1.) Changing this one hidden assumption leads to a bigger future
Think back to the person you were 10 years ago.
Are you much different now, than you were then?
(Think in terms of your values, goals, hobbies, and concerns back then.)
Now think forward to the person you will be 10 years from now.
Will that person be much different than you are today?
In his research, Harvard psychologist Daniel Gilbert discovered that most people answer the first question with a strong “Yes”, and the second with a “No”. In other words, we assume the person we are today will carry forward 10 years in the future, and we’ll have the same values, preferences, goals, hobbies, etc.
In Gilbert’s words:
“Human beings are works in progress that mistakenly think they’re finished.”
He calls this: “The End of History Illusion”.
This is important to be aware of because it influences our decisions in the present.
If we carry the unconscious assumption that we are a finished article, then we are less likely to stay open and experiment with new directions in the present, which ultimately leads to a smaller future.
However, if we consciously cultivate the belief that who we will be in 10 years is likely to be very different from who we are today, it becomes a self fulfilling prophecy.
Most things in life are an acquired taste. Desires evolve over time. So simply realising that your future self is likely to be very different from who you are today—and will want differently than you do currently—can free you to explore new possibilities that you might not otherwise consider.
2.) Alan Watts: Why You Need to Be Your Future Self Now
I recently discovered an Alan Watts video which offers a radically different perspective on what “manifestation” really is and how best to approach it.
If you’ve ever wondered why it seems to work so well for some—and fail miserably for others—this short post (630 words) contains my 3 key takeaways.
3.) Social Creation Commitments
Have you noticed any patterns in the commitments you’ve been able to keep, versus those you haven’t?
When I reflect on my own experiences, I realise the pursuits I’ve stuck at have had little to do with discipline, and a lot more to do with certain characteristics “baked-in” from the start.
Two examples are The Weekend University’s monthly lecture days and this newsletter.
With our lecture days, I announced on stage at one of our first events in January 2018 that I’d organise one on the last Sunday of each month that year. I kept that commitment for 5+ years right up until we switched to virtual summits in 2023.
Similarly, earlier this year, I publicly promised—this time via email—that I’d send the 7 insights newsletter on the last Friday of each month.
In both cases, I made a commitment that:
1.) Involved a creative process I found energising.
2.) Kept me socially accountable.
3.) Was time-triggered (e.g. the last Sunday / Friday of the month).
In my upcoming Aligned Creator book, I call this a “social creation commitment”.
So if there’s something new you’d like to start creating next year, consider if you can integrate these three elements.
4.) Federico Faggin: Free Will & The Deeper Intelligence Guiding You Through Life
I recently interviewed Dr Federico Faggin for our podcast.
If you’re unfamiliar, Federico is the inventor of the microprocessor — the technology which paved the way for personal computers, the internet, and smartphones. Without his invention, you wouldn’t be reading this — because emails wouldn’t exist, nor would computers/smartphones 😄.
For better or worse, there are few people alive who have reshaped our world more.
In recent decades, Faggin has turned his attention towards developing a scientific theory of consciousness, based on the latest quantum physics.
There are two aspects of Federico’s theory that stood out for me.
The first is that it’s built on the premise that consciousness and free will are fundamental.
The second is that in addition to the physical, observable structure of our biological body, we are also expressions of a deeper, non-physical conscious agent, which he calls a “Seity.”
In other words, there are two levels to your being — a physical entity that operates within the laws of physics, and a non-physical conscious agent which is not bound by space-time.
(If this seems farfetched, consider the parallels between this and the “Self” in IFS and the “Daimons” of Socrates, Jung, and many of the other geniuses who have reshaped our thinking.)
Curiously, his theory indicates that although we don’t have free will at the physical level, we do have it at the level of the Seity.
To illustrate, imagine someone sitting in front of a screen playing a video game with a controller in their hands.
The character you see on the screen is the physical version of you, and the person sitting at home with the controller is your Seity.
We are both at the same time.
Although the character on the screen (i.e. physical you), doesn’t have free will, the person with the controller (i.e. your Seity) does.
We run into trouble in life when we mistakenly think we are only the physical character in the game, not realising that we are also the person holding the controller.
This might be why silence, meditation, spiritual practices, and other self transcendent experiences (e.g. psychedelics, NDEs, etc) are powerful catalysts for meaningful change and right action.
They create a “bridge” for guidance to flow between the Seity and the physical entity.
Which reminds me of the Victor Frankl quote:
“Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom.”
If Federico is right—and my hunch is that he probably is—it places a responsibility on us to connect to this Seity regularly—and stay connected. Because if we do, we become a channel for this deeper, wiser part of ourselves to flow into the physical world.
5.) A 5-Step Framework for an Intentional Year
I recently listened to this podcast with Jesse Itzler, in which he shares his process for designing a year you’ll look back on fondly for the rest of your days.
This short post (443 words) provides a brief overview of the five steps.
6.) A Movie I Enjoyed
The Two Popes is both deeply existential and hilarious at the same time.
Nominated for three Academy awards, it tells the story of the evolving relationship between Pope Benedict and Pope Francis.
Benedict represents a “left-brain” approach to spirituality. To him, tradition, dogma, and doing things by the book are what matter most.
Francis is the opposite. He’s embodied, “right-brained”, and not particularly interested in upholding tradition, but in adapting to the demands of the present moment. He danced tango, loved watching football, and dedicated his life to helping the poor.
In the movie, both men are wrestling with their own existential crises, and gradually find resolution in dialogue with each other—with many hilarious and heartwarming moments along the way. Whether you’re spiritual, religious, atheist, or agnostic, this is worth a watch.
One sentence in particular stuck with me:
“Truth may be vital, but without love, it is unbearable.”
7.) A “Middle Way” Approach to Designing Your Future
Most approaches to visualisation focus on “podium moments”.
Standing on stage giving a TED talk, accepting an award, seeing your book on the bestseller list, etc.
What these ignore is that life is 99% process, 1% podium.
So if you only focus on the latter, while ignoring the former, you can very easily create a daily experience of living that makes you miserable.
Recognising the flaws in this, many voices in the personal development space have advocated doing the opposite.
Instead of visualising podium moments, they recommend visualising your ideal day.
Although this is a step in the right direction because it gets you looking through a process-focused lens, I personally find it limiting.
I like variety, so trying to condense everything I want to do into a single day feels stifling.
While thinking this through for my upcoming Aligned Creator book, I realised there might be a “middle-way” between these two extremes.
What if instead of visualising podium moments, or your perfect day, you mapped out your ideal week, 5-10 years in the future?
Not only does this clarify what you want the process of your life to look like, it also allows enough space for variety.
If you want to give it a try, click here for the steps.
Note: if you have any feedback or suggestions that might help improve this aspect of the book, I’d love to hear from you.
