How Can A Future View Make Life More Meaningful?

Future Illustration (Yan Krukov/Pexels)

JAKARTA - In a life full of busyness and daily routines, you are often trapped in a now loop that never stops. Like a pile-up work, a deadline arrives, and your attention is focused on what is in sight. However, a simple and transformative perspective comes from research results reported by the Greater Good Science Center at the University of California, Berkeley, Wednesday, October 22. Where when you deliberately think about the future (a process called prospection), your life can be more meaningful, full of purpose, and direct to novelty that is much more than just a daily routine.

Research shows that prospects are the ability of humans to look forward to the mind. Simulating the upcoming scenarios have some key benefits that can enrich the quality of life, such as;

By imagining the consequences of the future of the current action, you tend to choose options that bring long-term benefits, not just instant satisfaction. Research shows that guided participants to imagine the situation in the next 180 days are more willing to wait for a bigger prize than those who choose instant prizes.

Thinking about the future can be a trigger for your motivation to move forward. However, research also warns that just positive fantasies (for example success without a plan) can actually hinder real action. The most effective thing is when you have realistic expectations and recognize the obstacles that will arise, then draw up concrete plans.

When you feel you have a bond that is closer to 'you are in the future', you tend to feel more meaningful in life. On the other hand, disorders of the ability to see the future can be related to conditions such as depression.

How do you apply thoughts about the future so that your life feels more meaningful? Here are some steps that can be used as a guide: