There’s a mental trap I fall into far too often, and I suspect I’m not alone in this. It’s the belief that I can make up for today’s bad choices by being extra good in the future. It’s a form of self-deception, a false credit system where I borrow from a version of myself that doesn’t yet exist—one that is disciplined, motivated, and ready to correct all my missteps. But that future self is always just out of reach.