At the end of most winters, I put a $20 bill in my coat pocket. This way, when I reach into it in the next year, I’m surprised and delighted to find it there again. I feel $20 richer—even though it was my $20 all along. (If you’re using this tactic, it helps to be forgetful. But life gets busy, so you shouldn’t have a problem.)
My challenge for you, as we approach the holidays, is to find a way to put $20 in your metaphorical coat pocket. In other words, find a way to delight your future self. The options are endless.
Could you write a letter to yourself on futureme.org to remind yourself of something you are grateful for—or just to wish yourself an incredible day? Or a happy birthday when your next one rolls around?
What about booking a solo spa retreat—or a restaurant dinner—two months out, so you forget about it in the interim?
Could you schedule one hour to clean up your computer’s Desktop so you come back from the holidays with a clean slate?
Can you plan a “do nothing day” one month out, and defend it religiously until then?
The options are countless. But I challenge you to pick one.
And one final suggestion, if you’ll forgive a brief pitch..
My next book, Intentional, comes out in January—and in a very real way, preordering the book is a way of putting $20 in your future self’s coat pocket.
I wrote it for times like January: when motivation returns, and we become more deliberate about how we want to spend our time, attention, and energy. It’s the most helpful book I’ve ever written, and it’s all about following through on what we intend to do.
I’m personally thinking of 2026 as the “year of intention”—a year to double down on how deliberately we approach both work and life. Not to mention a year to build intentions around what we value.
Productivity interest almost always dips in the run-up to the holidays only to spike again in January! So if this feels like something you’d enjoy in the new year, consider it a small gift for future-you 🙂
If this sounds like something future-you might appreciate, here’s the link!
Okay, end of pitch!
Your future self is still you—only in the future. Consider treating them—in whatever way you think will be meaningful!
Have a great holiday!
I can’t wait to see you after the jump!
—Chris
p.s., if you preorder from the US, plug in your receipt here! I’ll immediately send you a copy of the first chapter for some good holiday reading!
