Things look different from out the windshield than in the rearview mirror. Almost every event you experience feels different once you’ve experienced it than you imagined it would have beforehand.
Research shows that the best way to predict your future is not to close your eyes and use your imagination. Ask people who have already experienced the event how they feel.
If you can simply measure their happiness, you can get a pretty good guide about how happy you will be in the future.
An example of the research comes from Speed Dating. Women could choose between a report that showed extensive details about the prospective partner (pictures, bio, salaries, etc.) or choose to talk with someone who had dated the person. Most chose the detailed information.
Those who talked with someone who had dated the person and enjoyed it, were more likely to have a positive experience with the potential partner. The person sharing their experience essentially became a surrogate for the other person’s future self. When we have no information about a future event, using a surrogate’s experience is a good predictor of our experience.
Check out “surrogates” at Katherinebock.com and decide now to attend one or both of my upcoming beach retreats:
Get Out of Your Own Way Workshop at the Beach
DECIDE ALREADY! Satisfaction guaranteed or your money back!
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