Do something today! That will ensure that the you of tomorrow will follow suit and get closer to where you want to go
WE all like to think we’ll make better choices tomorrow: tomorrow we’ll wake up early. Tomorrow we’ll eat healthier. Tomorrow we’ll get our finances in order.
Researchers once asked participants what they’d choose for a snack in the future — a healthy banana or a decadent piece of chocolate. Most people proudly said they’d go for the banana. But when the time came to actually choose, most of them grabbed the chocolate instead.
Sound familiar?
This little experiment highlights something psychologists call the “intention-action gap.” It’s the difference between what we intend to do in the future and what we actually do when the moment arrives. We love to picture our future selves as disciplined, organized, and financially savvy. But in reality, our future self isn’t any better at resisting temptation or procrastination than we are right now.
The key is not to beat yourself up over this tendency. It’s to recognize it and start making small, positive changes today — even if it feels inconvenient or hard.
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