I use to think of motivation as something that happened in the present moment - a sudden burst of energy or inspiration. But what if our greatest and most reliable source of dopamine wasn’t in the now, but in our past tense selves?
A podcast featuring Chase Hughes on discipline, flipped the way I thought about motivation on its head. Instead of relying on fleeting willpower, we can set up our future selves for success, creating moments where we naturally feel gratitude toward our past selves resulting in less friction, more action, and greater self-love and appreciation!
The Science of Anticipation
Dopamine, often called the "feel-good" neurotransmitter, is not so much about reward and more about anticipation. Our brains produces dopamine in anticipation of a future events, not necessarily during the experiences themselves. This means if we want to motivate ourselves to act, we need to provide ourselves with compelling reasons why projected into the future.
For example, imagine stashing a few hundred-dollar bills inside your winter jacket, knowing you won’t need it for months. The moment you finally wear it again, your hands slip into the pockets for something, you discover the cash your past self left for you. Instantly, you feel gratitude toward your past self, reinforcing the idea that taking care of your future self pays off.
Another simple example: You lay out your workout clothes the night before. When morning comes, and everything is ready to go, you’ll feel thankful toward your past self - removing resistance and making it easier to follow through. Thank you ‘Past Tense’ self!
Using This for Habit Formation
The same principle applies to habits. Many people refer to ‘self-discipline’ as a lifelong battle, but in reality, it’s only needed for as long as required to establish a habit. Some say it takes 21 days, but the truth is, it depends on how we’re uniquely wired and the habit we’re trying to form.
The key is consistency until it becomes part of who we are. And once that happens, skipping it feels uncomfortable. Because you and I are wired to avoid negative feelings even more than we are driven to chase positive ones. So, when a habit is ingrained, it becomes less painful to do it than to skip it.
Prioritising Your Future Self
By caring for our future selves, we create a feedback loop of gratitude and motivation. When our future self experiences a win, we send appreciation backward to our past selves, making it easier to act now.
Small Acts, Big Returns
The idea is simple: set up small wins for our future selves. The more often we do this, the more we reinforce a sense of self-trust and action. Whether it’s prepping meals, writing a to-do list, or even keeping a gratitude journal, every action you take today is a gift to our future selves.