--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: As for the future, your task is not to…" description: "\"As for the future, your task is not to foresee it, but to enable it.\" — Antoine de Saint-Exupery" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/28a/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry-174_foresee_as-for-the-future-your-task-is-not-to-fo_2388966.png" --- # As for the future, your task is not to foresee it, but to… ![“As for the future, your task is not to foresee it, but to enable it.” quote by Antoine de Saint-Exupery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/28a/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry-174_foresee_as-for-the-future-your-task-is-not-to-fo_2388966.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/28a/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry-174_foresee_as-for-the-future-your-task-is-not-to-fo_2388966.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/28a/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry-174_foresee_as-for-the-future-your-task-is-not-to-fo_2388966.png) > “As for the future, your task is not to foresee it, but to enable it.” [Antoine de Saint-Exupery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The future is not something to predict but to create through proactive effort. **In simple terms:** Create the future instead of just predicting it. Key Takeaway Focus on shaping outcomes. Themes innovation agency future‑building Mood hopeful determined Type inspirational philosophical When to use this quote - entrepreneurship - policy design - personal development Key Concepts proactive creation empowerment Questions to Reflect On - What actions can you take today to shape tomorrow? - How do you handle unpredictable factors? A Different Perspective May underestimate external constraints. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Foresee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/foresee/) [Future](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/future/) [Planning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/planning/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [All sciences are now under the obligation to prepare the ground for the future task of the philosopher, which is to solve the problem…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/all-sciences-are-now-under-the-obligation-to-prepare-the-ground-for/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [“As in all such technological nightmares, the principal task is to foresee what is possible; to educate use and misuse; and to prevent its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/as-in-all-such-technological-nightmares-the-principal-task-is-to/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [“Man has the lost the capacity to foresee and to forestall. He will end up destroying the earth.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-schweitzer/man-has-the-lost-the-capacity-to-foresee-and-to-forestall-he-will-end/) [Albert Schweitzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-schweitzer/) > [“One of the main secrets of success is the ability to foresee the situation a few steps forward.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sahara-sanders/one-of-the-main-secrets-of-success-is-the-ability-to-foresee-the/) [Sahara Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sahara-sanders/) > [He who would foresee what is to happen should look to what has happened: for all that is has its counterpart in time past.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/he-who-would-foresee-what-is-to-happen-should-look-to-what-has/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [The mind cannot foresee its own advance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-august-von-hayek/the-mind-cannot-foresee-its-own-advance/) [Friedrich August von Hayek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-august-von-hayek/) > [Just as the PC bled back into industrial economy, I think the Internet is going to bleed back into our overall economy and have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-o-reilly/just-as-the-pc-bled-back-into-industrial-economy-i-think-the-internet/) [Tim O'Reilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-o-reilly/) > [“I do not foresee making love with an animal.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douard-lev/i-do-not-foresee-making-love-with-an-animal/) [Édouard Levé](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douard-lev/) > [“The mind can never foresee its own advance”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-mind-can-never-foresee-its-own-advance/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If men could foresee the future, they would still behave as they do now.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russian-proverb/if-men-could-foresee-the-future-they-would-still-behave-as-they-do-now/) Russian Proverb > [For healthy adult people, the really big thing we can foresee are ways of intervening in the ageing process, either by slowing or reversing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-bostrom/for-healthy-adult-people-the-really-big-thing-we-can-foresee-are-ways/) [Nick Bostrom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-bostrom/) > [If I had political responsibility, I would want to prepare for a plan B that would foresee that the European currency union, that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peer-steinbruck/if-i-had-political-responsibility-i-would-want-to-prepare-for-a-plan/) [Peer Steinbruck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peer-steinbruck/) > [As the First World War made painfully clear, when politicians and generals lead nations into war, they almost invariably assume swift victory, and have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-hochschild/as-the-first-world-war-made-painfully-clear-when-politicians-and/) [Adam Hochschild](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-hochschild/) > [“I foresee that my life will be much better in future”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/k-c-mathobela/i-foresee-that-my-life-will-be-much-better-in-future/) K.C Mathobela > [I didn't foresee troubles in my second film.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karthik-subbaraj/i-didn-t-foresee-troubles-in-my-second-film/) [Karthik Subbaraj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karthik-subbaraj/) ## More by Antoine de Saint-Exupery > [“If you want to build a ship, don’t drum up the men to gather wood, divide the work, and give orders. Instead, teach them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/if-you-want-to-build-a-ship-don-t-drum-up-the-men-to-gather-wood/) [Antoine de Saint-Exupéry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/) > [A rock pile ceases to be a rock pile the moment a single man contemplates it, bearing within him the image of a cathedral.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/a-rock-pile-ceases-to-be-a-rock-pile-the-moment-a-single-man/) [Antoine de Saint-Exupery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/) > [Treason implies responsibility for something, control over something, influence upon something, knowledge of something. Treason in our time is a proof of genius. Why,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/treason-implies-responsibility-for-something-control-over-something/) [Antoine de Saint-Exupery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/) > [“perfection is finally attained not when there is no longer anything to add, but when there is no longer anything to take away”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/perfection-is-finally-attained-not-when-there-is-no-longer-anything/) [Antoine de Saint-Exupéry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/) > [“But for fear of disheartening them, we also spoke to them of disappointments and the bitter taste that rest has after a useless action.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/but-for-fear-of-disheartening-them-we-also-spoke-to-them-of/) [Antoine de Saint-Exupéry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/) > [“If you come at four in the afternoon, I'll begin to be happy by three.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/if-you-come-at-four-in-the-afternoon-i-ll-begin-to-be-happy-by-three/) [Antoine de Saint-Exupéry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/) > [Once we are bound together to our brothers by a common good that is outside us, then we can breathe. Experience teaches us that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/once-we-are-bound-together-to-our-brothers-by-a-common-good-that-is/) [Antoine de Saint-Exupery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/) > [“The stars are beautiful, because of a flower that cannot be seen.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/the-stars-are-beautiful-because-of-a-flower-that-cannot-be-seen/) [Antoine de Saint-Exupéry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/) > [“You are beautiful but you are empty. One could not die for you”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/you-are-beautiful-but-you-are-empty-one-could-not-die-for-you/) [Antoine de Saint-Exupéry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/) > [“And the fox said to the little prince: men have forgotten this truth, but you must not forget it. You become responsible, forever, for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/and-the-fox-said-to-the-little-prince-men-have-forgotten-this-truth/) [Antoine de Saint-Exupery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/) > [And now here is my secret, a very simple secret; it is only with the heart that one can see rightly, what is essential…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/and-now-here-is-my-secret-a-very-simple-secret-it-is-only-with-the/) [Antoine de Saint-Exupery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/) > [Flying is a man's job and its worries are a man's worries.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/flying-is-a-man-s-job-and-its-worries-are-a-man-s-worries/) [Antoine de Saint-Exupery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/) > [“You are not at all like my rose," he said. "As yet you are nothing. No one has tamed you, and you have tamed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/you-are-not-at-all-like-my-rose-he-said-as-yet-you-are-nothing-no-one/) [Antoine de Saint-Exupéry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/) > [Loneliness is bred of a mind that has grown earth-bound.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/loneliness-is-bred-of-a-mind-that-has-grown-earth-bound/) [Antoine de Saint-Exupery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/) > [“Stretched out before the fire I looked at the glowing fruit and said to myself that men did not know what an orange was.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/stretched-out-before-the-fire-i-looked-at-the-glowing-fruit-and-said/) [Antoine de Saint-Exupéry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/) [Explore all 719 Antoine de Saint-Exupery quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/) ## More Foresee quotes > [I didn't foresee troubles in my second film.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karthik-subbaraj/i-didn-t-foresee-troubles-in-my-second-film/) [Karthik Subbaraj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karthik-subbaraj/) > [“I foresee that my life will be much better in future”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/k-c-mathobela/i-foresee-that-my-life-will-be-much-better-in-future/) K.C Mathobela > [As the First World War made painfully clear, when politicians and generals lead nations into war, they almost invariably assume swift victory, and have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-hochschild/as-the-first-world-war-made-painfully-clear-when-politicians-and/) [Adam Hochschild](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-hochschild/) > [If I had political responsibility, I would want to prepare for a plan B that would foresee that the European currency union, that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peer-steinbruck/if-i-had-political-responsibility-i-would-want-to-prepare-for-a-plan/) [Peer Steinbruck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peer-steinbruck/) > [For healthy adult people, the really big thing we can foresee are ways of intervening in the ageing process, either by slowing or reversing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-bostrom/for-healthy-adult-people-the-really-big-thing-we-can-foresee-are-ways/) [Nick Bostrom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-bostrom/) > [If men could foresee the future, they would still behave as they do now.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russian-proverb/if-men-could-foresee-the-future-they-would-still-behave-as-they-do-now/) Russian Proverb > [“The mind can never foresee its own advance”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-mind-can-never-foresee-its-own-advance/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“I do not foresee making love with an animal.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douard-lev/i-do-not-foresee-making-love-with-an-animal/) [Édouard Levé](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douard-lev/) > [Just as the PC bled back into industrial economy, I think the Internet is going to bleed back into our overall economy and have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-o-reilly/just-as-the-pc-bled-back-into-industrial-economy-i-think-the-internet/) [Tim O'Reilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-o-reilly/) > [The mind cannot foresee its own advance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-august-von-hayek/the-mind-cannot-foresee-its-own-advance/) [Friedrich August von Hayek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-august-von-hayek/) > [He who would foresee what is to happen should look to what has happened: for all that is has its counterpart in time past.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/he-who-would-foresee-what-is-to-happen-should-look-to-what-has/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [“One of the main secrets of success is the ability to foresee the situation a few steps forward.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sahara-sanders/one-of-the-main-secrets-of-success-is-the-ability-to-foresee-the/) [Sahara Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sahara-sanders/) > [“Man has the lost the capacity to foresee and to forestall. He will end up destroying the earth.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-schweitzer/man-has-the-lost-the-capacity-to-foresee-and-to-forestall-he-will-end/) [Albert Schweitzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-schweitzer/) > [Since I do seven different styles of martial arts, I don't foresee myself fighting the same in any two movies. I think every fighting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jai-white/since-i-do-seven-different-styles-of-martial-arts-i-don-t-foresee/) [Michael Jai White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jai-white/) > [People in the industry foresee a time in which, for many people, the only thing they'll need on a computer is a browser.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-kapor/people-in-the-industry-foresee-a-time-in-which-for-many-people-the/) [Mitch Kapor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-kapor/) [Browse all 32 Foresee quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/foresee/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "As for the future, your task is not to foresee it, but to enable it.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Antoine de Saint-Exupery" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/as-for-the-future-your-task-is-not-to-foresee-it-but-to-enable-it/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Foresee" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/as-for-the-future-your-task-is-not-to-foresee-it-but-to-enable-it/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/28a/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry-174_foresee_as-for-the-future-your-task-is-not-to-fo_2388966.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/28a/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry-174_foresee_as-for-the-future-your-task-is-not-to-fo_2388966.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/28a/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry-174_foresee_as-for-the-future-your-task-is-not-to-fo_2388966.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“As for the future, your task is not to foresee it, but to enable it.” — Antoine de Saint-Exupery", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Antoine de Saint-Exupery", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "As for the future, your task...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/as-for-the-future-your-task-is-not-to-foresee-it-but-to-enable-it/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/as-for-the-future-your-task-is-not-to-foresee-it-but-to-enable-it/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```