Self-Control & Empathy:

"Self-Control Is Just Empathy With Your Future Self"

"Science Says When Self-Control Is Hard, Try Empathizing With Your Future Self"

"Why don't people save for the future? According to a future self-continuity account, if one views the future self as a stranger, she should be no more motivated to save for her future self than to give money to a stranger (Parfit, 1971 , 1987)."

"impulsivity is often just acting unkindly toward your future self."

"self-control may be more aptly described as behaving altruistically toward your future self."

[According to this perspective, a smoking person doesn't really care if his future self will suffer from lung cancer. Due to this lack of empathy he neglects to protect his future self from severe pain and suffering.]