This is Hidden Brain, I'm Shankar Vedanta.

In Greek mythology, the sirens were alluring sea creatures who sang beautiful and beguiling songs.

Sailors lured by these sirens found themselves running a ground on rocks and caps

and capsizing. It's the origin of the phrase siren song to describe a

temptation that conceals danger.

According to Greek mythology, the warrior Ulysses wanted to hear the song of the sirens, but feared he would lose control of his faculties and run his ship aground.

So he had his men bind him to the mast of his own ship.

When he heard the song of the sirens, the ropes constrained him from giving into temptation. In modern times,

times, social scientists and lawyers design what are sometimes known as

Ulysses Pacts or Ulysses contracts.

Exactly as in the myth, these are ways you can limit what you yourself can do in the future,

if you feel you are likely to make mistakes. If you fear you are at risk

for dementia for example you can sign over power of attorney to a relative to keep yourself

from making poor decisions in the years to come.

States and nations sometimes pass laws to constrain themselves from overspending future budgets. When you skip buying chips and soda at the grocery store,

because you worry you will give into temptation if you keep junk food at home,

you are crafting a soft version of a Ulysses packed with yourself.

You are constraining what you will do in the future.

Today, in the next installment of our U2.0 series, we will explore new research into how to become

a better designer of your future self, how to craft choices that will make for better tomorrow's this week

on Hidden Brain. In 2003, Washington Mutual Bank introduced a new ad campaign titled The Power of Yes.

The uncertainty of getting a home loan made Paul irritable.

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