Imagine the following: it is 6 a.m. and the alarm goes off. You know you need to get up for your early morning run, but your bed is impossibly warm and inviting. “I’ll run tomorrow,” you tell yourself and roll over for another hour of sleep. Tomorrow arrives, but the same thought crosses your mind. Before you know it, a week has passed, and the run you promised your future self never happened.
This is the challenge of the Temporal Self. Our present and future Selves are in constant conversation — though sometimes that conversation resembles more of a battle. The choices we make today echo into the future, shaping the person we become. Yet we often neglect our future Self, treating it as a stranger. In this article, we will explore how understanding our Temporal Self can help us achieve our goals.
What is the Temporal Self?
The Temporal Self refers to the way we perceive ourselves at different points in time — past, present, and future. From a psychological perspective, there is often a disconnect between who we are now and who we believe we will become. Research shows that we frequently perceive our future self as “foreign,” which explains why we engage in behavior that sabotages our long-term goals.
“The choices we make today echo into the future, shaping the person we become.”
Although the past provides us with important lessons, our future Self is often the one that faces the consequences of our present decisions. Our Temporal Self is not only about neglecting the future — it also encompasses how we learn from past experience. Athletes in particular, and people in general, often cling to past failures or successes, which shapes their current thinking.
Why our relationship with the past and future is critically important
In both life and sport, our connection with our past and future “selves” plays an important role in our behavior and decisions.
Learning from our Past Self
Our past Selves contain valuable information. In sport, we often reflect on past achievements — whether it is a competition, a match, or personal bests in the gym. This process of reflection helps athletes dissect their mistakes and build on their strengths. However, excessive attachment to past achievements or failures can hinder growth. A runner who has experienced an injury may become overly cautious, limiting their present potential out of fear. They say comparison is the mother of unhappiness, and many people manage to stop comparing themselves with others. However, our past Selves are also “other people” — just not in space, but in time. Sometimes comparing ourselves with them leads to very negative thinking about our present Self.
“The Past Self carries the lessons. Our Future Self carries the consequences.”
This phenomenon, known as “temporal bias,” is highlighted in a study in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, which shows that people idealize or excessively criticize their past selves, influencing the way they make decisions today.
The Future Self: the stranger we neglect
A key element of the Temporal Self is how distant and foreign our future Self feels. We often strive for immediate gains while putting long-term ones on the back burner. For example, a study at the University of California, Los Angeles found that people who perceive their future Self as more connected to their present Self are more likely to make decisions that benefit their long-term health and well-being.
“Visualizing your future self is not just about achievements — it is about making decisions today that your future Self will be grateful for.”
This disconnect can lead to suboptimal decisions in the sporting context. We may indulge in unhealthy food, skip a workout, or push ourselves too hard, because the future consequences seem distant and insignificant.
Neurological basis and emotional factors in temporal prioritization
Our future self is often foreign to us, shaped by competing forces in the brain — one that drives immediate reward and another that insists on long-term success. The prefrontal cortex, responsible for long-term planning and self-control, often competes with the limbic system, which drives our need for instant gratification. This internal struggle can explain why it is so difficult to prioritize future-oriented goals, even when we know they are beneficial.
Emotions such as anxiety, optimism, or disappointment also influence our decisions. Athletes who feel anxious about an upcoming competition may avoid difficult training sessions today to reduce immediate stress, even though they know this could harm their future performance. On the other hand, optimism about the future can motivate us to make choices that align with our long-term goals.
Individual differences and cultural influences on time perception
Temporal self-perception varies significantly among individuals. For example, those who score high on conscientiousness tend to have a stronger connection with their future selves, prioritizing long-term goals over immediate rewards. Conversely, highly impulsive individuals may struggle to plan for the future, acting more on short-term rewards. Additionally, people with higher levels of neuroticism may have difficulty with future-oriented thinking due to anxiety about the unknown.
Cultural background plays a significant role in shaping how people perceive time and their relationship with the future. In more individualistic societies, such as the United States or the United Kingdom, future-oriented thinking is often encouraged — people are motivated to set personal goals and focus on long-term achievements. At the same time, in collectivist cultures, such as many East Asian countries, the present moment and family obligations may take priority, potentially changing how people view their future selves.
As we age, our relationship with time changes. Younger people often have a more distant connection with their future selves, which may explain why impulsivity and risk-taking are more common in adolescence and early adulthood. Research shows that as people grow older, they tend to focus more on their long-term future, making decisions that are increasingly aligned with long-term health, stability, and well-being. This shift is often driven by life experience, increased responsibility, and the realization that future consequences are much closer than they once seemed.
What can we learn from our Past Self and do for our Future Self?
Now that we understand how the Temporal Self affects athletes, let us look at actionable strategies for strengthening this connection.
Conclusion
The Temporal Self has an enormous influence on our lives — from how we handle athletic preparation to how we make decisions in other areas of life. By understanding the importance of our connection with our past and future “Self,” we can make more informed, compassionate, and effective decisions today that benefit both our present and future “Self.” Understanding and improving our relationship with our Temporal Self can lead to better results, mental resilience, and long-term well-being.
If you want to work with a sport psychologist who can help you build a stronger connection with your Future Self — learn more about my approach or book a free consultation.