What I know about Future You
You are the project + A penny for your thoughts
I still remember the scariest film I watched. The details of the who, when, and why are sketchy, but I vividly recall being in a dark TV room with other kids. That movie was Groundhog Day. The mundanity of it has haunted me ever since.
Last Friday marked three years since I launched Future You. Yes, I know I keep banging on about it, but honestly, three years is longer than some marriages these days! And, as anyone who has stuck at anything for a few years will know, it’s not easy to keep showing up. After the initial burst of motivation fades, it’s just you and the work left.
We live in a world where more = better. In awe of thousands and millions, the tendency is to turn everything into a numbers game. But chasing followers, likes, and millions of dollars can be a hollow existence if that’s your only metric for success.
In three years, I haven’t accumulated thousands of followers or subscribers, nor built a million-dollar empire. So what do I have to show for all this effort?
There is a Francis Chan quote I love: “Our greatest fear should not be of failure but of succeeding at the things in life that don’t really matter.”
Writing Future You each month has taught me what matters.
So much of life is outside our control. But, what is always within our control is how we choose to respond and show up in the world. Which means the most important thing you will master in life, is yourself.
Back in that dark TV room, 25 years ago, I didn’t know all that much about life. However, thanks to Groundhog Day, I was crystal clear that a life without change and growth was not much of a life at all.
To celebrate three years of showing up in the world, championing growth and being your best self, I’m sharing my top three pieces of wisdom about Future You.
But first! In the spirit of growth, I’m continuing to pursue my best work, by evolving my creativity and content. I’d be eternally grateful if you could spare a few minutes to share your thoughts. Your feedback will help to shape my thinking and ensure Future You remains as valuable as possible.
No one is coming to save you
As a lifelong fan, it pains me to say this, but Disney did us all a major disservice. Ariel, Aurora, Belle, Cinderella, Jasmine, Rapunzel and Snow White - their circumstances may have varied, but all these damsels in distress were rescued.
It’s no surprise then, that many of us grow up quietly hoping that a handsome stranger might also come to our rescue. But, even if you are lucky enough to find your prince(ss) charming, it doesn’t change the fact that no one can save you but yourself.
A realisation 30+ years in the making for me, you may well be wondering what most of us could need saving from… well, mainly, ourselves.
We may not be locked up in castles, but many of us find ourselves trapped in situations that don’t make us happy. Jobs, relationships, finances, health - at some point, we realise we’re not where we want to be. And while it’s tempting to pray for change, that someone or something will swoop in and solve all our problems, we don’t live in a Walt Disney world.
The only person you can truly count on to care about your happiness long-term is you. It may sound harsh, but it’s also freeing. Stop waiting for things to happen to you. It’s time to get active in your own recovery.
You are the project
If the only thing in life that we have control over is ourselves, then it follows that the most important thing we will master is ourselves.
The world is full of examples of people chasing after things and desperately trying to influence outcomes over which they have little to no control. All that wasted energy strategising and worrying, which could have been channelled into the one area where it’s guaranteed to have an impact - themselves.
Far from a defeatist point of view, this is another freeing fact of life. We may not control what happens to us, but what we will always have control over is how we choose to respond. Our energy, effort, and emotion are best focused on how we show up in the world.
This means working towards the best version of yourself every day, knowing full well there is no destination, just the journey. That the only way to leave any worthwhile legacy is to live a life you’re proud of.
A philosophy I equate with the purpose of life, it was this wisdom which inspired me to create Future You. Three years on, it still holds true. Investing in my growth and pursuing my best self remains the best use of my time and energy, and the most rewarding project so far.
Future You is created in the present
Most of us ‘know’ that the only time we have is the present. Eckhart Tolle dedicated 224 pages to the topic in his bestselling book The Power of Now. I’ll save you the seven hours and sum it up in a sentence: the past is gone, and the future is not guaranteed; therefore, the only time we can truly act or experience anything is in the present moment.
That said, I always struggled with balancing this reality with my longer-term ambitions. If the future isn’t guaranteed and we need to make the most of the present moment, then how, exactly, are we supposed to help shape it?
Despite what the name suggests, Future You is created in the present. Life is made up of days, hours, minutes. Far from big plans or bold moves, we are what we repeatedly do.
A learning I’ve really leaned into this year, growth, goals, or making changes, is less about perfectly laid plans or dramatic declarations and more about the choices you make in the here and now. Lasting change usually looks more like one quiet choice repeated over time. We become the sum of our actions.
PONDER:
“…every day is a chance for a new beginning. Every day that we awake we can choose a new life, a new way to rededicate ourselves to becoming the best versions of ourselves.” ― Ryan Holiday
I hope this special, anniversary edition of Future You has sparked some inspiration. If so, please do share it with a friend or colleague who could also find it useful.
As I reflect on the past three years, one thing is very clear to me - it’s all of you who make Future You. Thank you for joining me on this journey back to our best selves, your support and encouragement really means the world to me.
Here’s to you and I, but better.
SJ 🩵