From: hubermanlab
Long-term thinking and future planning are essential components in shaping a prosperous and sustainable future. This article explores these concepts as discussed in a recent conversation between Andrew Huberman and Ari Wallik, where they delved into how individuals and societies can better prepare themselves for the future.
The Concept of Long Path
Ari Wallik, an associate professor at Columbia University and host of “A Brief History of the Future,” introduces the concept of “Long Path.” This concept emphasizes the importance of long-term thinking and coordinated behavior at the individual, organizational, and societal levels to ensure the thriving of our species. Despite sounding aspirational, Long Path is rooted in practicable actions grounded in logic and foresight that emphasize self-awareness [00:01:10].
Mental Time Travel
A significant capability of humans is what Wallik describes as “mental time travel” — the ability to project ourselves into the future and envision different scenarios that provide psychological significance [00:09:00]. This skill enables people to contemplate various future outcomes and collaborate on manifesting desired scenarios through conscious decision-making and planning.
Addressing Presentism
In today’s fast-paced world, many people struggle with what Wallik calls “presentism,” where individuals are engrossed in immediate concerns without considering long-term implications and hwo to cope with these changes [00:12:21]. Addressing presentism involves developing empathy for oneself, understanding and learning from the past, and fostering empathy for future generations as a crucial element of empathy in communication [00:15:56].
Empathy as a Foundation
Empathy is crucial for long-term thinking. Ari Wallik talks about “transgenerational empathy” and its broader societal importances as a multi-faceted approach:
- Empathy for Self: Recognizing that everyone does the best they can with what they have at any given moment rooted in self-care principles [00:16:02].
- Empathy for the Past: Understanding previous generations by addressing past traumas to inform better decision-making today.
- Empathy for the Future: Contemplating the emotional states we want future generations to experience and making decisions guided by empathetic understanding of behavior and motivation that align with those aspirations [00:31:01].
Tools and Practices
Huberman and Wallik discussed several tools and practices to enhance long-term thinking:
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Visualizing Future Self: Using aged photographs to connect with your future self, which can help make healthier and more foresighted decisions linked to self-awareness strategies [01:25:01].
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Writing to Future Self: Composing letters to oneself in the future helps articulate personal goals and aspirations as part of personal development techniques, anchoring one’s actions to longer-term outcomes [01:38:09].
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The Empty Frame Exercise: Keeping an empty photo frame for future descendants serves as a physical reminder of one’s role in shaping their future as part of building a legacy strategy [01:16:09].
Beyond Individual Effort
Creating a future-conscious society requires collective action towards shared goals supported by scientific and medical approaches. By asking future-oriented questions and reflecting on the broader impact that individual actions can have over time, societies can cultivate a forward-thinking culture that values sustainable outcomes over immediate gratification [02:03:09].
Conclusion
Long-term thinking and future planning involve recognizing our current actions’ implications on the future. By fostering empathy and its role in shaping future aspirations and using practical tools to orient thinking towards future scenarios, individuals and societies can better prepare for sustainable and flourishing futures, ultimately becoming great ancestors to future generations [02:14:09].