The holiday season is here, which provides us with an opportunity to reflect upon this past year. The process of taking stock of where we are -- and where ultimately we would like to be in the future -- is also a key component of identity, because introspection is a necessary prerequisite for a mature identity. 

Who we are currently is referred to by researchers as our 'current self' and who we would like to be as our 'future self'. More specifically, all the options for who we may become in the future are referred to as 'possible selves'. These possible selves can be 'hoped-for' (e.g., being a respected employee, a good spouse or parent, a kind person, and/or a lottery winner) and 'feared' (e.g., an under-employed or unemployed person, a cancer patient, and/or general failure). 

Therefore, when we consider who we are versus who we want to be, we can think about such as two distinct circles that ideally overlap as much as possible. The 'current self' circle should overlap or be very similar to the 'future self' circle. In the event that these two circles or selves are far apart, as in the case of both Rachel and Juan in our previous posts, a person may experience considerable distress. Notice that this can occur even when a person has previously invested much time and energy into becoming identity achieved, as has Juan.