Sleep in an extra hour or get up and exercise?
Stay home and binge Netflix or attend a networking event?
Stay out late drinking with friends or go home early to study for your exam?
Accept a role that pays well or one that will build your skillset?*
Take a vacation or put money into your retirement savings account?
Every decision you make ultimately serves two people: your current self and your future self.
Being happy today isn't a bad thing.
And it's almost always easier to make your current self happy.
But the choices you make today don't just impact today.
What would your future self think about the decision you're about to make?
* If you can't accept a role that does both, which would clearly be the ideal situation.
P.S. As an aside, I wish my today-self would have been able to tell my yesterday-self to show more restraint last night when I was having dinner with friends at a delicious all-you-can-eat buffet. Inspiration from these posts can come from anywhere... even from an upset stomach.