Why the Future You Already Knows the Answers (and How to Listen)

Have you ever felt stuck facing a challenge in your business or life, unsure of which direction to take? I’ve been there myself, and what I discovered completely changed the way I approach decision-making and goal-setting. The key lies in connecting with your future self. This is a strategy (and the Youtube video linked here and the podcast episode linked here) I teach my VIP coaching clients at e-Learning Partners, and it has consistently produced extraordinary results. By creating what Dr. Benjamin Hardy calls an impossible goal and bridging the gap between who you are now and who you want to become, you can unlock answers and clarity that aren’t apparent from your present perspective.

The idea of a future self isn’t just theoretical. It is a practical tool for solving problems, making better decisions, and achieving ambitious goals. When you start to identify with the person you will be in the future, your present behavior changes automatically. I’ve seen this in action both in my own life and in the work I do with clients, and it works remarkably well when approached with intention and consistency.

Setting an impossible goal

One of the first steps in connecting with your future self is defining an impossible goal. But what exactly is an impossible goal? It’s not about setting a goal that is slightly better than what you currently have. It is about creating a vision for your future that is at least ten times bigger, something that pushes the boundaries of your imagination and forces you to think differently.

For example, one of my VIP clients, Mario, is working on a goal to halve the world suicide rate in the next three years. That is not just ambitious; it is nearly unimaginable. And that is exactly the point. Impossible goals create a future self worth aspiring to. They require aggressive timelines, typically three years or less, because longer horizons like ten years don’t produce the urgency or connection to the future self that drives immediate action. By creating a goal that is impossible yet tangible, we establish a framework to consistently pull insights from our future selves.

Why connecting with your future self changes everything

Dr. Benjamin Hardy teaches that your identity drives your behavior. When you identify with your future self, you make decisions differently today because you are no longer acting from your current self’s limitations. Your preferences, habits, and perspectives evolve naturally over time, and by intentionally connecting with your future self, you accelerate that process.

Think about how much you’ve changed over the past five or ten years. Your tastes, priorities, and choices have shifted—sometimes drastically. By bridging the gap between who you are now and who you will become, you tap into insights and perspectives that your current self cannot generate alone. This is the foundation for making better decisions and taking actions that align with long-term goals.

Writing letters from your future self

One of the most powerful tools I use—and teach—is writing letters from your future self to your present self. These letters are written across three intervals: three years, one year, and 90 days. The goal is to embody your future self and speak as if the achievements and growth you want have already occurred.

I like to start with the 90-day letter because it allows me to filter daily decisions through the lens of my future self. For example, I might write, “Jonny, I now have over 10,000 followers on YouTube because I focused on delivering consistent high-value content.” By articulating achievements as if they have already happened, you prime your subconscious to make choices that align with those outcomes. This simple practice has repeatedly helped me and my clients identify the steps we need to take today to achieve our impossible goals.

Visualization: experiencing the future today

Writing letters is powerful, but visualization takes the practice to the next level. By vividly imagining your future self and your achievements, you create a mental roadmap that informs your present actions. I use this method in ultrarunning, where visualizing the entire course and crossing the finish line allowed me to break personal records.

Visualization works because the brain often cannot distinguish between real experiences and vividly imagined ones. When you repeatedly picture your future self achieving your goals, your brain begins to internalize the behaviors, decisions, and actions necessary to make it happen. This method ensures that connecting with your future self is not just theoretical; it becomes actionable, guiding your daily decisions in alignment with your long-term vision.

Asking questions to your future self

Another technique I incorporate is asking questions directly to my future self. Instead of waiting for insights to come spontaneously, I maintain a dialogue with the person I will become. For example, when Mario asked how he could serve 50,000 people in 90 days to reach his goal of reducing the global suicide rate, the answer emerged from imagining his future self’s perspective.

These answers aren’t always fully formed, but they provide a pathway. By asking your future self targeted questions about challenges, priorities, and opportunities, you gain clarity that can drastically accelerate progress. This approach is a shortcut to high-value decision-making and ensures that your present actions are aligned with your most ambitious goals.

Daily gratitude: aligning past, present, and future

The third practice I recommend is daily gratitude, which connects your past accomplishments, present actions, and future aspirations. At the end of each day, I write down three wins from today, reflecting on what my past self has already achieved. Then I project three wins for tomorrow, setting intentions that align with the vision of my future self.

Gratitude reinforces positive patterns, builds confidence, and strengthens the connection between your current and future identities. When combined with the other practices—letters and visualization—it becomes a holistic system that aligns all aspects of your life. Daily gratitude ensures that the lessons from your past, the decisions of your present, and the aspirations of your future work in harmony.

How this works in real life

The results of these practices are tangible. In my ultramarathon, daily visualization and connecting with my future self allowed me to run 62 miles in 12 hours under extreme conditions. Similarly, clients like Mario have seen exponential growth and clarity in their business within the first month of implementing these practices in our VIP Coaching Experience program.

These methods are not just motivational; they are practical tools that produce measurable results. By consistently connecting with your future self, you start making decisions differently, prioritizing the actions that truly matter, and accelerating the timeline for achieving impossible goals.

Conclusion: take the first step today

Connecting with your future self is not a complicated process, but it is transformative. Start small by writing letters, visualizing your future, and practicing daily gratitude. Align your identity with the person you want to become, and watch your decisions, actions, and results evolve naturally.

If you want guidance or accountability, my VIP Coaching Experience at e-Learning Partners provides direct support for implementing these strategies. Imagine what your life could look like if you consistently tapped into the wisdom of your future self—clarity, confidence, and extraordinary progress in your business and personal life await. Start today, and let your future self lead the way.