--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Winners live in the present tense. People…" description: "\"Winners live in the present tense. People who come up short are consumed with future or past. I want to be living in the now.\" — Alex Rodriguez" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/525/alex-rodriguez-9496_come-up_winners-live-in-the-present-tense-people_461918.jpg" --- # Winners live in the present tense. People who come up… ![“Winners live in the present tense. People who come up short are consumed with future or past. I want to be living in the now.” quote by Alex Rodriguez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/525/alex-rodriguez-9496_come-up_winners-live-in-the-present-tense-people_461918.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/525/alex-rodriguez-9496_come-up_winners-live-in-the-present-tense-people_461918.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/525/alex-rodriguez-9496_come-up_winners-live-in-the-present-tense-people_461918.jpg) > “Winners live in the present tense. People who come up short are consumed with future or past. I want to be living in the now.” [Alex Rodriguez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-rodriguez/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Living fully in the present avoids the trap of obsessing over past regrets or future anxieties. **In simple terms:** Focus on now, not past or future. Key Takeaway Embrace present moment. Themes mindfulness presence focus Mood reflective motivational Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - daily work - sports performance - personal relationships - stress management Key Concepts psychology temporal perception Questions to Reflect On - How can you train your mind to stay present? - What habits pull you into past or future? A Different Perspective Future planning is still necessary; balance is key. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Come up](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/come-up/) [Consumed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/consumed/) [Live in the now](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/live-in-the-now/) [Live in the present](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/live-in-the-present/) [Live Present](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/live-present/) [Living In The Now](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/living-in-the-now-2/) [Past](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/past/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Present](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/present/) [Present tense](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/present-tense/) [Tense](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tense/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want/) [Winner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/winner/) [Winners Live](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/winners-live-1663284/) [Winning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/winning/) ## Related quotes > [I'm focussing on what I haven't attained, not what I have. A lot has come to me early. I don't want to get consumed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-rodriguez/i-m-focussing-on-what-i-haven-t-attained-not-what-i-have-a-lot-has/) [Alex Rodriguez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-rodriguez/) > [The secret of health for both mind and body is...live the present moment wisely and earnestly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gautama-buddha/the-secret-of-health-for-both-mind-and-body-is-live-the-present/) [Gautama Buddha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gautama-buddha/) > [Live in the present tense, facing the duty at hand without regret for the past or worry over the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-dewitt-hyde/live-in-the-present-tense-facing-the-duty-at-hand-without-regret-for/) [William DeWitt Hyde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-dewitt-hyde/) > [Learning to live in the present tense-one that's free from the failures of the past and the anxieties of the future-is a wonderful gift,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-pitino/learning-to-live-in-the-present-tense-one-that-s-free-from-the/) [Rick Pitino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-pitino/) > [Living in the now is freedom from all problems connected with time. You ought to remember that sentence, you ought to memorize it, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vernon-howard/living-in-the-now-is-freedom-from-all-problems-connected-with-time/) [Vernon Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vernon-howard/) > [“This is what true love is and yes it seems very small, and something that a person wouldn’t think would be a sign of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-v-songer/this-is-what-true-love-is-and-yes-it-seems-very-small-and-something/) [Austin V. Songer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-v-songer/) > [We can remove the blocks to realizing our Higher Power by experiencing (including living in the Now), remembering, forgiving and surrendering (these five realizations…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-l-whitfield/we-can-remove-the-blocks-to-realizing-our-higher-power-by/) [Charles L. Whitfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-l-whitfield/) > [“We're the winners because we get to live. Because we get to survive. Despite the pain of this life, we get to feel.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carrie-ryan/we-re-the-winners-because-we-get-to-live-because-we-get-to-survive/) [Carrie Ryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carrie-ryan/) > [Winners live each day as if their last. Not in the future, nor in the past, and someday . . . becomes now!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-waitley/winners-live-each-day-as-if-their-last-not-in-the-future-nor-in-the/) [Denis Waitley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-waitley/) > [“An emotionally locked person refuses to let go of their sad memories and live in the now.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kilroy-j-oldster/an-emotionally-locked-person-refuses-to-let-go-of-their-sad-memories/) [Kilroy J. Oldster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kilroy-j-oldster/) > [When one door closes another door opens. Usually a refrigerator.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bonnie-mcfarlane/when-one-door-closes-another-door-opens-usually-a-refrigerator/) [Bonnie McFarlane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bonnie-mcfarlane/) > [Living in the moment means letting go of the past and not waiting for the future. It means living your life consciously, aware that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oprah-winfrey/living-in-the-moment-means-letting-go-of-the-past-and-not-waiting-for/) [Oprah Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oprah-winfrey/) > [“The goal of any spiritual person is to strive towards attaining self-realization by living spontaneously in the present moment of physical reality, free from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kilroy-j-oldster/the-goal-of-any-spiritual-person-is-to-strive-towards-attaining-self/) [Kilroy J. Oldster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kilroy-j-oldster/) > [One of the most tragic things I know about human nature is that all of us tend to put off living.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-carnegie/one-of-the-most-tragic-things-i-know-about-human-nature-is-that-all-2/) [Dale Carnegie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-carnegie/) > [Life is a great and wondrous mystery, and the only thing we know that we have for sure is what is right here right…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-buscaglia/life-is-a-great-and-wondrous-mystery-and-the-only-thing-we-know-that/) [Leo Buscaglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-buscaglia/) ## More by Alex Rodriguez > [I want to be known as a good major-leaguer, and good major-leaguers work to become good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-rodriguez/i-want-to-be-known-as-a-good-major-leaguer-and-good-major-leaguers/) [Alex Rodriguez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-rodriguez/) > [Therapy can be a good thing; it can be therapeutic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-rodriguez/therapy-can-be-a-good-thing-it-can-be-therapeutic/) [Alex Rodriguez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-rodriguez/) > [We (Derek Jeter and I) want to kill each other. I think we both drive each other and motivate each other. But, when we're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-rodriguez/we-derek-jeter-and-i-want-to-kill-each-other-i-think-we-both-drive/) [Alex Rodriguez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-rodriguez/) > [With what has occurred in my life, the baseball field is where I feel most comfortable. That's what I feel I was born to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-rodriguez/with-what-has-occurred-in-my-life-the-baseball-field-is-where-i-feel/) [Alex Rodriguez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-rodriguez/) > [I'm a terrible singer. I feel lucky to play baseball. You can't be gifted in everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-rodriguez/i-m-a-terrible-singer-i-feel-lucky-to-play-baseball-you-can-t-be/) [Alex Rodriguez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-rodriguez/) > [Be respectful. Treat people the way you want to be treated. Respect the lowest rank and the highest rank and you'll never get in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-rodriguez/be-respectful-treat-people-the-way-you-want-to-be-treated-respect-the/) [Alex Rodriguez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-rodriguez/) > [I truly believe my job starts the minute I leave the baseball field. Going out and catching ground balls and hitting, that's a job,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-rodriguez/i-truly-believe-my-job-starts-the-minute-i-leave-the-baseball-field/) [Alex Rodriguez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-rodriguez/) > [When you think small and up the middle, good things happen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-rodriguez/when-you-think-small-and-up-the-middle-good-things-happen/) [Alex Rodriguez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-rodriguez/) > [I love the challenge of the game. I love the work. My goal right now is to have a season next year that will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-rodriguez/i-love-the-challenge-of-the-game-i-love-the-work-my-goal-right-now-is/) [Alex Rodriguez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-rodriguez/) > [Enjoy your sweat because hard work doesn't guarantee success, but without it you don't have a chance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-rodriguez/enjoy-your-sweat-because-hard-work-doesn-t-guarantee-success-but/) [Alex Rodriguez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-rodriguez/) > [Playing the game was the easy part. The real work was in the preparation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-rodriguez/playing-the-game-was-the-easy-part-the-real-work-was-in-the/) [Alex Rodriguez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-rodriguez/) > [Baseball has a funny way to tap you on the shoulder when you least expect it and tells you it's the end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-rodriguez/baseball-has-a-funny-way-to-tap-you-on-the-shoulder-when-you-least/) [Alex Rodriguez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-rodriguez/) > [You always dream about being on a baseball card. It's kind of funny when you finally see it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-rodriguez/you-always-dream-about-being-on-a-baseball-card-it-s-kind-of-funny/) [Alex Rodriguez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-rodriguez/) > [I’m fighting for my life, I have to defend myself. If I don’t defend myself, no one else will.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-rodriguez/i-m-fighting-for-my-life-i-have-to-defend-myself-if-i-don-t-defend/) [Alex Rodriguez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-rodriguez/) > [I think it's just getting comfortable in New York City, comfortable in your own skin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-rodriguez/i-think-it-s-just-getting-comfortable-in-new-york-city-comfortable-in/) [Alex Rodriguez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-rodriguez/) [Explore all 72 Alex Rodriguez quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-rodriguez/) ## More Come up quotes > [“79. A soul which knows that it is loved, but does not itself love, betrays its sediment: its dregs come up.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/79-a-soul-which-knows-that-it-is-loved-but-does-not-itself-love/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [It is the incongruous thing in my entire life, this isolation.. ... My work requires it - but I myself have no need or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marsden-hartley/it-is-the-incongruous-thing-in-my-entire-life-this-isolation-my-work/) [Marsden Hartley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marsden-hartley/) > [Meanwhile someone is shining my head to get it dry to attach my top-hat to my head with toupee tape. I get into microphone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tituss-burgess/meanwhile-someone-is-shining-my-head-to-get-it-dry-to-attach-my-top/) [Tituss Burgess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tituss-burgess/) > [However, however, if the goal is to abandon America's free enterprise economy, if the goal is to convert America into a submissive member of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-rubio/however-however-if-the-goal-is-to-abandon-america-s-free-enterprise/) [Marco Rubio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-rubio/) > [As much as I want to stay on the team -- I love Chicago, I love the Bulls -- at the same time, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luol-deng/as-much-as-i-want-to-stay-on-the-team-i-love-chicago-i-love-the-bulls/) [Luol Deng](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luol-deng/) > [I have so many people come up to me, 20-some years later, and saying, "I loved you in Jawbreaker!".](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-benz/i-have-so-many-people-come-up-to-me-20-some-years-later-and-saying-i/) [Julie Benz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-benz/) > [I don't know what makes a guy want to write songs and sing, but if you've got a message, you want to get it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-ledoux/i-don-t-know-what-makes-a-guy-want-to-write-songs-and-sing-but-if-you/) [Chris LeDoux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-ledoux/) > [My objective is to design a space that nobody else can come up with while using the material that anyone can use.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tadao-ando/my-objective-is-to-design-a-space-that-nobody-else-can-come-up-with/) [Tadao Ando](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tadao-ando/) > [Remember, with writing, what you’re looking for is just one person to come up and tell you, 'I love you for what you do.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/remember-with-writing-what-you-re-looking-for-is-just-one-person-to/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [The wisdom or the essence of Guru Tattwa is a balance. Like when you maintain a plant, if you do not give it water…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nirmala-srivastava/the-wisdom-or-the-essence-of-guru-tattwa-is-a-balance-like-when-you/) [Nirmala Srivastava](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nirmala-srivastava/) > [I shoot in black and white, sometimes color, sometimes if it looks good I shoot out the window of the airplanes or whatever, anything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-barry/i-shoot-in-black-and-white-sometimes-color-sometimes-if-it-looks-good/) [Robert Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-barry/) > [I'm supportive of women, absolutely, and it's so gratifying to have girls come up and say, 'I'm really inspired by your guitar playing.' I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-vincent/i-m-supportive-of-women-absolutely-and-it-s-so-gratifying-to-have/) [St. Vincent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-vincent/) > [I hate it when people come up to me on trains and ask 'Are you Soulja Boy?' If people want pictures or autographs, that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soulja-boy/i-hate-it-when-people-come-up-to-me-on-trains-and-ask-are-you-soulja/) [Soulja Boy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soulja-boy/) > [All the earth is at rest and is quiet: they are bursting into song. Even the trees of the wood are glad over you,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaiah/all-the-earth-is-at-rest-and-is-quiet-they-are-bursting-into-song/) [Isaiah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaiah/) > [I can tell you who's planning terroris attacks. The leaders of ISIL. And I can tell you where they're at. They're in Raqqa, Syria.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rand-paul/i-can-tell-you-who-s-planning-terroris-attacks-the-leaders-of-isil/) [Rand Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rand-paul/) [Browse all 2,010 Come up quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/come-up/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Winners live in the present tense. People who come up short are consumed with future or past. 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