Whether we like it or not, our technology use reflects our values. And our “digital footprints” comprise not just the data platforms collect about us, but also the trail of attention and choices we leave behind us every single day.
This can be uncomfortable to acknowledge. We’re really good at creating narratives about who we think we are and how we spend our time, but those stories don’t always match reality.
The gap between intention and action shows up everywhere:
- We say we value focus and intentionality, but we spend hours per day scrolling social media
- We say we value creativity, but we spend every spare moment consuming and doomscrolling
- We say we value wrestling with big ideas, but our Screen Time stats show we like the dopamine hit instead
When confronted with the numbers, we have to admit that how we think we spend our time is not how we actually spend our time.
The proof is in the digital pudding. We are what we repeatedly do.
But here’s the paradoxical good news: if something is really important to us, we’ll figure out a way to get it.
- If we really want to focus, we’ll delete the social media apps.
- If we really want to write, we’ll find time to do it.
- If we really want to understand something, we’ll read the books.
The way we use our technology is a reflection of who we are, but it’s also a lever we can pull to become the person we want to be.
What Our Apps Say About Us
One of the easiest ways to nudge yourself down more intentional technology paths is to be selective about the apps you use.
Think about it: it’s hard to “accidentally” spend hours on social media if it’s not installed on your phone. The friction of having to open a browser, navigate to the site, and log in is enough to make you pause and question whether this is really how you want to spend the next 30 minutes.
Your home screen is a visual referendum on your priorities. Every app icon is an app that is linked to a certain type of person. The question to ask yourself: is this the type of person you want to be? When you open that app, are you voting for the person you want to become, or the person you’re trying to leave behind? Those tiny votes compound as patterns become habits, and over time those habits harden into an identity.
But here’s where it gets interesting: who we are is always changing.
The Ship of Theseus
There’s a famous thought experiment from Greek mythology about the ship of Theseus, the hero who slayed the Minotaur.
After Theseus returned home, the Athenians preserved his ship as a memorial. But over the decades, as wooden planks rotted and sails deteriorated, each piece was replaced with new materials. After enough time had passed, not a single original component remained.
Which led Greek philosophers to ask: Is it still the Ship of Theseus, or is it something else entirely?
I’d argue that it is still Theseus’ ship. Even though the physical parts have changed, the essence—the identity, the story, the meaning—remains intact. The soul of the ship is the same, even if the parts aren't original.
The same is true for us. The human body replaces every cell, on average, every seven years. Rates vary, but you are, in a very literal sense, not the same person you were when you started reading this post.
Which is why it’s so important that you understand not only who you are right now, but who you want to become.
Your future identity is just as important as your present one. The future isn’t something that happens to you. It’s something you create through the choices you make today, including the seemingly small ones like which apps you choose to keep on your phone. Those choices are the planks we replace; collectively, they shape the identity of the ship.
The Bottom Line: Do Future You a Favor
In his book Atomic Habits, James Clear talks about how identity change doesn’t start with outcomes or goals. It starts with the process of becoming the type of person you want to be.
- Want to be a writer? Start writing.
- Want to be a runner? Start running.
- Want to be someone who thinks deeply? Start reading instead of scrolling.
Every time you follow through with an intentional choice, you cast a vote for the type of person you wish to become. Cast enough votes in the right direction, and eventually you win the election in your mind. When that happens, you start to think of yourself differently. The identity shift happens naturally, almost without you even noticing.
Your technology choices are votes too. Every time you choose to open your notes app instead of Twitter, you’re voting for the writer. Every time you choose a book over TikTok, you’re voting for the thinker. Every time you delete an app that doesn’t serve you, you’re voting for an intentional version of your future self.
Decisions determine destiny. Your intentional choices create the future. By the end of 2026, your life could look completely different - if you start paying attention to your digital footprints today.
Try a 7‑day “Future You” experiment:
- Delete one app that steals your attention.
- Move social media off your phone.
- Protect one 30‑minute block to create each day (write, think, build).
- Put one app that reflects future you in a prominent place on your Home Screen.
- Turn on one Screen Time limit you’ll actually feel.
You’ll see the pattern shift - and your digital footprints will prove it.
Future You isn’t a stranger to be avoided. You’re creating and becoming them with every single tap. So start casting better votes today.
