one bite at a time" to illustrate how consistent, small actions over time create lasting results. They mention that inertia is a common issue; taking that initial step is often the hardest part, but once in motion, people tend to continue on the path. Pete highlights the incremental nature of retirement accounts like 401(k)s, where small, regular contributions accumulate into significant assets over time. · [04:52] Future Self Visualization Bill and Pete dive into the psychology behind why people struggle to save for their future selves. Citing Dr. Hal Hershfield's research on future self-visualization, they explain that many people see their future selves as strangers, making it harder to feel a connection and prioritize future financial needs. Pete shares his experience hearing Hershfield speak and recommends watching Hershfield's TED Talk. By better visualizing their future selves, people can build empathy for their future needs, leading to more proactive financial planning. · [07:16] The Do-It-Yourself Mentality vs. Seeking Guidance While self-management of finances may seem appealing, Bill and Pete discuss the pitfalls of a purely DIY approach. They share how the guidance of a financial advisor can help overcome cognitive and emotional barriers to financial success. Using examples like gym coaching, they highlight that just as fitness requires discipline and consistency, managing finances requires behavioral coaching to stay on track. Advisors provide accountability, expertise, and reassurance, especially during volatile market periods, ensuring that clients maintain a long-term view. · [14:30] Too Much Plane for One Person to Fly Drawing from The Checklist Manifesto, Bill recounts the story of an early Boeing aircraft, too complex for one pilot to operate alone. This story serves as an analogy for complex financial lives that become too intricate for individuals to manage without assistance. Bill and Pete observe that, as people progress through life, they accumulate assets and liabilities, making their financial plans increasingly intricate. This is where financial advisors bring value—helping clients coordinate the many moving parts of their finances to ensure stability and direction, · [16:56] Resource Highlight: 50 Ways an Advisor Can Help You Bill and Pete introduce their latest resource, a downloadable PDF titled 50 Ways Financial Advisors Can Help You. This guide outlines both common and unexpected ways an advisor can add value, from tax-efficient strategies and risk management to behavioral coaching and legacy planning. They focus on six key areas: Behavioral Coaching – Helping clients avoid impulsive financial decisions, particularly in turbulent markets. Investment Management – Ensuring proper asset allocation, rebalancing, and managing portfolios to align with financial goals. Tax Strategies – Providing tax-efficient approaches to minimize liabilities and increase savings. Risk Management – Addressing potential financial risks through planning and insurance, securing clients' financial foundation. Legacy Planning – Facilitating discussions about asset distribution, including wills, trusts, and the timing of inheritance. Sound Bites · "The road does separate, one path leads to confidence." · "Successful people do things that others won't do." · "Take that one first step, whatever that is for you." Conclusion If the conversation resonates and you're considering moving away from the "do-it-yourself" model to seeking professional guidance, Bill and Pete invite you to reach out. With resources at RunwayDecade.com and Horizon FG's website, they offer various ways to connect, either in person or virtually, for anyone ready to take that first step. Resources Mentioned 50 Ways Financial Advisors Can Help You (Downloadable PDF) This link provides an in-depth look at the variety of ways advisors can add value, from practical strategies to behavioral insights, helping clients achieve their financial goals. Dr. Hal Hershfield's Video on Future Self Visualization (available on YouTube) Contact Information For more insights, connect with Bill and Pete through the runwaydecade.com or Horizon FG websites. They welcome questions and are ready to help listeners build clarity and direction toward financial security.
Have you ever wanted to travel through time and see what your life will be like in the future? While we want the best possible future for ourselves, we often fail to make decisions that would make that a reality. So why are so many of us so disconnected from our future selves?This week on The Evolving Leader, co-hosts Jean Gomes and Scott Allender talk to psychologist Professor Hal Hershfield. Hal is Professor of Marketing, Behavioural Decision Making, and Psychology at UCLA's Anderson School of Management and is committed to the work of helping people make better long-term decisions. In his 2023 book ‘Your Future Self: How to Make Tomorrow Better Today' Hal explains that in our minds, our future selves often look like strangers. Many of us view the future as incredibly distant, making us more likely to opt for immediate gratification that disregards the health and wellbeing of ourselves in the years to come. He says that people who are able to connect with their future selves, however, are better able to balance living for today and planning for tomorrow.This is a fascinating listen.Referenced during this episode:Your Future Self: How to Make Tomorrow Better TodayOther reading from Jean Gomes and Scott Allender:Leading In A Non-Linear World (J Gomes, 2023)The Enneagram of Emotional Intelligence (S Allender, 2023)Social:Instagram @evolvingleaderLinkedIn The Evolving Leader PodcastTwitter @Evolving_LeaderYouTube @evolvingleader The Evolving Leader is researched, written and presented by Jean Gomes and Scott Allender with production by Phil Kerby. It is an Outside production.Send a message to The Evolving Leader team
This week, Enna chats with Dr. Hal Hershfield, Professor of Marketing, Behavioral Decision Making, and Psychology at UCLA Anderson School of Management. In 2017, Hal was recognized as a 40 under 40 best business school professor. This year, he was voted as faculty of the year by MBA students at UCLA. Hal studies how thinking about time transforms the emotions and alters the judgments and decisions people make. His research concentrates on the psychology of long-term decision making and how time affects people's lives — specifically at a moment when Americans are living longer and saving less.Hal earned his PhD at Stanford Psychology under the mentorship of Dr. Laura Carstensen, who is Enna's PhD advisor currently. In this episode, Hal shares his journey in psychology, talks about his research on time and decision making as well as his recent book, Your Future Self: How to Make Tomorrow Better Today, an insightful and entertaining guide to grow into our ideal selves. Please join our substack (https://stanfordpsypod.substack.com/) to stay connected with our community of listeners from all over the world! If you found this episode interesting, please consider leaving us a good rating. It just takes a minute but will allow us to reach more listeners to share our love for psychology. Hal's website: https://www.halhershfield.com/ Hal's book: https://www.halhershfield.com/yourfutureself Hal's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hal-hershfield/Hal's Twitter: @HalHershfieldEnna's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ennayuxuanchen/ Enna's Twitter: @EnnaYuxuanChenPodcast Contact: stanfordpsychpodcast@gmail.com Podcast Twitter: @StanfordPsyPod
In this episode, Rory speaks with Hal Hershfield, a professor at UCLA Anderson School of Management and the author of "Your Future Self". They explore the concept of 'Mental Time Traveling' and the science behind creating a vivid visual picture of our future selves to make better decisions today. Hal shares insights on 'Projection Bias' and the 'Extreme Discounting of Future Rewards', explaining how our current state can cloud our future decisions and how our preferences can drastically reverse when faced with immediate rewards. He also discusses the role of the temporal parietal junction in our brains, explaining its crucial role in fostering empathy and perspective-taking, which can help us better understand and empathize with our future selves. Additionally, Hal discusses the role of algorithms in predicting our preferences and the potential of commitment devices we can use as guardrails for our future behavior. Curious about why Hal used images of Matt Damon and Natalie Portman in his research on connecting with our future selves? Ever wondered what the real-life serial killer, who inspired the show 'Dexter', has to do with our future self-concept? Tune in to this episode with renowned research and UCLA Professor Hal Hershfield to find out more.
Hal is a Professor of Marketing, Behavioral Decision Making, and Psychology at UCLA's Anderson School of Management, and the author of Your Future Self: How to Make Tomorrow Better Today. Hal shares key insights about how people make decisions and common behavioral biases.
Hal Hershfield is a leading expert on the psychology of making decisions, but that doesn't mean that he always makes the right decisions about money, which should be reassuring for us all to hear. A Professor of Marketing, Behavioral Decision Making, and Psychology at UCLA's Anderson School of Management, Hal joins Carl to discuss some of his earliest memories about money (he looked it up in the ‘M' book of his Encyclopedia), the importance of aligning capital with what's important in our lives, and how we rationalize our decisions around money with our emotions way more than we should. Carl Instagram: @behaviorgap Blind Nil Instagram: @blindnilaudio Please direct business inquires to: blindnilaudio@magnolia.com Cover Art: Josh Passler - TheFinArtist.com Music Credits: Alexandra Woodward / Rabbit Reggae / courtesy of www.epidemicsound.com Cody Francis / Wherever You're Going / courtesy of www.epidemicsound.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Carl takes a look back on moments from the first 20 episodes of the show, and highlights some moments that you may have missed. Celebrity Chef and Food Network Star Maneet Chauhan reflects on growing up in India and how she never compared what she had to her peers (ie - life before Instagram)! Musician Lukas Nelson reveals how he writes music that is important to him and what he learned from his Dad, Willie Nelson, about the business of writing songs. Venture Capitalist Bryce Roberts opens up ‘The Devil's Golden Question', a deceivingly complex question that we should all be asking ourselves: “How much is enough…for you?” Comedian Gina Yashere from CBS's Bob Hearts Abishola tells Carl how she fell into comedy after pursuing a ‘safer' career as an engineer, and why her mother eventually supported her. And UCLA Professor Psychology and Behavioural Decision-Making Hal Hershfield unpacks some of the most revolutionary thinking behind Carl's conversation with Jamie, a diagnosed psychopath. Carl Instagram: @behaviorgap Blind Nil Instagram: @blindnilaudio Please direct business inquires to: blindnilaudio@magnolia.com Cover Art: Josh Passler - TheFinArtist.com Music Credits: Alexandra Woodward / Rabbit Reggae / courtesy of www.epidemicsound.com Cody Francis / Wherever You're Going / courtesy of www.epidemicsound.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
With Dr. Hal Hershfield | Professor | Author | Summary: In this conversation, Hal Hershfield discusses the concept of future selves and the challenges of balancing future orientation with embracing the present. He explores the importance of creating emotional connections with our future selves and shares research on how to motivate future-oriented decisions. The conversation also touches on the significance of endings and how they can impact motivation. Finally, Hershfield discusses the decision-making process around end-of-life and retirement, highlighting the need for thoughtful planning and meaningful transitions. Shaun and Hershfield discuss the importance of transition (like retirement) and the importance of maintaining identity and happiness during transitional phases of life. They explore the factors that predict a successful transition and how individuals can implement strategies to ensure a positive experience. They also discuss the relationship between changing selves and identity, and how understanding this connection can impact one's approach to retirement. Ultimately, they emphasize the key to a happy and healthy relationship with money: using it as a tool to fund contentment and finding joy in both the present and future. BIO: Hal Hershfield is a Professor of Marketing, Behavioral Decision Making, and Psychology at UCLA's Anderson School of Management and holds the UCLA Anderson Board of Advisors Term Chair in Management. His research, which sits at the intersection of psychology and economics, examines the ways we can improve our long-term decisions. He earned his PhD in psychology from Stanford University. Hershfield publishes in top academic journals and also contributes op-eds to the New York Times, Harvard Business Review, the Wall Street Journal, and other outlets. Takeaways: Balancing future orientation with embracing the present can lead to a more meaningful and satisfying life. Creating emotional connections with our future selves can help motivate future-oriented decisions. Endings can evoke mixed emotions, but they can also provide opportunities for growth and new beginnings. Maintaining a sense of identity and happiness in retirement is crucial, and individuals who have interests and strong social connections tend to thrive. Understanding the relationship between changing selves and identity can help individuals navigate transitions more effectively. Writing letters to future selves can provide valuable insights and guidance for living a happy and healthy life. Balancing living in the present with planning for the future is essential, as both contribute to overall well-being. LINKS: Dr. Hal Hershfield Website: CLICK HERE Your Future Self: How to Make Tomorrow Better Today by Hal Hershfield: CLICK HERE
In this episode, we're joined by Hal Hershfield, Professor of Marketing, Behavioral Decision Making, and Psychology at UCLA's Anderson School of Management, and author of Your Future Self: How to Make Tomorrow Better Than Today. This episode dives deep into understanding our future selves and how we relate to them, especially in professional contexts. We discuss how goal setting and future planning play a major role and how time travel plays into it. The conversation delves into present bias and procrastination, distinguishing between superficial planning and deep future planning. Hal shares how we get the concept of future selves wrong and also brings up external influences and affective forecasting. We also touch on balancing utility over time and the importance of giving focus to our present selves too. Finally, we discuss practical techniques to enhance our vision of our future selves and also highlight a few researchers in the field.To learn more about Hal and his work:Hal's website: https://www.halhershfield.com/Hal's book: https://www.halhershfield.com/yourfutureselfEpisode ResourcesVisual GuideYouTubeProducer: Podrick Sonicson To learn more about New Rules for Work:WebsiteLabs NewsletterEvent: 2024 Intent to Impact in Austin, TX
A leading behavioral psychologist reveals practical strategies to help you actually make the changes you want to make this new year (and beyond).Hal Hershfield is a professor of marketing, behavioral decision-making, and psychology at UCLA's Anderson School of Management, and the author of Your Future Self: How to Make Tomorrow Better Today. His research on future selves has been featured in the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, the Washington Post, as well as the Harvard Business Review and Psychology Today. In this episode we talk about:What he means by a future self, and why thinking about your future self will help you make better decisionsHow to think about your future self without neglecting the present momentThe importance of commitment devices, and what they are — including some which you can even adopt right nowThe importance of breaking down big goals to make them achievableHow to reframe commitments so that you actually stick to themThe role of mental time travel to help you actually do what you say you want to doRelated Episodes:How to Change Your Habits | Katy MilkmanAtomic Habits | James ClearSign up for Dan's weekly newsletter hereFollow Dan on social: Instagram, TikTokTen Percent Happier online bookstoreSubscribe to our YouTube ChannelOur favorite playlists on: Anxiety, Sleep, Relationships, Most Popular EpisodesFull Shownotes: https://www.tenpercent.com/tph/podcast-episode/hal-hershfieldAdditional Resources:Download the Ten Percent Happier app today: https://10percenthappier.app.link/installSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Professor Hal Hershfield from UCLA's Anderson School of Management discusses key concepts from his book, "Your Future Self: How to Make Tomorrow Better Today." First, he recommends a departure from traditional goal-setting and the use of proxies. Instead, his primary focus is on narrowing the gap between our present and future selves, emphasizing health choices, prudent financial decisions for retirement, and commitment to financial and fitness goals. Hershfield addresses the challenge of forming an emotional connection with one's future self, proposing practical exercises like writing letters and using technology to evoke a vivid future self. He also introduces practical tools like commitment devices for better financial decision-making. Overall, Professor Hal Hershfield recommends reframing the way financial education is taught.
Stay in touch and sign up for Paco's weekly email newsletter, The Nerdletter. In this episode of Weird Finance, Paco talks to Michael Hershfield about the innovative concept behind Accrue, a co-branded savings wallet that aims to revolutionize how we save money. Michael also addresses the lack of innovation in US saving options, the challenges American consumers face in effective savings, the personal experiences and beliefs that drove the creation of Accrue, and Michael and Paco's personal beliefs on buy now, pay later options for consumers. Michael is the Founder and CEO of Accrue Savings, the first in the “Save Now, Buy Later” category that addresses a critical gap in the shopping experience by providing a payment alternative that rewards consumers for saving. Accrue Savings has received nearly $30 million in funding from some of the biggest names in venture and commerce – including Tiger Global, Box Group, Aglaé Ventures (tech investment firm backed by Groupe Arnault), UPS CEO Carol Tomé and Fanatics CEO Michael Rubin, Twelve Below, Red Sea Ventures and more. Before Accrue, Michael was an SVP of Sales at WeWork for more than three years and COO of Nucleus. This episode also features a segment called Stock Watch with Amanda Holden (@dumpster.doggy). In this segment, we'll follow a stock-picking competition between a dog named Henry, a cat named Hugo, and a human baby. If you'd like to learn more about investing from Amanda, sign up for her online course, Invested Development. A special thanks to the talented and generous Ramsey Yount for producing, editing, and sound designing this episode. Thank you to Ramsey Yount and Andrew Howards for lending your voice for our special PSA. The theme music was written and performed by Andrew Parker, Jenna Parker, and Paco de Leon. If you'd like to contact us about the show or ask Paco a question about finances, call our hotline at 1-833-ASK-PACO, email us at weirdfinancepod (at) gmail.com or submit your questions here. We'd also love your listener feedback about the show; here's a short survey.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
To access our conference library of 200+ fascinating psychology talks and interviews (with certification), please visit: https://twumembers.com In this interview, I'm joined by Professor Hal Hershfield. Hal is a Professor of Marketing, Behavioural Decision Making, and Psychology at UCLA, who Angela Duckworth describes as “one of today's leading behavioural scientists”. Hal's research focuses on the psychology of the future self and how you can leverage it to improve decision making and quality of life for both your present and future selves. This conversation explores some of the key ideas from Hal's new book, including: — The End of History Illusion; what it is, and why becoming aware of it can free you to take a more experimental approach to life — Laurie Paul's “Vampire Problem” and its implications for the existential decisions in our lives. — The neuroscience of the future self — How we see and treat our future selves as strangers, and how this disconnection leads to sub-optimal decision making — Journaling strategies for strengthening the connection to your future self. And more. Learn more about Hal's work at: https://www.halhershfield.com. --- To access the full conference package, as well as supporting materials, quizzes, and certification, please visit: https://twumembers.com --- Hal Hershfield is a Professor of Marketing, Behavioral Decision Making, and Psychology at UCLA's Anderson School of Management and holds the UCLA Anderson Board of Advisors Term Chair in Management. He earned his Ph.D. in psychology from Stanford University. Hershfield publishes in top academic journals and also contributes op-eds to the New York Times, Harvard Business Review, the Wall Street Journal, and other outlets. He consults with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, and many financial services firms such as Fidelity, First Republic, Prudential, Morgan Stanley, Merrill Lynch, and Avantis. Hal shares five key insights from his new book, Your Future Self: How to Make Tomorrow Better Today. To learn more about Hal, you can follow him on his Twitter @HalHershfield and on his website at https://www.halhershfield.com. --- Interview Links: — Hal's website: https://www.halhershfield.com — Hal's book: https://amzn.to/3FI2ttr
In this episode, we welcome back Hal Hershfield, Associate Professor of Marketing and Behavioral Decision Making at UCLA Anderson School of Management. Hal is renowned for his pioneering work in understanding how individuals make financial decisions, and he shares invaluable insights that can help us navigate the complexities of financial planning. In our conversation, live from Future Proof, we explore the intersection of behavioural economics, financial decision-making, and the potential for AI to enhance financial advisory services through the lens of Hal's latest research findings. We explore framing insurance decisions, the impact of generative AI on financial choices, and the often-overlooked realm of end-of-life decisions. Discover why the key to success lies in understanding different consumer segments, how advisors can optimize the frequency of client meetings, and how clients and advisors should be working together. We also unpack the importance of personalized decisions, the value of a decision-making journal, the framework for making the right financial choice, and much more. Tune in to gain valuable insights into behavioural economics, consumer preferences, and the evolving financial planning landscape with Hal Hershfield! Key Points From This Episode: (0:02:41) Hal shares his motivation for writing the paper and why the topic of financial decision-making is so vital to understand. (0:04:28) An overview of our current understanding of financial decision-making and interesting findings from the latest work on the subject. (0:09:00) How to leverage the current knowledge of financial decision-making to your benefit. (0:10:27) Opportunities for the industry to improve, both in academia and industry. (0:15:09) Characterizing the framework for conceptualizing financial decisions, from decision-making to the consequences. (0:18:13) The biggest gaps and opportunities for future research and the value of writing and maintaining a decision journal. (0:22:33) The potential of AI to influence financial decision-making, and an example of an exciting use-case. (0:26:31) Exploring the role of human financial advisors in an AI-dominated world. (0:29:56) Insights into the steps for a client and advisory firm to work together effectively. (0:34:07) What area of research in behavioural finance excites Hal the most. (0:36:23) Bridging the gap between industry and academia. Links From Today's Episode: Future Proof Festival 2023 — https://futureproof.advisorcircle.com/ Advisor Circle — https://www.advisorcircle.com/ Hal Hershfield — https://www.halhershfield.com/ Hal Hershfield on X — https://twitter.com/HalHershfield Hal Hershfield on LinkedIn — https://www.linkedin.com/in/hal-hershfield-a2b91510/ Episode 141: Hal Hershfield — https://rationalreminder.ca/podcast/141 Episode 256: Hal Hershfield — https://rationalreminder.ca/podcast/256 Your Future Self — https://www.amazon.com/Your-Future-Self-Tomorrow-Better-ebook/dp/B0BH4LL53X ‘Consumer Financial Decision Making: Where We've Been and Where We're Going' — https://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/full/10.1086/727194 Poruz Khambatta on LinkedIn — https://www.linkedin.com/in/poruz/ Writing for Busy Readers — https://www.amazon.com/Writing-Busy-Readers-Communicate-Effectively/dp/0593187482 ‘Behavioural science is unlikely to change the world without a heterogeneity revolution' — https://www.nature.com/articles/s41562-021-01143-3 Rational Reminder on iTunes — https://itunes.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-rational-reminder-podcast/id1426530582. Rational Reminder Website — https://rationalreminder.ca/ Rational Reminder on Instagram — https://www.instagram.com/rationalreminder/ Rational Reminder on X — https://twitter.com/RationalRemind Rational Reminder on YouTube — https://www.youtube.com/channel/ Rational Reminder Email — info@rationalreminder.caBenjamin Felix — https://www.pwlcapital.com/author/benjamin-felix/ Benjamin on X — https://twitter.com/benjaminwfelix Benjamin on LinkedIn — https://www.linkedin.com/in/benjaminwfelix/ Cameron Passmore — https://www.pwlcapital.com/profile/cameron-passmore/ Cameron on X — https://twitter.com/CameronPassmore Cameron on LinkedIn — https://www.linkedin.com/in/cameronpassmore/
Hal Hershfield is a Professor of Marketing, Behavioral Decision Making, and Psychology at UCLA's Anderson School of Management. His research, which sits at the intersection of psychology and economics, examines the ways we can improve our long-term decisions. Listen now and learn: How our identities change over time Why our future self feels like a complete stranger Ways to make good long-term decisions easier on your current self Visit www.TheLongTermInvestor.com for show notes, free resources, and a place to submit questions.
The Brainy Business | Understanding the Psychology of Why People Buy | Behavioral Economics
Hal Hershfield is here to discuss the concept of the future self and its impact on decision-making, featuring insights from his new book, Your Future Self. Hershfield explains that humans often prioritize their present desires over their future goals, leading to short-term thinking and procrastination. He highlights the importance of considering future outcomes when making choices and provides strategies for aligning present actions with future desires. This episode is relevant for individuals seeking to overcome present bias and improve their decision-making skills. By understanding the principles of what Hal calls “mental time travel” and applying the techniques discussed in the episode, listeners can increase their long-term goal prioritization and make more informed choices that lead to long-term success. In this episode: Discover the intriguing concept of the future self and how it shapes our perceptions. Uncover the power of your future self for superior decision-making. Establish an emotional bond with your future self, fostering personal growth. Understand the application of mental time travel in business to strengthen your strategies. Show Notes: 00:00:00 - Introduction, In this episode, Melina Palmer interviews Dr. Hal Hershfield, author of Your Future Self. They discuss the concept of time discounting and the ways in which our present and future selves are connected. 00:02:08 - Understanding the Self, Hal explains that the self is a bundle of associations, emotions, thoughts, and ideals that have some stability over time. He explores the idea of how we define ourselves and how our perception of our future selves affects our decision-making. 00:06:00 - Similarity with Future Self, Hal highlights the importance of feeling a sense of connection and emotional overlap with our future selves. The more we see ourselves as similar to our future selves, the more likely we are to make decisions that benefit them. 00:11:42 - The "We" Aspect, The concept of the "we" relationship, similar to how we view our relationships with others, can also apply to our relationship with our future selves. Thinking of our future self as part of our collective identity can help us make decisions that benefit both our present and future selves. 00:13:23 - Reframing Future-oriented Decisions, Hal discusses the importance of reframing future-oriented decisions to provide immediate benefits and satisfaction. By finding pleasure in doing something good for our future selves, we can increase motivation and make better long-term decisions. 00:14:44 - Making Decisions with the Future Self in Mind, Hal emphasizes the importance of considering how we will look back on our decisions instead of focusing solely on our immediate feelings. By stepping into the shoes of our future selves, we can reassess our choices and consider the value of relief in completing tasks versus the regret of procrastinating. 00:15:11 - The Hidden Zero Effect, Dr. Hershfield introduces the concept of the "hidden zero effect" in decision-making. By considering both the immediate benefits and long-term consequences of our choices, we can make more informed decisions. This approach helps us avoid neglecting the potential negative outcomes or overlooking the relief we may feel in completing tasks. 00:16:34 - Mistakes in Mental Time Travel, Hal discusses three common mistakes in mental time travel: missing your flight, poor trip planning, and packing the wrong clothes. These mistakes, which are all featured in his book, Your Future Self, highlight how we can become too focused on the present moment and fail to consider the future implications of our actions. By avoiding these mistakes, we can make better decisions for our future selves. 00:19:24 - Short-Term vs. Long-Term Focus in the Workplace, In the context of work, it is important to balance short-term and long-term focus. Hal suggests considering whether we prioritize urgent tasks over important ones and how we can shift our mindset to focus on long-term goals. This applies to both individual employees and collective organizations. 00:28:28 - Learning from Individuals, The conversation discusses the importance of learning from individuals within an organization and how their actions can be used to overcome challenges. 00:29:23 - Exciting Future Research, Dr. Hershfield shares his excitement about two areas of future research. The first is a deeper exploration of commitment devices and understanding the predictors of their adoption. The second is focusing on collective decisions, environmental decisions, and end-of-life planning, including the use of letter-writing exercises. 00:32:35 - Balancing the Present and Future, Hal discusses the concept of balancing the present and future. He shares a personal story about realizing that there will be a day when his children no longer want to spend time with him, highlighting the importance of living in the present while also considering future goals and values. 00:34:46 - Behavioral Change Intervention, Hal and his colleague are working on a project using the idea of balancing the present and future as a behavioral change intervention. They aim to apply this concept to various areas, including parent-child relationships, to help individuals make choices aligned with their long-term values. 00:38:42 - Intentional Mental Time Travel, The conversation emphasizes the importance of intentional mental time travel. Instead of reactive thinking, individuals should make deliberate choices about when to live in the moment and when to consider the impact of their actions on the future. 00:43:07 - Conclusion, Melina's top insights from the conversation. What stuck with you while listening to the episode? What are you going to try? Come share it with Melina on social media -- you'll find her as @thebrainybiz everywhere and as Melina Palmer on LinkedIn. Thanks for listening. Don't forget to subscribe on Apple Podcasts or Android. If you like what you heard, please leave a review on iTunes and share what you liked about the show. I hope you love everything recommended via The Brainy Business! Everything was independently reviewed and selected by me, Melina Palmer. So you know, as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. That means if you decide to shop from the links on this page (via Amazon or others), The Brainy Business may collect a share of sales or other compensation. Let's connect: Melina@TheBrainyBusiness.com The Brainy Business® on Facebook The Brainy Business on Twitter The Brainy Business on Instagram The Brainy Business on LinkedIn Melina on LinkedIn The Brainy Business on Youtube Connect with Hal: Follow Hal on X Follow Hal on LinkedIn Hal's website Learn and Support The Brainy Business: Check out and get your copies of Melina's Books. Get the Books Mentioned on (or related to) this Episode: Your Future Self, by Hal Hershfield How To Change, by Katy Milkman Both/And Thinking, by Wendy Smith and Marianne Lewis The Power of Regret, by Dan Pink Outsmart Your Brain, by Dan Willingham Top Recommended Next Episode: Time Discounting (ep 322) Already Heard That One? Try These: How To Change, with Katy Milkman (ep 151) Both/And Thinking with Wendy Smith (ep 261) Loss Aversion (ep 316) The Power of Regret, with Dan Pink (ep 214) The Power of Us, with Dominic Packer (ep 304) Precommitment (ep 120) How To Set and Exceed Brainy Goals (ep 70) Outsmart Your Brain, with Dan Willingham (ep 281) Other Important Links: Brainy Bites - Melina's LinkedIn Newsletter Hal's faculty page at UCLA
On his institutional web homepage at the University of California-Los Angeles's Anderson School of Management, psychologist Hal Hershfield posts one statement in big italic type: “My research asks, ‘How can we help move people from who they are now to who they'll be in the future in a way that maximizes well-being?” In this Social Science Bites podcast, Hershfield and interviewer Dave Edmonds discuss what that means in practice, whether in our finances or our families, and how humans can make better decisions. Hershfield's new book, Your Future Self: How to Make Tomorrow Better Today, offers a popular synthesis of these same questions. Much of his research centers on this key observation: “humans have this unique ability to engage in what we call ‘mental time travel,' the ability to project ourselves ahead and look back on the past and even project ourselves ahead and look back on the past while we're doing so. But despite this ability to engage in mental time travel, we don't always do it in a way that affords us the types of benefits that it could.” Those benefits might include better health from future-looking medical decisions, better wealth thanks to future-looking spending and savings decisions, or greater contentment based on placing current events in a future-looking context. Which begs the question – when is the future? “The people who think the future starts sooner,” Hershfield explains, “are the ones who are more likely to do things for that future, which in some ways makes sense. It's closer, it's a little more vivid. There's a sort of a clean break between now and it. That said, it is a pretty abstract question. And I think what you're asking about what counts in five years, 10 years, 20 years? That's a deeper question that also needs to be examined.” Regardless of when someone thinks the future kicks off, people remain acutely aware that time is passing even if for many their actions belie that. Proof of this comes from studies of how individual react when made acutely aware of the advance of time, Hershfield notes. “People place special value on these milestone birthdays and almost use them as an excuse to perform sort of a meaningfulness audit. of their lives, … This is a common finding, we've actually found this in our research, that people are more likely to do these sorts of meaning-making activities as they confront these big milestones. But it's also to some degree represents a break between who you are now and some future person who you will become.” Hershfield concludes the interview noting how his research has changed him, using the example of how he now makes time when he might be doing professional work to spend with his family. “I want my future self to look back and say, ‘You were there. You were present. You saw those things,' and not have looked up and said, ‘Shoot, I missed out on that.' I would say that's the main way that I've really started to shift my thinking from this work.”
A simple act of a generosity from a coffee shop barista helped Hal feel like he was finally a part of his community. Do you have your own story of an unsung hero? We'd love to hear it! Record a voice memo and email it to us at myunsunghero@hiddenbrain.org. Some guidance:--Focus on ONE moment that you will never forget. --Make sure you're in a quiet, non-echoey room.--Speak conversationally, like you're talking to a friend.--Let us know why this person continues to impact your life.--If your hero were standing front of you today, what would you say? Address them directly.-- Here are some tips on how to make a great recording on your phone.Thank you!
Who were you ten years ago? How did that person think? How did they see the world? And what about today? How have those things changed? How would you feel if you passed that person on the street tomorrow? Would you recognize them? Now instead of who you were, ten years ago, what if it's who you want to be ten years from now? Hal Hershfield understands that connecting with our future selves can feel like a vague, unfulfilling endeavor. But to hear him say it, it's one of the most valuable ways we have to connect with our spirit and our purpose.
Second City Works presents "Getting to Yes, And" on WGN Plus
Kelly connects with UCLA professor Hal Hershfield to talk about his new book “Your Future Self: How To Make Tomorrow Better Today.” “Your fate is not fixed. Not even close.” “We can never really know our future selves.” “You are actually a we.”
Today's feature book is one that I can't wait to read with others. Yes, I've read it myself, but I want to talk about with other people and share insights ASAP. That's when you know you've stumbled across a great book. And that book is Your Future Self: How to Make Tomorrow Better Today, and […] The post 491: Your Future Self with Hal Hershfield first appeared on Read to Lead Podcast.
When you think of your 'future self,' who do you see? The image is probably pretty blurry, but it doesn't have to be. My guest Hal Hershfield believes that by strengthening the connections between your present and future selves, you gain a new perspective on what's important—and create the future you want. Hershfield is the author of Your Future Self: How to Make Tomorrow Better Today and a Professor of Marketing, Behavioral Decision Making at UCLA's Anderson School of Management. He spent over a decade researching how understanding our future selves can help us achieve our goals and hopes for the future. Topics discussed include: How similar our future selves are to our present selves Why living in the now is not in opposition to planning for the future. How thinking of our future self motivates us. Techniques for connecting with your future self. Subscribe to the Write About Now newsletter @ bit.ly/SmallTalkSubstack Watch interview @ bit.ly/WriteAboutNowYouTube
On today's episode, Kunle is joined by Michael Hershfield, Founder & CEO of Accrue Savings, a one-of-a-kind merchant-embedded shopping experience that gives customers cash rewards when they save up for their purchases. As a consumer the whole idea of Buy Now Pay Later, is a tempting offer especially when it comes to high ticket price purchases. It's basically debt-disguised in fancy and enticing words. As a merchant, the whole model may not be financially stable especially when it comes to fraud and scams. It's a common issue in the BNPL sphere. Accrue Savings is providing an opposite model, the Save Now Pay Later model. With their strong devotion to their merchants' best interests, they developed the model not only to support the merchant but also to empower their consumers to save and pay on their own terms. It's a mind-blowing trend that merchants are now applying to their business and yielding great results. In this episode, Kunle and Michael talk about his hundred-day journey to build Accrue. You will get to hear about how Accrue is aligning their business to the merchant's best interest. This is a great episode for business owners and marketers looking for a unique way to get more customers by using the Save Now Pay Later model. a brand is looking at the possibility of using influencer marketing to grow their brand. --- SPONSORS: This episode is brought to you by: Tidio This episode is sponsored by Tidio, the highest-rated live chat app on Shopify. Tidio is a versatile platform that offers personalized shopping experiences, boosts customer satisfaction, and manages all communication channels on one dashboard. It can automate up to 47% of recurring questions with its deep Shopify integration. With the budget-friendly Tidio Plus Plan, you get a dedicated customer success manager, personalized training sessions, and more. Tidio powers over 300,000 brand websites, including Shell, Wellbots, and Valyou Furniture. Head to Tidio.com/2X to take control of your customer relationships and supercharge your growth. Treyd The 2X eCommerce Podcast is sponsored by Treyd, a revolutionary financing service transforming product launches for eCommerce brands. As the ultimate inventory purchasing solution, Treyd lets you sell first, pay suppliers later. Treyd's unsecured funding and credit model improves cash flow, supports larger orders, and even helps negotiate supplier discounts. With a transparent, pay-as-you-go model, Treyd offers unmatched flexibility and minimal onboarding, independent of eCommerce platforms. Experience the power of "Sell first, pay suppliers later" and snooze invoices for up to 120 days. Transform your business with Treyd today on Treyd.io.
IN EPISODE 146: We know that the decisions we make today will determine the lives we lead in the future. The best way to get better outcomes? Get to know your future self. In Episode 146, Hal Hershfield explores the brain-based case for visualizing ourselves in the future. We discuss the benefits of prospection, ways to identify more strongly with our future selves, the value of "surrogates" and tapping the wisdom of elders, and why the future isn't as bleak as we sometimes make it out to be. We need to live in the present but look to the future -- and after listening to Hal, you'll know how to make tomorrow better today. ABOUT HAL HERSHFIELD: Hal Hershfield is a Professor of Marketing, Behavioral Decision Making, and Psychology at UCLA's Anderson School of Management. His work has been published in top academic journals and in the popular press in outlets like the New York Times, Harvard Business Review, and the Wall Street Journal. Hal has worked with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and numerous financial services firms like Fidelity, First Republic, Prudential, Morgan Stanley, and Merrill Lynch, and is the author of Your Future Self: How to Make Tomorrow Better Today.
Imagine shaping your future with better decision-making today. What would that look like? This captivating episode features Dr. Hal Hershfield, a professor of marketing, behavioral decision making and psychology at UCLA's Anderson School of Management, who takes us on a journey into the psychology of long-term decision-making. We dive deep into the intriguing concept of our 'future self', investigating how our perceptions of ourselves in the future impact the choices we make, particularly in finance, health, and ethics.Navigating the road to our future selves can be a balancing act between present satisfaction and future aspirations. We explore this delicate equilibrium, discussing the role of personality in shaping these decisions and the potential for personal growth and change. Are you prepared to embrace change in your journey? We delve into the aspects that can be navigated, and those that require a more reactionary approach, offering an enlightening perspective on our future selves.Lastly, we decode the mystery of decision-making for our future selves. Drawing from Dr. Hershfield's fascinating research on how time influences our lives, we discuss practical techniques to embrace personal change and overcome obstacles. We talk about embracing the unknown, making plans for our future selves that we won't regret, and using a 'longevity toolkit' to frame decisions. This episode is an intriguing mix of thought-provoking ideas that you won't want to miss—an enlightening conversation that just might inspire you to think differently about your future self. Tune in and let's shape a better future, together!Your Host: Kimberly Beam Holmes, Expert in Self-Improvement and RelationshipsKimberly Beam Holmes has applied her master's degree in psychology for over ten years, acting as the CEO of Marriage Helper & CEO and Creator of PIES University, being a wife and mother herself, and researching how attraction affects relationships. Her videos, podcasts, and following reach over 200,000 people a month who are making changes and becoming the best they can be.Website: www.kimberlybeamholmes.comThanks for listening!Connect on Instagram: @kimberlybeamholmesBe sure to SUBSCRIBE to the podcast and leave a review!
How can we make better choices today to benefit our future selves? Hal Hershfield outlines strategies like visualizing your future self, writing letters, making commitments, and recognizing that your preferences will change over time. Hal is a Professor of Marketing, Behavioral Decision Making, and Psychology at UCLA's Anderson School of Management and holds the UCLA Anderson Board of Advisors Term Chair in Management. His research, which sits at the intersection of psychology and economics, examines the ways we can improve our long-term decisions. He joins us on this episode to discuss his new book, "Your Future Self: How to Make Tomorrow Better Today". It was so tempting to make this conversation with Hal really philosophical. Is our future self the same person as today, or more like a stranger? Do memories make us who we are? How can we bridge the existential gap between our future self and current self? But listeners will be glad to know that Kurt and Tim also delve into the practical aspects of Hal's research, touching on how we can help ourselves plan for the future. The biggest take away though is that Hal emphasizes the need to make sacrifices feel psychologically easier today in order to benefit our future selves. He outlines three "time travel mistakes" we frequently make: missing our flight represents getting stuck in the present, poor trip planning represents thinking about the future but not deeply, and packing the wrong clothes represents unfairly projecting our present emotions onto our future selves. Want your future self to still be able to listen to Behavioral Grooves Podcasts? Invest in the show's future by making a small donation on Patreon so we can keep bringing you insightful conversations like this one. Thank you to all our listeners to help make the show! Topics (2:54) Welcome and speed round questions. (7:14) Is our future self actually the same person? (11:18) Do memories make us who we are? (15:20) Common time travel mistakes. (22:36) Why you should write a letter to your future self. (27:51) What do you need to do today to make tomorrow better? (34:49) Does looking back on your regrets help you look forward. (38:42) Hal's future musical tastes. (44:10) Grooving Session with Kurt and Tim on our future selves. © 2023 Behavioral Grooves Links Hal Hershfield's book “Your Future Self: How to Make Tomorrow Better Today”: https://amzn.to/3E2acSh Wilson, T. D., & Gilbert, D. T. (2003) “Affective Forecasting”: https://dtg.sites.fas.harvard.edu/Wilson%20&%20Gilbert%20%28Advances%29.pdf John Locke: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Locke Ship of Theseus: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ship_of_Theseus Strohminger N, Nichols S. (2014) “The essential moral self”: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24503450/ Behavioral Grooves Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/behavioralgrooves Musical Links The National “Sea Of Love”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yIWmRbHDhGw Guster “Satellite”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bAkvb2Rhces Cat Stevens “Father & Son”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P6zaCV4niKk The Beatles “Help”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Q_ZzBGPdqE Belle and Sebastian “I want the world to stop”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wjW3tZhdnyw
Do you recognize yourself when you imagine who you'll be in the future? Or does it feel like you're looking at a stranger? In this episode of WealthStyle, Evan Wohl speaks with Hal Hershfield, professor of psychology, marketing, and behavioral decision-making at UCLA's Anderson School of Management on why it is so hard for most … Continue reading How to Make Tomorrow Better Today with Hal Hershfield →
For any trade-off between your current and future self, it's always the you of today who has to make the sacrifice. In his final appearance on the show, UCLA's Hal Hershfield offers a way around that problem.
Today, Hal Hershfield ("Your Future Self") explains how you can make life better tomorrow by making grand plans now to ease your future life.
Does your future self seem kinda blurry? Try writing them a letter.
It may sound strange, but if you can learn to treat your future self like someone you really care about, then you'll be more likely to make satisfying, rewarding, and ethical long-term decisions.
Can vividly imagining your future self help you make better decisions? Hal Hershfield thinks so, and he's got the research to prove it. Hal — who teaches at UCLA and has been called a “pioneering psychologist” by none other than our curator Adam Grant — is out with a new book called “Your Future Self: How to Make Tomorrow Better Today,” and he is here all week to help Michael, you, and future you achieve success.
Hal Hershfield, social psychologist, professor of marketing, behavioral decision making, and psychology at UCLA's Anderson School of Management, author, and TEDx speaker joins me on this episode. Hal has been published in top academic journals and he also contributes to op-eds in The New York Times, Harvard Business Review, The Wall Street Journal, and other outlets. He was named one of the “40 Under 40 Top Business School Professors” by business education website Poets & Quants. Topics we cover include Hal's professional journey, the concept of self, the connection between our current and future self, key insights from Hal's book, Your Future Self, using AI tools to connect with our future selves, and more. Get connected with Hal: Website: https://www.halhershfield.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hal-hershfield-a2b91510/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/HalHershfield Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hal.hershfield/ Purchase a copy of Your Future Self here: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0316421251 Leave a 5-star review with a comment on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/business-minds-coffee-chat/id1539014324 Subscribe to my Business Builder Newsletter: https://bit.ly/32y0YxJ Want to learn how you can work with me to gain more clarity, build a rock-solid foundation for your business, and achieve the results and success you deserve? Visit http://jayscherrbusinessconsulting.com/ and schedule a 1:1 discovery coaching call. Enjoy, thanks for listening, and please share with a friend! To your success, Jay
Hal Hershfield discusses how to make–and stick with–better decisions to enrich your future self. — YOU'LL LEARN — 1) Why you should build a relationship with your future self. 2) How to motivate yourself to do the hard things now. 3) The key to creating lasting habits. Subscribe or visit AwesomeAtYourJob.com/ep882 for clickable versions of the links below. — ABOUT HAL — Hal Hershfield is a Professor of Marketing, Behavioral Decision Making, and Psychology at UCLA's Anderson School of Management and holds the UCLA Anderson Board of Advisors Term Chair in Management. His research, which sits at the intersection of psychology and economics, examines the ways we can improve our long-term decisions. He earned his PhD in psychology from Stanford University. Hershfield publishes in top academic journals and also contributes op-eds to the New York Times, Harvard Business Review, the Wall Street Journal, and other outlets. He consults with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, many financial services firms such as Fidelity, First Republic, Prudential, Morgan Stanley, Merrill Lynch, and Avantis, and marketing agencies such as Droga5. The recipient of numerous teaching awards, Hershfield was named one of “The 40 Most Outstanding B-School Profs Under 40 In The World” by business education website Poets & Quants. His book, Your Future Self: How to Make Tomorrow Better Today, will be published in June. • Book: Your Future Self: How to Make Tomorrow Better Today • LinkedIn: Hal Hershfield • Twitter: @HalHershfield • Website: HalHershfield.com — RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THE SHOW — • Study: “The End of History Illusion” by Jordi Quoidbach, Daniel T. Gilbert , AND Timothy D. Wilson • Book: A Visit from the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan • Past episode: 090: Shocking Ways to Hack Your Habits with Maneesh Sethi • Past episode: 317: How to Form Habits the Smart Way with BJ Fogg, PhD • App: StickK See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Episode 30 features Michael Hershfield, the Founder and CEO of Accrue Savings. The conversation goes in depth on the payments landscape, savings culture, and how his company can win in an immediate gratification culture like the United States. Michael also offers his take on Jared Leto's performance as Adam Neumann in WeCrashed. Michael is a Canadian native who was a senior sales executive at WeWork before starting Accrue. He is also the veteran of several early stage startups. He says he founded Accrue in 2021 in dismay over the state of the payments landscape in his adopted country. This Week in Local is brought to you by Localogy. To learn more, please visit Localogy.com.
Dr. Hal Hershfield is a Professor of Marketing, Behavioral Decision Making and Psychology at UCLA's Anderson School of Management. He focuses his research at the intersection of psychology and economics; and his work has been published in the NY Times, Harvard Business Review, and Wall Street Journal, among others. Dr. Hershfield is the author of a new book titled Your Future Self - How to Make Tomorrow Better Today, which he and Greg discuss in detail in this conversation. In the book, Dr. Hershfield explores deep questions on identity, like: Are we the same person throughout our entire lives? How can we connect more with our Future Self? And how might such an improved connection lead to improved behavior today when it comes to things like our fitness, nutrition and finances? Episode segments: (04:10) - Hal's fascination with connecting with our future selves (08:17) - Are we the same person for our entire lives? (12:15) - How Brazil's most notorious serial killer became a different person (17:27) - How one of your 5 key personal traits will change in the next 10 years (18:41) - Why the closeness you feel with your future self matters... A LOT! (25:05) - The "end of history" illusion or why you're not "fully baked" even though it feels that way (29:49) - Writing a letter to (and from) your future self (33:52) - Hollywood make-up artists and Hal's crazy experience "becoming" his future self (40:42) - How to use commitment devices to encourage behavioral change (47:52) - Better parenting by being more present (with the help of a "K-Safe") (54:22) - The irony of being too focused on the future and missing the present Link to (very) raw transcript: https://share.descript.com/view/51r2mYKG8om Be sure to follow Hal on Twitter @HalHershfield and Instagram @Hal.Hershfield - This episode is brought to you by Athletic Brewing Company. My listeners and newsletter readers know I love Athletic Brewing non-alcoholic brews. I love the quality and the variety. And I love that you can have them delivered straight to your door from AthleticBrewing.com But did you know that Athletic is also a Certified B Corp donating up to $2 million annually to protect and restore outdoor spaces around the globe through their Two for the Trails program? Personally, I love that this is a company that gives back to the community. It's a real reflection of the culture they've built there. And supporting hiking trails and maintaining outdoor spaces is a very cool cause that I feel great about supporting when I drink Athletic. Try Athletic Brewing Non-alcoholic Brews for yourself! Click the link below and Use code WISDOM to get 15% off your first order at athleticbrewing.com Near beer. Exclusions and conditions apply. Athletic Brewing Company. Fit For All Times. - Don't forget to follow Greg on Twitter @gregorycampion and subscribe to his bi-weekly newsletter: https://gregcampion.substack.com If you enjoyed this episode, please consider rating and reviewing Intentional Wisdom wherever you get your podcasts. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/intentionalwisdom/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/intentionalwisdom/support
Welcome to a new episode of The Retirement Wisdom Podcast, where we explore useful ideas and different perspectives that can help you retire smarter. Do you have a clear picture of yourself in the future? What will you be doing in your life in retirement? Hal Hershfield is a professor of marketing and behavioral decision-making at UCLA. His research shows that getting to know Your Future Self can not only help you make smarter decisions to prepare for the future, but also benefit you in the present. His new book Your Future Self: How to Make Tomorrow Better Today examines the world of our future selves and how we can bridge the gap between our present actions and long-term goals - and why you'll want to develop a vivid picture of and a closer connection with your future self. Hal Hershfield joins us from California. _________________________ Registration is now open for the next Design Your New Life in Retirement group coaching program -- with Very Early Bird pricing. Limited to 10 participants. _________________________ Bio Hal Hershfield is the author of the new book Your Future Self: How to Make Tomorrow Better Today. Hal is a Professor of Marketing, Behavioral Decision Making, and Psychology at UCLA's Anderson School of Management and holds the UCLA Anderson Board of Advisors Term Chair in Management. His research, which sits at the intersection of psychology and economics, examines the ways we can improve our long-term decisions. He earned his PhD in psychology from Stanford University. Hershfield publishes in top academic journals and also contributes op-eds to the New York Times, Harvard Business Review, the Wall Street Journal, and other outlets. He consults with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, many financial services firms such as Fidelity, Morgan Stanley, Merrill Lynch, and Avantis. The recipient of numerous teaching awards, Hershfield was named one of “The 40 Most Outstanding B-School Profs Under 40 In The World” by business education website Poets & Quants. __________________________ For More on Hal Hershfield Your Future Self: How to Make Tomorrow Better Today Website __________________________ Podcast Episodes You May Like Happier Hour – Cassie Holmes Chatter & Your Inner Voice – Ethan Kross Retire Happy – Catherine Sanderson The Gift of Gratitude – Glenn Fox ____________________________ Wise Quotes On Visualizing Your Future Self "...One is to try to really figure out ways that we can ramp up the vividness of our future self....what can we do to make that future self more vivid and more concrete and less abstract? One thing we can do is write a letter to our future self and then write a letter back from our future self. And I think I really want to stress the back part because it kind of forces us to step into the shoes of our future self and see the world through their eyes. Engage in some visualization exercises where we try to think about deeply what's my life going to be like? How will I spend my time? Who will I spend it with? Am I workin not all the time? Am I traveling? What am I doing with myself? I think most people in the retirement space, in the financial planning space, they think of the future selves. It's not like this is a foreign concept, but it's always done at an implicit level. You talk about retirement, you talk about decumulation strategies, you talk about annuities, whatever. It's all sort of done in a very abstract and implicit way. But to like really bring the self back into the conversation, [ask] who am I? What am I going to be doing? That's where I think we can start to see some change in the way we really think about that period of time." On the FIRE Movement "And so, the question really does become one of harmony. How can I both live for today and live in a way that puts myself in a good position in the future? And there's no easy answer here,
This episode is brought to you by BiOptimizers Sleep Breakthrough, AirDoctor, and Paleovalley.Today on The Dhru Purohit Podcast, Dhru sits down with Hal Hershfield to discuss how to move closer to your goals and dreams using the power of visualization. Dhru and Hal talk about the roadblocks that get in the way and why setting a clear, distinct, and manageable timeline is essential to achieve your goals. Hal also shares tools like letter writing as a way to connect, communicate, and commit to your future self.Hal Hershfield is a Marketing, Behavioral Decision Making, and Psychology Professor at UCLA's Anderson School of Management. His research, which sits at the intersection of psychology and economics, examines how we can improve our long-term decisions. Hershfield publishes in top academic journals and contributes op-eds to The New York Times, Harvard Business Review, The Wall Street Journal, and other outlets. Hal earned his Ph.D. in psychology from Stanford University, has received numerous teaching awards, and was named one of “The 40 Most Outstanding B-School Profs Under 40 In The World” by the business education website Poets & Quants. His book, Your Future Self: How to Make Tomorrow Better Today, is out now. In this episode, Dhru and Hal dive into:-What gets in the way of our goals and dreams (2:06)-Visualizing your future self (9:47)-The fundamentals of goal setting (23:57)-Ways to connect to your future self (35:13)-Why it's important to pair visualization with conversation (40:37)-Addressing the nuances of climate change (51:00)-Is the future getting better or worse? (1:00:23)-The dangers of comparison (1:10:45)-Getting clear on your goals (1:20:13)-Writing a letter to your future self to determine the obstacles of your goals (1:29:06)-Hal's highest hopes for the future and where to follow his work (1:39:11)For more on Hal Hershfield, follow him on Twitter @HalHershfield, LinkedIn @hal-hershfield, or through his website, halhershfield.com.Also mentioned in this episode:-Your Future Self: How to Make Tomorrow Better Today-Halhershfield.comRight now, you can get 10% off Sleep Breakthrough, and if you buy two or more, you'll get a free bottle of Magnesium Breakthrough for a limited time. Head to sleepbreakthrough.com/dhru and use code dhru10. AirDoctor is offering my community a special discount. Go to dhrupurohit.com/filter, and get access to the AirDoctor3000 for only $349. That's a $280 savings!Paleovalley is offering my listeners 15% off their first order. Head over to paleovalley.com/dhru to check out all their Paleo products and take advantage of this deal. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
We all know the simple rules to make sure we are preparing for our future selves at 70 or 80: spend less than you make, build up an emergency fund, set aside money for retirement, and invest the rest. But how do we picture that person when there are so many things grabbing our attention right now? Our guest today, Hal Hershfield, has a new book called “Your Future Self: How to Make Tomorrow Better Today,” and he found that the key to sticking to our goals is being able to imagine our future selves. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Balancing The Now and The Future Throughout my career, I've had the privilege of working with some amazing bosses. One was a woman named Cindy. What made her stand out? She constantly encouraged us to look beyond our day-to-day tasks. As a Vice President, I was under her guidance, and she, a Senior VP, was persistent in pushing us to plan for the future and break free from the firefighting of the present. This isn't just an issue for me and my colleagues at that time; it's something many of us encounter. Of course, it's important to be present and appreciate the moment, but in various aspects of our lives—be it projects, careers, health, or more—we often fail to look far enough ahead. This preoccupation with the present can hold us back from a better future. In this episode, I'm joined by Hal Hershfield, author of the insightful new book Your Future Self: How to Make Tomorrow Better Today. We all want a brighter tomorrow, whether for our projects, careers, relationships, health, or more. But evidence suggests that our relationship with the future can be a bit tricky. Sometimes we need a "Cindy"--someone to help us learn to look further down the road. Hal is that person, and his book is a valuable resource I'm confident you'll benefit from. I'm excited to share our conversation with you! Learn more about Hal and his book at HalHershfield.com/. For more episodes on this topic, check out: Episode 313, with Brian David Johnson about his book The Future You Episode 87, with Cecily Sommers about her book Think Like a Futurist AI for Project Managers and Leaders With the constant stream of AI news, it's sometimes hard to grasp how these advancements can benefit us as project managers and leaders in our day-to-day work. That's why I developed a new e-learning course: AI Made Simple: A Practical Guide to Using AI in Your Everyday Work. This self-guided course is designed for project managers and leaders aiming to harness AI's potential to enhance your work, streamline your workflow, and boost your productivity. Go to ai.i-leadonline.com to learn more and join us. The feedback from the program has been fantastic. Take this opportunity to unlock the potential of AI for your team and projects. Thank you for joining me for this episode of The People and Projects Podcast! Talent Triangle: Power Skills The following music was used for this episode: Music: Time Is Now by Sascha Ende Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/395-time-is-now License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license Music: Time Of Change by WinnieTheMoog Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/8915-time-of-change License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license
In this episode, Rory delves into the intriguing world of behavioral decision-making with Hal Hershfield, a professor at UCLA Anderson School of Management and the author of "Your Future Self". They explore the concept of 'Mental Time Traveling' and the science behind creating a vivid visual picture of our future selves to make better decisions today. Hal shares insights on 'Projection Bias' and the 'Extreme Discounting of Future Rewards', explaining how our current state can cloud our future decisions and how our preferences can drastically reverse when faced with immediate rewards. He also discusses the role of the temporal parietal junction in our brains, explaining its crucial role in fostering empathy and perspective-taking, which can help us better understand and empathize with our future selves. Additionally, Hal discusses the role of algorithms in predicting our preferences and the potential of commitment devices we can use as guardrails for our future behavior. Curious about why Hal used images of Matt Damon and Natalie Portman in his research on connecting with our future selves? Ever wondered what the real-life serial killer, who inspired the show 'Dexter', has to do with our future self-concept? Tune in to this episode with renowned research and UCLA Professor Hal Hershfield to find out more.
Today we welcome Hal Hershfield to the podcast. Hal is a Professor of Marketing, Behavioral Decision Making, and Psychology at UCLA's Anderson School of Management. The recipient of numerous teaching awards, Hal was named one of “The 40 Most Outstanding B-School Profs Under 40 In The World” by business education website Poets & Quants. He publishes in top academic journals and also contributes op-eds to the New York Times, Harvard Business Review, the Wall Street Journal, and other outlets. His latest book is called Your Future Self: How to Make Tomorrow Better Today.In this episode I talk to Hal Hershfield about meeting your future self. Decisions are trade-offs between the present and the future. Oftentimes, it's easier to choose what feels gratifying now, than to choose what's more beneficial in the years to come. Hal believes this is because we feel disconnected to our future selves. Hal shows us the mental mistakes we commit when thinking about the future. He shares with us how to visualize who we want to become, so we can make choices that are better for us now and later. Website: www.halhershfield.comTwitter: @HalHershfield Topics03:21 Hal's expertise and background05:40 Your Future Self13:12 How much do we change over time?17:25 Mental mistakes when thinking about the future 24:20 Productive prospection 28:48 Why do we fail in our long-term goals?34:33 Time travel mistakes40:35 Visualizing your future self42:53 Making present sacrifices feel easier45:42 How to get people to follow through 47:37 The future selves of organizations50:17 Facing an uncertain future 54:03 The collective self
How does the connection we have with our future self impact the decisions we make today? And what active steps can we take to improve our connection with our future selves? Today on the show we welcome back Hal Hershfield, whose new book Your Future Self: How to Make Tomorrow Better Today delves into the science of our relationship with our future selves and what we can do to change it for the better. In our conversation with Hal, we discuss the concept of the self, how we change over time, and why so many of us feel disconnected from our future selves. He describes the research surrounding these subjects and their findings, including how the brain scans they performed demonstrate that we mostly see our future selves as strangers, and why this is caused, at least in part, by the fact that our future selves don't technically exist yet. We also discuss the interventions that have been shown to improve our relationship with our future selves, like viewing age-progressed images or exchanging letters with our future selves, and why everyone responds to these interventions differently. Having a strong connection with your future self has many benefits. It means you're more likely to make decisions that will serve you later in life, like saving for retirement, eating healthily, and exercising regularly. But Hal also warns that we risk losing sight of the present and what truly matters when we focus solely on the future. To hear all of Hal's knowledgeable insights on this topic and what he wants to explore next, be sure to tune in today! Key Points From This Episode: Defining the self and how our identity shifts depending on age, context, and the people we surround ourselves with. (0:04:08) An overview of Hal's research and what it reveals about how most people connect (or don't connect) to their future selves. (0:08:29) How empathy can influence our connection to our future selves. (0:11:36) Insights into why we tend to think of our future self the same way we think about strangers or acquaintances. (0:14:19) Our level of connection to our future self and how it affects wealth accumulation and financial well-being. (0:17:53) The definition of ‘present bias' and ‘hyperbolic discounting' and the role they play in decisions about the future. (0:19:28) The end-of-history illusion and the impact it has on our decisions. (0:23:02) How viewing age-progressed images of yourself can help you build a connection with your future self. (0:26:35) The research Hal is conducting with MIT Media Lab using an AI chatbot called Future You. (0:29:35) © 2023 Rational Reminder Podcast 1 RRP 256 Show Notes Dan Pink's work on the power of regret and how it overlaps with Hal's research and findings. (0:31:59) The findings on being presented with age-progressed images of ourselves and how they impact our decision-making and relationship with our future selves. (0:35:20) How writing to your future self can improve your decisions. (0:40:16) The problems that arise when we become too focused on improving life for our future self and how to find harmony between the present and future. (0:44:03) The COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on our collective relationship with the future. (0:48:10) Learn about the live episode we'll be recording at the upcoming Future Proof conference with Hal as our guest. (0:51:24) Links From Today's Episode: Hal Hershfield — https://www.halhershfield.com/ Hal Hershfield on Twitter — https://twitter.com/HalHershfield Hal Hershfield on LinkedIn — https://www.linkedin.com/in/hal-hershfield-a2b91510/ Your Future Self: How to Make Tomorrow Better Today — https://www.halhershfield.com/ yourfutureself Episode 141: Hal Hershfield: The Psychology of Long-term Decision Making — https:// rationalreminder.ca/podcast/141 The Power of Regret: How Looking Backward Moves Us Forward — https://www.amazon.com/ Power-Regret-Looking-Backward-Forward/ Episode 246: Daniel H. Pink: How to Use Regret — https://rationalreminder.ca/podcast/246 Future Proof Festival — https://futureproof.advisorcircle.com/ Brian Knutson — https://profiles.stanford.edu/brian-knutson Dan Martell — https://www.danmartell.com/ Derek Parfit — https://www.britannica.com/biography/Derek-Parfit Daniel Gilbert — http://www.danielgilbert.com/ ING — https://www.ing.com/Home.htm Merrill Lynch — https://www.ml.com/ Shlomo Benartzi — http://www.shlomobenartzi.com/ Stephen Shu — https://steveshuconsulting.com/ Rational Reminder on iTunes — https://itunes.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-rational-reminder- podcast/id1426530582. Rational Reminder Website — https://rationalreminder.ca/ Rational Reminder on Instagram — https://www.instagram.com/rationalreminder/ Rational Reminder on YouTube — https://www.youtube.com/channel/ Rational Reminder Email — info@rationalreminder.ca Benjamin Felix — https://www.pwlcapital.com/author/benjamin-felix/ Benjamin on Twitter — https://twitter.com/benjaminwfelix Benjamin on LinkedIn — https://www.linkedin.com/in/benjaminwfelix/ Cameron Passmore — https://www.pwlcapital.com/profile/cameron-passmore/ Cameron on Twitter — https://twitter.com/CameronPassmore Cameron on LinkedIn — https://www.linkedin.com/in/cameronpassmore/
Have you ever looked into the mirror to give your future self the time it deserves? Hal Hershfield is a social psychologist whose research focuses on decision making. As a professor of marketing and behavioral decision making at UCLA's Anderson School of Management, he has an interdisciplinary approach to understanding how people make their decisions. In his new book, Your Future Self, Hal delves into the philosophy and psychology of how we perceive ourselves over time, identifying three common time travel mistakes and offering practical techniques to bring the future closer. We discuss the importance of considering our present and future decisions, taking small steps towards future goals, and avoiding overloading ourselves in the present. Three takeaways Research shows that people who feel a sense of similarity with their future selves tend to be more satisfied with their lives 10 years later. Decisions regarding trade-offs such as buying an expensive car or taking out a bigger mortgage impact us through time, and the more connected we feel towards our future selves, the more likely we are to make decisions that will benefit us in the future. Our future self becomes more vivid as we get older, especially as we approach mid-life. For parents, every year is a transition, and every stage of parenting is tied to them, causing you to think more about your future self in relation to your children's future. This episode provides practical techniques for bringing the future closer and making present sacrifices feel easier “If we start thinking about investments of time, rather than expenditures, maybe we'll start focusing on allocating time toward the things that are more closely linked to our longer-term well-being,” Please enjoy my conversation with Hal Hershfield. For show notes and resources discussed in this episode, visit tammacapital.com/105. For more episodes, go to tammacapital.com/podcast. Follow Paul on Facebook and LinkedIn. And feel free to email Paul at pfenner@tammacapital.com with any feedback, questions, or ideas for future guests and topics.
In a world where our future selves are often neglected, UCLA Andersen School of Management professor Hal Hershfield confronts the chasm between the present and the untapped potential of our future. Prepare to challenge the status quo, redefine your relationship with time, and forge a path that leads you closer to the resplendent reality you envision for yourself. The time has come to bridge the gap between who we are and who we strive to be. Hershfield is the author of the new book, Your Future Self: How to Make Tomorrow Better Today. Embrace Your Future Self with Hal Hershfield In a riveting episode of the Passion Struck podcast, host John R. Miles has an engaging conversation with Hal Hershfield to discuss the value of connecting with our future selves. Hershfield shares his research on how a strong relationship with our future selves leads to better outcomes in areas such as exercise, ethical decision-making, and financial planning. Additionally, he highlights some common mistakes people make when thinking about their future selves, such as projecting current feelings onto them and thinking superficially about them. Full show notes and resources can be found here: https://passionstruck.com/hal-hershfield-embrace-your-future-self-today/ Brought to you by Hello Fresh. Use code passion16 to get 16 free meals, plus free shipping!” Brought to you by Indeed. Head to https://www.indeed.com/passionstruck, where you can receive a $75 credit to attract, interview, and hire in one place. --► For information about advertisers and promo codes, go to: https://passionstruck.com/deals/ Like this show? Please leave us a review here -- even one sentence helps! Consider including your Twitter or Instagram handle so we can thank you personally! --► Prefer to watch this interview: https://youtu.be/5eJwWrHAESg --► Subscribe to Our YouTube Channel Here: https://youtu.be/QYehiUuX7zs Want to find your purpose in life? I provide my six simple steps to achieving it - passionstruck.com/5-simple-steps-to-find-your-passion-in-life/ Catch my interview with Marshall Goldsmith on How You Create an Earned Life: https://passionstruck.com/marshall-goldsmith-create-your-earned-life/ Watch the solo episode I did on the topic of Chronic Loneliness: https://youtu.be/aFDRk0kcM40 Want to hear my best interviews from 2023? Check out my interview with Seth Godin on the Song of Significance and my interview with Gretchen Rubin on Life in Five Senses. ===== FOLLOW ON THE SOCIALS ===== * Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/passion_struck_podcast * Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/johnrmiles.c0m Learn more about John: https://johnrmiles.com/ Passion Struck is now on the AMFM247 broadcasting network every Monday and Friday from 5–6 PM. Step 1: Go to TuneIn, Apple Music (or any other app, mobile or computer) Step 2: Search for “AMFM247” Network
We've all had the experience of working toward goals today that would benefit us in the future. Goals like exercising more, losing weight, or saving for retirement. Yet when faced with early-morning alarms or tempting desserts, we may lose sight of our goals. But what if the answer to sticking with them was to form a relationship with a very special person – future you? Hal Hershfield, author of the book, Your Future Self: How to Make Tomorrow Better Today, has spent his career studying what happens when we build a closer relationship with our future self. His work reveals how this relationship can have an outsize impact on our success, one that extends beyond weight loss, fitness, and a comfortable retirement. Episode Links Nina Strohminger and Elizabeth W. Dunn and Kate Christensen and Paola Giuliano End-of-History Illusion Here There Are Blueberries The Team Learn more about host, Gayle Allen, and producer, Rob Mancabelli, here. Support the Podcast If you like the show, please rate and review it on iTunes or wherever you subscribe, and tell a friend or family member about the show. Subscribe Click here and then scroll down to see a sample of sites where you can subscribe.
In This Episode: The difference between Reassurance seeking vs. holding in emotions Why Reassurance seeking OCD is problematic and keeps you stuch What tools you can use to help you manage emotions with OCD Links To Things I Talk About: ERP School: https://www.cbtschool.com/erp-school-lphttps://kimberleyquinlan-lmft.com/32-reduce-reassurance-seeking-behaviorscompulsions/ Newsletter https://www.cbtschool.com/newsletter Chatter Book:https://www.amazon.com/Chatter-Voice-Head-Matters-Harness/dp/0525575235 Episode Sponsor:This episode of Your Anxiety Toolkit is brought to you by CBTschool.com. CBTschool.com is a psychoeducation platform that provides courses and other online resources for people with anxiety, OCD, and Body-Focused Repetitive Behaviors. Go to cbtschool.com to learn more. Spread the love! Everyone needs tools for anxiety...If you like Your Anxiety Toolkit Podcast, visit YOUR ANXIETY TOOLKIT PODCAST to subscribe free and you'll never miss an episode. And if you really like Your Anxiety Toolkit, I'd appreciate you telling a friend (maybe even two). EPISODE TRANSCRIPTION This is Your Anxiety Toolkit - Episode 306. Welcome back, everybody. We are well and truly into OCD Awareness Week, and I have been so excited to be a part of some amazing awareness projects, being an advocate for the International OCD Foundation, doing a lot of social media on self-compassion this week. It's been such a treat. This week, I actually wanted to discuss a concept that I-- actually, I say this often these days, but I get asked this question a lot in some various forms by my clients, so I wanted to address this question that I got with you. This is actually a question from one of the people in ERP School, which is our online course for OCD. If you click the link here in the bio or you can go to CBTSchool.com, we have a course called ERP School where we teach, or I teach step by steps that I take with my patients on how to set up an ERP plan so that you can slowly face your fear and reduce your compulsions and take your life back from OCD. Reassurance Vs Holding In Emotions One of the members asked a question, and there's a whole portal in there where you can ask questions to me directly, and they asked: “I have a question to you regarding reassurance seeking.” They said, “I've been trying to stop doing my compulsions and my go-to is reassurance seeking.” “What is the difference between Reassurance vs holding in emotions?” Reassurance Seeking OCD Reassurance seeking is a type of compulsion where you usually go to Google or you go to a loved one or another person and you ask for reassurance on your fear or your uncertainty. They go on to say, “One thing I do understand about is why it's bad and how it keeps the cycle going.” So, they do understand that reassurance seeking OCD is a problem. They do understand how it keeps the OCD cycle going. We talk a lot in ERP School about this OCD cycle. It's a huge component of the treatment. We have to first understand the cycle so that we can then know how to stop the cycle. And they go on to say, “I know that I have to learn to rely on myself to manage my anxiety and seeking reassurance makes me dependent on others for my relief, which can increase my anxiety when they're not around. But I've always been told by friends and family that talking about things that are bothering you is healthy because that way you get it out as opposed to bottling it in. When I don't seek reassurance, I worry that I'm bottling it in and that the only way to feel better is to let it out by talking to others. How do I join these two seemingly healthy ideas?” This is such a core component of all the work that we do. And so, I really want to go deep into this with you here in just a sec. Now, before we move on, if you aren't quite sure about reassurance seeking yet, you can go back and listen to a previous podcast we did, Number 32, which is called How to Reduce Reassurance Seeking Behaviors. It's an amazing podcast episode that really goes deep into what is a reassurance compulsion. You can click that there. But let's talk more about this specific question. Before we do that, let's quickly do the review of the week. This is from Isha.Isha and they said: “An invaluable resource. I have read many books on anxiety and OCD, and yet I am continuously surprised to learn new things with this podcast. It is thought-provoking and brings forward new, helpful, and interesting content.” She went on to say: “Kimberly, your 6 Part series on Mental Compulsions has truly been life-changing for me. Despite reading dozens of books on OCD and Anxiety, including yours, I was astounded to realize how many mental compulsions I actually have. The approaches to dealing with them, suggested by a few of the guests (thank you, Hershfield, Nicely, and Reid), have been nothing short of miraculous for me. Thank you for your hard work here! It is deeply appreciated!” Again, you guys, if you go to CBT School and you sign up for our newsletter, you will be given a gift from me, which is a link where I have put all of those six-part mental compulsion audio files together and we've thrown in a whole bunch of PDFs that will help you really strategize your own way of managing mental compulsions. So, go sign up for the newsletter. If you go to CBTSchool.com, you'll be able to get access to it there. And then one more thing before we move on, let's quickly do the “I did a hard thing” segment. It sounds like this person who asked the question is doing hard things too, but this one was so fun, I wanted to share it with you. Anonymous says: “Having OCD has made wedding planning and the wedding process in general challenging for me. But this weekend, I made it to my bridal shower and I had the best time, even despite my OCD being along for the ride. I actually took the day as an opportunity to face the disorder head-on. I left feeling empowered as F***.” Amazing, Anonymous. I'm so happy and congratulations on your bridal shower. I hope you had the most incredible time. All right, so let's look at this question. Let's break it down. Okay. So, yes, this person has already shared they understand that reassurance-seeking keeps us in the OCD cycle, keeps the fear going strong, and only makes more problems. It makes problems for the person with OCD, but it also impacts the relationship. In fact, I would go as far as to say, those who engage in reassurance-seeking behaviors tend to have a bigger impact on their family members because they're constantly going to their family members saying, “Would this happen? Could it happen? Do you think it could happen? What would happen?” And that person, because they're not trained as a clinician, they don't know how to respond. They haven't been trained. Usually, they try many different ideas and it actually ends up making the person with OCD even more confused. And then that can create conflict in the relationship. We know this. We know that reassurance-seeking can be very, very problematic and we want to slowly reduce it. It sounds like this person is doing amazing work, but they've got this dilemma in saying, “But I thought I was supposed to let things out.” Let's take a look here. Managing emotions with OCD When you have an obsession, naturally, your instincts are, “How can I make this fear go away or this discomfort or feeling go away?” You're going to want to do a compulsion. The goal of ERP is to reduce those compulsions. So, now what are you doing? So, you're reducing the compulsion, you're not trying to get reassurance, and now you're handling a large degree of anxiety and stress. Yeah, that's true. You will have to rise and fall in discomfort. Absolutely. We know that that's a part of the work. Willingly, ride the wave of discomfort. So, what I want to say to you here is you have some choices. You could ride that wave on your own. Let it go high, let it go low, let it go up and down, do what it wants, and you can practice actually allowing that discomfort and really building a resilience to that as you go. Similar to what Anonymous said in “I did a hard thing” is they left feeling empowered. When we do it on our own, we can actually feel incredibly empowered. Now, that is one option. That doesn't mean to say that when things are really hard, naturally, we do want connection. That's what human beings want. So, sometimes we do want to go to our loved one and say, “I'm having a hard time.” But there's a really big difference between going to a loved one and saying, “I'm having a hard time. Will this bad thing happen? Or do you think it will happen?” and saying to your partner, “I'm going through some stuff right now, would you sit with me?” One is very compulsive and one is not. But this is where OCD can be very, very tricky. Sometimes, just having a partner there forms reassurance. If your fear is like, “Well, what if I'm going to go harm someone?” keeping them in the room, even though you're not talking, that can still serve as a reassurance because you're like, “Okay, they're here. They'll stop me if I'm going to do something bad and I snap.” So, we want to keep an eye out for how reassurance seeking doesn't have to be just verbal, it can be physical, it could be us just looking at them to see their face and go, “Okay, they look fine, they don't look stressed. Okay, that gives me the reassurance that nothing bad is happening.” Catch the little nuances that can happen here because as we know, OCD can be very, very sneaky. Again, we can use the option and it is healthy to go to your partner and say, “Hey, I'm really dealing with something. This is really hard. I'm riding a wave of discomfort.” But you're doing that without getting any reassurance, without seeking any reassurance, without them reducing or removing your uncertainty or anxiety. So, you can do that. There are ways to do it. But the main thing to remember here is, are you doing this with urgency? Because that's usually a very good sign that you're doing something compulsive. Are you doing it in attempt to reduce or remove your discomfort? If you're able to be in conversation with them and discuss and seek support from them without seeking it in an urgent way or trying to reduce or remove your discomfort, well then that's fine. But here is what I want you to consider just to start, is I am all for support. In fact, it is a human need to have support. But what I'm going to offer you is an idea, which is, when it comes to OCD, if you're going to them for support because of this discomfort, there is a chance you're still treating the fear like it's important, and you will suffer. I get that. You're going to have a lot of emotions. But if you have the emotions and you're like, “Oh my God, I feel so bad, I just have these thoughts, or having this anxiety,” and you're giving that too much attention by saying, “I need your support, I'm really, really suffering,” sometimes that in and of itself can actually reinforce the anxiety. I guess you're still probably thinking, well, what's the balance? And there is no perfect answer. I'm sorry, I can't give you a yes or a no. What I can say is, when it comes to OCD or anxiety, I personally am always going to encourage that you do it yourself as much as you can because that's where you actually learn how much you can actually tolerate. Remember here, anxiety is always going to be sneaky and say in the back of your mind, “Kimberley, just in case, just so you know, my anxiety is high, but I can really turn it up and freak you out, so you better be careful. Do your best to avoid me.” That's what anxiety says in some way or form. So, if we still treat ourselves as if we're really fragile, we can actually reinforce that belief in that thought or intrusive thought. So, I personally am always for myself going to say, “Okay, fear is here, how can I ride this one out 100% by myself?” and this is the key point to remember. Ask yourself in that moment, because you're probably having some pretty strong reactions right now. Ask yourself in this moment if you are having a strong reaction, “What is my strong reaction to that?” Is it “it's not fair”? Is it “that's uncool, that's too much to handle”? That just shows you where our work is and here is the key point. What is it that you want them to provide you? Is it warmth? Is it compassion? Is it relief from the shame you feel? Is it to know that they won't leave you or they're not judging you? What is it that they're, this one particular person in that moment, what is it that they can provide you? And now, can you provide it for yourself? Or, is this thing you're looking for even really that helpful? So if you're like, “Oh my gosh, I just need a safe place to land right now,” I beg for you to practice being the safe place to land. Not your partner, not your family, not your friends. You be that for you. You deserve to be the safe place to land. If there's a sneaky part of this where you're like, “No, I just want them to tell me that I'm good and not a terrible human being,” well, that is in fact still reassurance. Yes, we're all allowed to get that reassurance, but you have to ask yourself, is that reassurance a healthy reassurance or is it something keeping you stuck in the cycle? You get to choose. I'm not saying what's right or wrong here because each person is different. If I'm with a patient, we will look at this and go, “Okay, let's talk about why you want your partner to provide you support. What is it that the partner support provides you?” And we pull apart whether that support is in fact benefiting their long-term resilience and success in treatment or actually slowing them down. There's nothing wrong with getting support at all, but is this an opportunity where you can show up and be your best person? Be the first person that's standing there going, “I got you.” Mindfulness & Self Compassion For Reassurance Seeking Now here is the other piece of this, which is they're talking about bottling it in. Let's say you decide, “Kimberley, I'm on with this idea and I am going to commit to 30 days or seven days or one day or 10 minutes where I'm actually going to be the support for myself. I am going to practice my self-compassion skills, my mindfulness skills, my radical acceptance skills, and I'm going to be it for myself.” That doesn't mean you're technically bottling it in. Bottling it in is when you have the emotion and you shut it down and you refuse to let it pass through you and you hold it in and you pretend it's not there and you're faking your way through it. If sometimes you need to do that, that's still fine. But this question is around saying that's a problem. Now here's what I'm going to say. There's really no scientific evidence to say that bottling things in is particularly bad, because how do we know what's bottled in really? We can't really measure what's being bottled in, but we do know that if you don't talk to people and you aren't processing stuff that, yeah, it can create some problems. So, this again is, how can we be healthy in our expression and effective in our expression of what's going on for us? Can you journal? For me, this might sound a little weird, but I am a little weird, is when I really have something I've got to get off my chest, I record an audio, I take a walk. I leave my kids and my husband and I take a walk and I record an audio of me just venting it out because, the truth is – this was particularly true during covid – me venting it out to my partner when he's got his own stuff he's working on, he's also going through some things as well. It's not helpful for me to dump it on him, so I would audio it into myself and listen back and listen for things that I could maybe work on. So, there are ways. Another way is to practice just feeling your feelings. That's probably the most important thing I want to mention here and which is why I wanted to really report it, is feel your feelings instead of bottling them in. Now, we recently did an episode about this and how this idea of sitting with your emotions. Go back and listen to that because that's important. When we talk about feeling your feelings, it doesn't mean lashing out and having them all over the place and being really unskilled in how you manage them, and it also doesn't mean having your feelings and staring at the wall and just being like, “Oh my God, I'm just so overwhelmed with this feeling, but I'm sitting with it.” It's saying, while you go and engage with your life, you allow and embrace whatever emotions to come up. That's not bottling it in. You saying them out loud is not what's preventing you from bottling it in. They're two completely different concepts. Let's finish up by really talking about what is a healthy way to ride a wave of discomfort instead of having reassurance-seeking compulsions play out. You could journal, you could feel your feelings while you engage with your life, and use skills that you have, mindfulness skills, skills from this podcast. Go all the way back to the beginning. We've got tons of good stuff at the beginning of the podcast episodes where you can actually mindfully experience your emotions while also engaging in life. You could do those. You could also go and ask for support and say, “Hey, it's a really hard time. I just did a really hard exposure. My anxiety is really high. I don't want you to try and reduce or remove my anxiety, but your presence here is really wonderful. Thank you.” You could be the one who shows up for you radically so hard. You could be like, “Hey Kimberley, what do I need? What do you need right now? How can I show up for you? Do you need my fear support? Do you need my nurturing support? Do you need my champion support? What do you need? And I'm here for you, sister.” That's what I really want you to practice. You could also find an OCD therapist who's trained in ERP and say, “Hey, I'm working through some things. Can we talk about it in a way that doesn't provide me reassurance?” Because you trust that they understand how to not provide reassurance. And that can be a really helpful way. But there's one thing I want you to remember here at the very end. The reason I'm saying it at the very end is I think this is probably one of the most groundbreaking things that I learned just this year, and this has changed my marriage. I'm not going to lie, it's changed my marriage, which is this: At the beginning of this year, I read a book called Chatter. I will link it in the show notes. The book is-- let me pull it up really quick. The Voice in Our Head, Why It Matters, and How to Harness It by Ethan Kross. It is an amazing book. One of the things that blew my mind was the research that venting actually increases a person's distress and does not benefit them. What? That is the opposite of what I have been trained in my career. I was trained that venting is a really healthy thing. I know some of you may be like, “Well, duh, I've had issues with this in my past.” But the truth is, it really showed the data on why venting actually makes us feel worse. It actually has a negative impact and there's no benefit to venting. So, I'm going to leave you to think about that because for me, when I read that, I can be-- I'm not going to lie, one of my not-so-great traits is I can be a little bit of a ventor. A ventor? Is that a thing? I can be a person who vents and unfortunately, my husband is the one who has to hear me process stuff. I'm a real process kind of person. What I realized when I learned this is, holy moly, I've been thinking that this is important and this keeps us connected, but the truth is, it doesn't. It doesn't impact me positively. It doesn't impact him positively, even though he is the most kind, supportive man in the history of the world. This is actually not a good behavior and I got to stop it. So, what I did is I called my best friend and I called my husband and I said, “From now on, I'm going to be much more mindful around venting. There will be times when I'm really struggling where I'm actually going to choose not to share about it in that moment. You might see that I'm spiraling on something.” I'm going to say, listen, now is not the time because I now understand the science that venting is not in fact beneficial. It just makes me feel worse and works me up more. So, I use all my tools and I double down and I ride the wave and I journal and I audio in and I ride the wave on my own. So, here are some ideas you take and choose what you want, but that's the main concepts I want you to consider. And there's your answer, is this whole idea of holding it in is not the only option. You can, in a healthy way, ride your emotions and your wave of anxiety and you can do it in a way that actually is very effective that doesn't require anybody else. However, if you require somebody, no problem. That's wonderful. I hope that you have the most amazing, supportive people in your life and it's all good. So, that is it. I hope that is helpful for you guys. We did go around and around into all of the little cracks and crevices of this topic. If you've got any questions, you can always let me know. Please do leave a review because I hope this is helpful for you. I will see you next week. Next week, I'm actually doing a little bit of a personal episode, talking about a few shifts that I've had with my own chronic illness and how it's impacted my own anxiety. All fun and games. Not really. No fun and games is what I should say. All right, my loves, have a wonderful day. Please do remember it is a beautiful day to do really freaking hard things. You're not alone because I'm doing the hard things and your friends are doing the hard things and all the people listening here, thousands and thousands of people are doing the hard things too. Have a wonderful day, everybody.