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How much do you think about your future self? If your answer is not much, you’re not alone. It can be difficult to plan for a version of yourself you haven’t met yet, says psychologist Meg Jay. Sharing how to close the empathy gap between you and your future selves, she outlines courageous questions to ask about how your present and future can align, so you can begin to achieve your goals. (This conversation, hosted by TED current affairs curator Whitney Pennington Rodgers, was part of a TED Membership event. Visit ted.com/membership to become a TED Member.)
0:00 Intro
0:13 The empathy gap between your current and future selves
1:55 Philosopher Derek Parfit: “We neglect our future selves because of some sort of failure or belief or imagination.”
3:00 How virtual reality could help you save for retirement
3:45 A Q&A with your future self
5:54 Get to know yourself anytime — age doesn’t matter
7:38 Next steps with your future self
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