What if I told you that there may be a way to dramatically improve the decisions you’ll make about money in the future?
It’s a simple, although out of the ordinary, method that could help steer you in the right direction, each time your faced with a money challenge.
Which would mean…
A lot less money mistakes.
Fewer unpleasant surprises.
And less regrets.
Just rock-solid, spot-on money decisions…
Like a money master.
Curious to know what it is?
I’ll reveal this unique method in just a minute, but first I have a hypothetical question for you.
Imagine this: You need a new laptop but you’re short on cash. A friend tells you about a guy he knows who sells laptops that ‘fell off a truck.’ The laptops are very cheap and you need a new one very bad. And nobody will know if you buy one of them.
How likely is it that you would buy one of these potentially stolen laptops?
This was the exact question researchers posed to college students in a study about ethics and the factors that can affect decision making. As you might have guessed, some students chose to take the possibly stolen computers. Some didn’t.
That’s not the surprising thing though.
What was surprising, is that the researchers were able to predict which students would refuse to take the stolen laptops. How’d they do this?
It was based on one simple thing each student did before deciding on the laptop.
What they did prior to making their decision, made all the difference in making the right choice. And if you use the same method, it could dramatically affect how you make decisions about money today and in the future.
Ready to know what it is?
Postman: We have a letter for you. It’s from your future.
Researchers at Northwestern University were curious about how to get people to do the right thing when faced with a moral dilemma. They wanted to know this – when faced with temptation to do the wrong thing, what would cause someone to do the right thing instead?
They tested this theory – that thinking about yourself in the future could encourage you to make better decisions today. For their research, they asked a group of college students the exact same computer question posed above.
Before they could answer though, the students were asked to imagine themselves in the future and then to write a letter to themselves about who they are today.
This is where things got interesting…
One group of students was told to look three months into the future.
The other group was told to look 20 years into the future.
Can you guess which group chose to do the right thing more often? The 20-year group, of course.
But how does writing a simple letter—something no one else will ever read but you—lead to better choices?
It has to do with how you see yourself in the near future versus the distant future.
When imagining themselves in the near future, most people will project their life through their own eyes, meaning they see themselves as they currently are.
But when you look into the distant future, you’re more likely to take-on a different persona:
One that is more aware of things.
One that is wiser.
One that makes better decisions.
The letters written by the students who were looking 20 years out, forced them to make a strong connection in the present – a connection between who they are today and the person they imagined they would be in the future. And that connection, interestingly enough, helped them make smarter choices today.
What could this do for your decisions about money?
How To Write A Letter To Your Future Self
If you want to make better money decisions, then write your future self a letter.
Want to have a big retirement fund? Write to your future self about how much you will save and how you’ll spend below your means.
Want to be a millionaire? In your letter, tell yourself about the steps you’ll be taking to get there. The books you’ll read. The habits you’ll adopt. The investments you’ll make.
Want to become financially free? Describe the places you’ll travel to, the charities you’ll start and what you’ll be doing when you are in total control of your time.
How To Get The Best Of The Letter Technique
1. Write to yourself at least 20 years in the future. Long-term works better than short-term. Imagine at least 20 years ahead to get the greatest effect.
2. Don’t just focus on the ultimate outcome you want in the future. Focus also on the specific habits and ideals you need to become a money master in the future. See yourself as already having those very traits.
3. Remember to think about your present self when writing the letter. The important thing about writing to yourself in the future is that it connects back to who you are today.
Want to master this technique so that it practically guarantees you’ll make great decisions with money in the future?
Then repeat the process every year. Turn this letter writing technique into a habit. The more often you do it, the more opportunities you’ll have to “connect” with your future self and make the needed changes today to ensure you stay on track.
If you want to have a better financial life today, start thinking about tomorrow. Not just in a passing way, but really taking the time to seriously consider your future self.
Will the future be what you want it to be?
Write your own story to your future self, so that you’ll make the right money choices today and ensure your on the path to achieving financial freedom!
To your freedom,
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