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When Does the Future Begin?
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When Does the Future Begin?

A Study in Maximizing Motivation

Daphna Oyserman
Aeon, 2016
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8

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  • Analytical
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Recommendation

How close do you feel to the future you? According to social scientist Daphna Oyserman, your answer might be critical to your motivation. While most animals focus on the present, early humans developed future-oriented thinking – a mode of consciousness that helps you defy hardship – as you make your way toward an imagined future. Balancing these two modes of thinking can be a struggle. getAbstract recommends this summary to people who want to understand how an orientation toward the future can influence their behavior in the here and now.

Summary

Do you see your future self as relevant and firmly linked to the actions you’re currently engaged in? Or is future you a distant, amorphous concept? Your answers to those questions reveal your levels of “identity-based motivation.” Research suggests that improving identity-based motivation leads to higher grades for students, better attitudes toward hard work and even increased retirement savings in adults. Middle school students underwent a 12-week training program that included small group activities which encouraged them to integrate their their current approach to schoolwork with visions of their...

About the Author

Daphna Oyserman teaches psychology, education and communication at the University of Southern California. Her book Pathways to Success Through Identity-Based Motivation was published in 2015.

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