Happier with Gretchen Rubin

Episode: A Little Happier: Have You Ever Felt Like an Employee of Your Former Self?
Date: December 8, 2025
Host: Gretchen Rubin

Episode Overview

In this “A Little Happier” episode, Gretchen Rubin reflects on the intriguing sensation of becoming an “employee of your former self.” Drawing inspiration from novelist Ian McEwan, Gretchen explores how our past choices and commitments sometimes dictate our current obligations—whether in professional, creative, or personal realms. She also briefly touches on how we sometimes act for our “future selves,” and offers practical insight into navigating these dualities.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Gretchen’s Professional Life & Identity (02:09)

• Multiple Roles: Gretchen describes the range of her creative work: two podcasts, two weekly newsletters, courses, products, and her Happier app.
• Core Identity: Despite all her projects, she identifies most as a writer:

  “...my primary identity and certainly the one that I enjoy most and value most, and that is the wellspring for everything else I do is writing books.” (02:37)

The Book Tour Dilemma (03:08)

• The Timeline Disconnect: By the time Gretchen is promoting a book, her creative involvement with that project has long since ended.
• New Projects, Old Commitments: She often finds herself fully absorbed in new writing projects, while still required to promote her previous work.
• Common Author Experience: Many authors, she notes, find it difficult to serve the demands of old and new projects at once—some even delay starting new work because of this.

The “Employee of Your Former Self” (03:47)

• Inspiration from Ian McEwan: Gretchen references a Harvard Business Review interview with novelist Ian McEwan:

  “The best bit of writing a novel is writing the novel. Then six or nine months later, you’re required to schlep around like some guy selling brushes, and you become the employee of your former self who was so happy at his desk freely dreaming—he’s sending you as his salesman.” (04:16, quoting McEwan)

• Personal Reflection: Gretchen loves the phrase and applies it broadly beyond writing, recognizing the sensation in many areas of life.

Universal Examples of “Former-Self Employment” (04:45)

• Everyday Scenarios:
  • Sticking with a class for sunk cost.
  • Completing a home project that’s lost its appeal.
  • Serving on a now-burdensome committee.
• Key Insight: In each case, you’re laboring under decisions made by a previous version of yourself.

The “Employee of Your Future Self” (05:07)

• Reversed Perspective: Sometimes we also act as employees of our future selves—making choices now for the benefit of our future wellbeing.
  • Packing carefully for a trip.
  • Exercising for long-term health.
  • Studying for a future career.
• Reflection: This framing puts a humorous, relatable spin on the obligations and investments we make across time.

Closing Thought

Gretchen finds the concept both funny and illuminating, and hopes considering it will make listeners’ weeks “a little happier.” (05:56)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Writing:

  “I love to write. In fact, more accurately, I’d say that I have to write. It’s true that I would write even if no one else read what I wrote.” — Gretchen Rubin (02:47)

• On Book Promotion:

  “By the time I’m on a book tour, I’m deep in a new project.” — Gretchen Rubin (03:25)

• On McEwan’s Analogy (Clear Attribution):

  “You become the employee of your former self who was so happy at his desk freely dreaming—he’s sending you as his salesman.” — Ian McEwan (quoted by Gretchen Rubin) (04:16)

• On Broader Application:

  “Maybe you agreed to serve on a committee that sounded interesting but turns out to require a lot of drudge work—you’re an employee of your former self.” — Gretchen Rubin (05:01)

• On the Future Perspective:

  “You’re an employee of your future self…exercising regularly so you’ll be healthier and stronger decades from now.” — Gretchen Rubin (05:17)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 02:09 — Gretchen introduces her many creative roles and describes her identity as a writer.
• 03:08 — She discusses the disconnect between finishing a creative project and promoting it.
• 03:47 — She brings in Ian McEwan’s analogy about being an "employee of your former self."
• 04:45 — Everyday examples: classes, home projects, committees.
• 05:07 — “Employee of your future self” concept and examples.
• 05:56 — Episode wraps up with a reflection on these ideas.

Episode Takeaways

• Many of our obligations—professional, personal, or creative—are set by previous versions of ourselves.
• Recognizing when you’re working for your former or future self can reframe, and sometimes lighten, the burdens or responsibilities you carry.
• Thinking about commitments with this perspective can provide greater clarity and a touch of humor as you make decisions and manage your time.