Create Your Ideal Future Using Science-Based Protocols | Ari Wallach

Andrew Huberman

Oct 14, 2024

Episode description

In this episode, my guest is Ari Wallach, most recently an adjunct associate professor at Columbia University's School of International and Public Affairs and host of a new TV series titled A Brief History of the Future. We discuss the importance of learning to project our understanding of ourselves and our goals into the future, both for our own sake and for future generations. We also explore how this fosters a sense of unity and community within our species.

We examine how technology and modern society influence our perception of time and our ability to make decisions in a fast-paced, reward-driven environment that leads to our best possible future. Additionally, we discuss how the dismantling of traditional institutions has altered people's sense of purpose. We outline protocols to cultivate long-term thinking, connect with core values, and define a deep sense of purpose. This episode provides listeners with actionable tools to merge short- and long-term thinking in ways that create a positive, lasting impact on ourselves, society, and the planet.

Access the full show notes for this episode: https://go.hubermanlab.com/nxoB8eX

Use Ask Huberman Lab, our chat-based tool, for summaries, clips, and insights from this episode: https://go.hubermanlab.com/v7nt4d

Pre-order Andrew's book, Protocols: https://go.hubermanlab.com/protocols

*Thank you to our sponsors*
AG1: https://drinkag1.com/huberman
David Protein: https://davidprotein.com/huberman
Helix Sleep: https://helixsleep.com/huberman
ROKA: https://roka.com/huberman
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*Dr. Ari Wallach*
Longpath: https://www.longpath.org/ari-wallach
A Brief History of the Future: https://www.pbs.org/show/a-brief-history-of-the-future
Longpath (book): https://amzlink.to/az0ySyIHkBkzu
TED talk: https://www.ted.com/talks/ari_wallach_3_ways_to_plan_for_the_very_long_term
Newsletter: https://longpath.substack.com
Futurific Studios: https://futurificstudios.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ariw
X: https://x.com/AriW
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ariwallach
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/longpath.org/
Threads: https://www.threads.net/@ariw

*Timestamps*
00:00:00 Ari Wallach
00:01:58 Sponsors: David, Helix Sleep & ROKA
00:06:13 Mental Time Travel; Technology & Present
00:15:46 Technology; Tools: Transgenerational Empathy; Bettering Today
00:22:00 Tool: Empathy for Others
00:26:09 Empathy for Future Generations, Emotion & Logic
00:31:48 Tool: Emotion to Guide Action
00:36:50 Sponsor: AG1
00:38:02 Tools: Perfect Day Exercise; Cathedral Thinking, Awe & Future Generations
00:43:52 Egoic Legacy, Modeling Behavior
00:51:13 Social Media, Time Capsule, Storytelling
01:00:06 Sponsor: LMNT
01:01:18 Short-Term Thinking; Life Purpose, Science & Religion
01:09:23 Longpath, Telos, Time Perception
01:15:19 Tools: Photo Frames; Behavior & Legacy; Life in Weeks
01:23:02 Tool: Visualizing Future You
01:30:17 Death, Western Society
01:36:20 Tool: Writing Letter to Future Self
01:41:01 Society, Future Harmony
01:47:03 Traditional Institutions, Family, Future Consciousness; “Protopia”
01:58:48 Tool: Behavior & Modeling for the Future
02:08:11 Tool: “Why Tuesdays?”, Examining Self
02:14:58 Zero-Cost Support, YouTube, Spotify & Apple Follow & Reviews, Sponsors, YouTube Feedback, Protocols Book, Social Media, Neural Network Newsletter

#HubermanLab

Disclaimer: https://www.hubermanlab.com/disclaimer

Episode description

Mindsip insights from this episode:

Use aging photo filter to inspire long-term decision making

To make better long-term decisions, take a photo of yourself, use an app to age it, and place it on your bathroom mirror to look at daily.

#aging

Pursue protopia for a progressively better future

Instead of striving for a perfect "utopia" or fearing a "dystopia," focus on creating a "protopia"—a future that is not perfect but is actively and progressively better than today.

#personal-growth

Write a letter to define your future self

The real benefit of writing a letter to your future self isn't receiving it, but the act of writing it, which forces you to define who you want to become.

#personal-growth

#reflection

Confront death to inspire future thinking

According to Ernest Becker's "The Denial of Death," our fear of mortality drives short-term behavior, and confronting it can free you to become a "great ancestor.".

#mortality

#personal-growth

Recognize future self to improve sacrifice for long-term goals

Brain imaging studies show we view our future selves as strangers, which is why it's hard to make sacrifices for them, like saving for retirement.

#brain

#goals

Use empty photo frame as reminder for future generations

Place an empty photo frame on your shelf next to family pictures to serve as a daily, tangible reminder of your responsibility to future generations you may never meet.

#family

#ritual

Use emotions as kedge anchors to pull toward desired outcomes

Instead of being reactive, use emotions as a "kedge anchor" by feeling the desired emotional state of a future outcome to actively pull yourself toward it.

#emotion

#personal-growth

Break free from presentism to foster long-term thinking

Our modern culture has pushed us into "presentism," a state of being trapped in the immediate moment by notifications, which prevents long-term thinking.