Now & Later

Will your future self thank you for what you're about to do?

“I’ll deal with it later.”

Behavior change is hard. It’s human nature to delay discomfort, so we kick the can. Unfortunately, sometimes, when we procrastinate self-improvement, we don’t just hit “pause” on progress toward a goal—we lose ground.

There are three months, several holidays, many parties, and lots of candy between you and your New Year’s resolutions. Don’t let your plans to “do better later” be a psychological permission slip to throw caution to the wind. (It helps if you don’t think of upcoming choice points as your “last chance” to have fun or enjoy something.)

What if you did things differently this year? What if you didn’t wait for January 1st? A lot can happen in the next ninety days. How will you use this runway of opportunity? Ultimately, it’s up to you which direction you will go: forward or back. Drive or slide. Whatever you choose, at the very least, don’t make decisions that will create more time or work for you in the New Year. 

I recognize that New Year's resolutions can be fraught. I have plenty of thoughts on why they tend to fall apart, but at the core of many of our goals—no matter when they’re made—is the simple desire to be better. We’re trying to improve because we’re wired to flourish. So, why not start being kinder to yourself now? When you look at it that way, it's hard to find a compelling reason to delay.

Start now so you can finish ahead.

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If you’re interested in more strategies for strengthening self-awareness and raising your EQ, don’t miss Finding Joy:

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