Often, the life we live isn’t what we imagined it would be.
Sometimes, it’s the peaks and valleys of our journey. But other times, it’s because we haven’t clarified what we want and how to connect our present to our future.
Today, let’s change your perspective. These questions to ask your future self dig deeper, so you’ve got a direct guide to the life of your dreams.
How to Answer These Future Self Questions
These questions are different because you are stepping into the shoes of your future. You are answering as though you are already there. This can be an incredible way to take off your rose-colored glasses. You’ll…
- Drop habits that aren’t putting you on the right path
- Create new habits for the future you want
- Clarify the life path you want to be on
- Prevent major regrets down the road
- Let go of the things that aren’t important
Also, the answers to these questions will help you tremendously if you want to create a vision board.
Now, pretend you are five to ten years into the future, and answer honestly!
Future Self Questions For Kids
First, kids benefit from these questions too! Help them see what’s most important coming out of their childhood years.
1. What was the best thing you learned as a kid?
2. What’s one childhood memory that you cherish? Why?
3. What’s one thing you did to make someone’s day (or make the world better)?
4. What are new things you tried and loved?
5. What are you grateful for about your family growing up?
6. What are you grateful for about growing up where you are?
7. What’s the worst way that your parents have embarrassed you?
8. If you look at your day now, what do you spend the most time doing? (And how is it different than when you were a kid?)
9. Looking back, what do you wish you had spent more time doing as a kid?
10. What do you wish you had spent less time doing?
11. If you could go back in time and listen to one person’s advice more, who would it be?
12. Was getting older as great as you thought it would be when you were younger?
13. Were you the kind kid you had hoped to be in school?
14. Has the food you like changed over time?
15. Have your preferences in pets changed over time?
16. What are your biggest hopes and dreams for the future?
17. What has stopped you from going after your dreams? How can you overcome this?
18. Did you make a friend you still have today?
19. Who has inspired you to reach for the stars?
20. What’s one thing you did in school that you’re really proud of?
21. Did your degree or schooling help in your adult job?
22. What was your most memorable experience in school?
23. What are the three biggest lessons you’ll take away from childhood?
24. Did you get the chance to spread your wings in school?
25. Were you able to “find your people” in school or activities?
Questions For Your Future Self: Adults
Next use these good questions to ask your future self…
26. Where did you end up?
(If you summed up the current habits, routines, and relationships you have now, what kind of life does it navigate towards?)
27. How do your family relationships look and feel?
28. What do you wish you spent more time doing?
29. What does your work place look and feel like?
30. What does a normal day look like?
31. Now that time has past, what do you appreciate more of?
32. What do you tolerate less of in your life?
33. What regrets do you have?
34. What’s something that you “let go of” now that always used to bug you?
35. Are you fit and healthy? Why or why not?
36. How do your work colleagues feel about you?
37. What’s one thing you would do differently if you had the chance to do it over again?
38. What activity do you find relaxing? Is it the same or different than when you were younger?
39. Describe yourself in 3 words.
40. Have you become more of a night owl or more of an early bird as time has passed?
41. Which relationships have remained true over time?
42. Looking back, what advice would you give yourself about work?
43. Looking back, what advice would you give yourself about parenting and family?
44. Have you done things that helped take care of your mental health?
45. What can you incorporate it into your day now?
46. Does your diet support your physical health?
47. How can you change what you eat to support a healthy life?
48. What are the hobbies that bring you joy?
49. What gift do you still treasure after all this time?
50. Did you take care of your relationships?
51. Did you follow your dreams?
52. What’s the biggest change in society and how has it affected you?
53. Have you visited all of the places you had hoped to?
Questions to Ask Your Future Self In a Letter or Journal
Grab a blank letter or journal and a pen. Then, enjoy exploring the questions for your future self below.
54. Do you feel your purpose is as strong as ever? Or has it waned over the years?
55. Have you achieved a good work-life balance?
56. Have you become more spiritual or religious over time?
57. Have you become a better person over time?
58. Have you been a good parent? (Partner, friend, daughter/son, etc.)
59. What have you learned in the last 10 years of this journey of life?
60. What’s the worst you’ve been sick or injured? What did it teach you?
61. Do you follow the opinion of others or the opinion of your inner voice more?
62. Have you let any unhealthy relationships have too much power in your life?
63. If you had to give someone one piece of advice, what would it be?
64. What are the biggest fears or inner conflicts you’ve not been able to overcome yet?
65. What are the biggest fears or inner conflicts you have been able to overcome?
66. How does your future self handle conflict?
67. What’s your largest life obstacle, challenge, or frustration?
68. What’s the biggest tragedy you’ve had to face?
69. Has the pace of your life sped up or slowed down over time?
70. Is there anyone you didn’t appreciate enough?
71. Is there anything you took for granted?
72. When was the last time you did something for the first time?
73. What’s your absolute biggest life accomplishment?
74. What habit have you given up in the last few years?
75. Do you feel “successful”? Why or why not?
76. Are you wealthy? Do you earn what you hoped to be making?
77. Is there anything you wish you’d made more time for?
78. Has your life turned out the way you thought it would?
79. If you found out you had 1 week left to live, what would you do?
80. If you found out you had 1 year left to live, what would you do?
81. If today was your last day on Earth, what would you do?
82. Will what you’re worrying about today matter in 5 years?
83. If you were asked to give a speech to a graduation class, what would it say? (See more good what if questions here)
The only questions that really matter are the ones you ask yourself.
URSULA K. LE GUIN
Essential Questions to Ask Yourself In 6 Months
These questions to ask your future self are on a timeframe, and make for excellent bi-annual reflection periods.
84. Of the goals you set 6 months ago, are you on track?
85. How have you changed and how have you stayed the same in the last 6 months?
86. Have you taken advantage of opportunities in the last 6 months?
87. How can you create more opportunities in the future?
88. What’s one conflict that arose over the last 6 months, and how did you handle it?
89. Is your mind helping you or hurting you? (Cultivate empowering beliefs with positive morning affirmations)
90. In the past 6 months, have you lifted up friends and family?
91. If you had to pick one thing to change in your life, what would it be?
92. How much time have you wasted on social media in the last 6 months?
93. Who or what inspired you the most in the last 6 months?
(And how can you spend more time around this?)
94. What 1-2 actions have you taken in the last 6 months that produced the biggest results?
95. What are all the things in the last 6 months that you worried about, but never happened?
(This question helps if you’re prone to worrying)
96. What was the best thing you did for your closest relationship in the last 6 months?
97. Have you let the opinions of others dictate your choices in the last 6 months?
98. What would you do if you knew you could not fail?
99. What has stressed you out the most in the last 6 months? How can you eliminate, minimize, or better cope with this?
100. What one habit has your future self built in the last 6 months?
101. What events in the last 6 months are you most grateful for?
102. If you could keep only one photograph from the last 6 months, what would it be?
103. Who have you forgiven in the last 6 months?
104. How can you be kinder to yourself? (Start with this self-love challenge printable)
105. What’s one thing you’ve avoided, that you need to address?
Questions to Ask Your Future Self in a Year
106. Of the goals you set 1 year ago, did you reach them? Why or why not?
107. Have you been working consistently towards your goals?
108. Are you pursuing your dreams, or are they sitting on the back burner?
109. What’s your biggest fear around pursuing your dreams?
110. What has happened in the last year that has surprised you?
111. Who have been your best mentors in the last year?
112. How have you changed and how have you stayed the same in the last year?
113. Are you maintaining the habits you built a year ago? (Journaling, going to the gym, etc.)
114. Have you been settling for less or keeping high standards?
115. Are there any large challenges you’ve overcome in the past year?
116. What 1-2 actions have you taken in the last year that produced the biggest results?
117. What are you most proud of doing in the last year?
118. In the last year, who have you helped on their journey of life?
119. When in the past year have you been most energized and motivated?
120. What can you do going forward to cultivate more of these energized moments?
121. What simple pleasures bring you the most joy these days?
122. What have been your three happiest moments in the last year?
123. If you knew you had 1 week left to live, what would you do?
124. What was a mistake you made this year that helped you grow? (For more, check out great activities for growth mindset)
125. What was the nicest thing you did for someone this year?
126. What are you passionate about? Is it different than one year ago?
127. Is there anything you’ve been running from in the past year?
128. What was the best conversation you had this year? Who was it with?
129. What have you held on to, that you need to let go of?
130. What are you most looking forward to in your future now?
*See this New Year Reflection Questions for more on a year timeline >
Fun Questions To Ask Your Future Self
It’s time to get a bit more light-hearted. Ask yourself or a friend these juicy and funny questions.
131. Has there ever been a moment in your life that you truly laughed until you cried?
132. Is your hygiene better or worse than it used to be?
133. Looking back, what’s the worst thing you ever wore?
134. What’s a fashion trend that you once thought was cool, and now makes you cringe?
135. What has been your worst haircut?
136. What’s the craziest thing you’ve done in your life?
137. What’s your funniest (or craziest) family holiday story?
138. Do you drink more or less than you used to?
139. What’s the weirdest thing you’ve ever witnessed?
140. Do you eat healthier or less healthy than you used to?
141. What’s your funniest (or craziest) family vacation story?
142. What’s the price of milk these days?
143. How much is that stock worth that you bought 10 years ago?
144. Who (or what) in your life makes you smile the most?
145. What’s your most embarrassing moment?
146. What’s your funniest story about romance?
147. What’s the most spontaneous thing you’ve ever done?
148. Are you still a party animal?
149. Are you more relaxed, or more uptight as you’ve gotten older?
150. Back in the day, what did people do that you wish they still did now?
151. What’s on your bucket list?
152. Are robots running the world yet?
153. What’s your dream date now?
154. Is everyone driving electric cars these days?
155. Have aliens been encountered yet?
Juicy Questions To Ask
156. Have you ever had a surgery you now regret?
157. If you could go back in time and NOT listen to one person, who would it be?
158. What has attracted you to people? Has that changed over time?
159. What’s one thing in your life that you’ve done, and you’re really lucky it turned out the way that it did?
160. Do you think society is improving or getting worse?
161. What would your younger self have a hard time believing about your life today?
162. Have you ever committed a crime? What happened?
163. Have you ever locked yourself outside of your house or car?
164. Has getting older bothered you? Why or why not?
(Try these great ideas for your birthday, if you need a pick-me-up!)
165. How many people have you kissed?
166. Did you ever stalk someone online?
167. Do you still have a great love life with your partner?
168. When was the last time you tried something new with your partner?
169. Are you more into brains or looks? Has that changed over time?
170. Are you still a cuddler?
Deep Questions To Ask Your Future Self
The following questions to ask your future self reflect on your quality of life, purpose, and overall joy.
171. Did your life turn out the way you imagined when you were younger?
172. Are you living your life to the fullest?
173. Is there anything you left unsaid to someone, and now you wish you’d said it?
174. Have you achieved any of your childhood dreams?
175. What’s your biggest failure? What did you learn from it?
176. How has your purpose in life changed over time?
177. Was there an opportunity you passed up that you wish you had taken?
178. Looking over your life, do you think it’s true that we become like the people we’re around?
179. Do you feel you’ve made a deep impact on the world?
180. Who are the most important people to you?
181. What’s the one possession you own, that you wouldn’t want to part with?
182. In what ways have you “given back” to others?
(This could be through charity and volunteering, or helping others along their life journeys)
183. Do you wish you were young again? Why or why not?
184. Have you achieved your biggest personal life goals?
185. Have you been let down by someone close to you? What did you learn?
186. Did your relationship with your partner change over the years?
187. Did you ever make a decision for love that you now regret?
188. Did you ever make a decision with logic that you now regret?
189. What’s the closest you’ve ever come to dying? What happened?
190. Have you been a good friend through the years?
191. What’s one aspect of your life that you’re currently working on?
192. In the span of 24 hours, how much time is spent plugged into your devices?
193. How much time is spent “in real life” exploring nature, laughing with loved ones, etc.?
194. What’s a tough lesson you learned, but left you better for it?
195. Are you happy?
196. What are your 3-5 largest life values?
197. Who are you? (How do you describe yourself to others?)
198. Will the things on your to-do list today matter in 5 years?
199. Has your life been meaningful?
200. How can you create more meaning going forward?
201. In what ways have you expressed to love ones that you love them? Has it been often?
*Find more deep philosophical questions here >>
Random Things To Ask Your Future Self
And finally, enjoy exploring these less apparent moments of life.
202. Are you closer to your mom or your dad after all these years?
203. Who do you matter to most?
204. Did you stay in contact with your childhood friends?
205. What book did you always want to read, but haven’t gotten to yet?
206. Have you ever been in love?
207. When you get up in the morning, what’s the first thing you do?
208. What was the best thing you ever did with your money? What was the worst thing?
209. How long did it take you to get your loans paid off?
210. Where is your favorite place or spot in your home? Is this the same or different than it used to be?
211. Where is your favorite place or spot in your town? Has this changed?
212. Do you still have the same haircut and look that you used to?
213. Were you ever able to buy your dream home (car, go on your dream vacation, etc.)?
214. Have you ever saved someone’s life?
215. Has your cooking improved over time?
216. Are you better at keeping your house tidy or worse than you used to be?
217. What skill are you most proud of improving over time?
218. Have you become better at managing your money over time?
219. Have you become really good at your job?
220. Do you still call your mom?
221. Did you ever face bias at work or home? How did you handle it?
222. Have you ever been fired from a job?
223. Have you ever abruptly quit a job?
224. Looking ahead, what do you hope to achieve in the next 1-3 years?
225. What do you hope to achieve 10 years from now? How do you want to change and stay the same?
To Consider With Future Self Questions To Ask
Now that you’ve asked your future self the questions, what do you think? Are you on the right life path? Are your present steps leading you to the future you desire?
And if nothing else, use these questions to keep an open mind, stay on track, and drop the stuff that doesn’t matter.
See these vision board examples for ways to turn your answers into a vision!
Successful people ask better questions, and as a result, they get better answers.
TONY RO
