Episode 54: Making Decisions from the Future
The Past or the Future Self
Which version of you will get you to the goals you are trying to reach?
Enjoy!
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(The notes below are only a brief summary of what is discussed in the podcast. Be sure to listen to get all of the goodness! If you would like a full transcription of the episode, please send an email request to: angie@angie-robinson.com. We’d be happy to provide that!)
On Episode 49, I talked about making decisions ahead of time. When we make decisions ahead of time – we do it from our higher brain – the more logical, less emotional brain. When we make decisions in the moment, we are more likely to do so from our lower brain, our monkey brain.
In THIS episode – I want to talk about WHERE we make decisions from.
Let’s talk about decisions making. We are faced with making decisions all of the time. Sometimes they are very simple, every day decisions. And then there are the decisions that we spend more time contemplating – the ones that we decide are “big” and/or “heavy” .
Either way – decisions require a commitment. A commitment in which you can take action from.
“Should I ask for a raise?”
“Should I quit my job?”
“Should I step up for that new project?”
“Should I start my own business?”
“Should I eat that cookie?”
“Should I go on that trip?”
Often times – the first thing our brain says is “I don’t know”. That is not helpful. Our brain sometimes doesn’t want to make a decision for all kinds of reasons. What if it’s wrong? What If I don’t have all of the information? This is just our brain’s way of trying to protect us.
There are all kinds of tactics and questions you can ask that can be helpful in making a decision (perhaps I’ll do an episode on that in the future) – but one thing I’d like you to consider in that decision-making process is where you are making that decision from. Or – to be more accurate – who you tapping into to inform that decision.
Here is what I mean by “who” you are tapping into:
There are three versions of us. The past self, the current self and the future self.
The past self holds all of our experiences up to this point. Our past self has beliefs based on things we’ve been told, that we’ve seen, that we’ve been through. Our past self has informed our current self. And the ‘age’ of our past self continues to grow compounding the experiences, beliefs, etc. And our past self has also done the work to change, grow, evolve, etc.
Our current self is who we are in the moment. In this very moment. It truly is a single moment – because with each minute that passes – that minute becomes part of our past selves. But – I don’t like getting that technical – so let’s just say our current self is who we are today (the whole day).
And our FUTURE self…that is the person that is yet unknown. It’s who we visualize to be. It’s who we want to become. To me, it’s the most powerful self that we have – as we truly are in control of becoming that future version of who we want to be.
For most of us – the default is to go into our past to make a decision. Because that is where our experiences lie, where we form opinions based on what we’ve seen others do or what people have told us what to do. It where we may have already done something and the result of that gives us “proof” of what will happen again.
When we make decisions from the future – we are making it with the end result in mind. With the person we want to be. The business we want to have. The results we are striving to get.
Now – we can certainly learn from the past and use those learnings in the decision making. That is useful. But often times – our brain often goes to the FAILURES or the “way we we’ve always done it” or “we’ve tried that before” – as if that is the final say.
When making decisions from your past self - ask yourself: What are you missing out on? What are the other possibilities?
I challenge you to give you a try. It will be a game-changer.
What do you think?
Where do you go to make decisions?
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