With agency you might think choosing what’s good for us would be the obvious choice to make. We are though complex creatures of nature. Locked into cycles of growth and decay. Influenced by our environment, and our inclination, our ability, to act for (enkrateia) or against (akrasia) our own best interests. Tangible experiences we can attain in the short term balanced with the possibility of experience at some point in the future. The extent we are willing to act now to improve the experience of our future self.
Having an idea of the future self I would like to inhabit is a useful navigation aid towards maintaining my overall well-being. It could be that person later today, tomorrow morning, in a weeks, month, few years or decades ahead. What can I do right now to help that person have a good life.
Some of the future selves I can do things for on most days:
- Fit and active older person
- Feeling fulfilled person
- Financially secure person
- Having time to relax person
- Loved family person
- Good friend person
- Wake up feeling good person
- I’ve got energy to do stuff person
- Feeling content person
- I got things done person
No shit Sherlock! I know. It’s another reminder to myself. The moment has passed. Go get organised!