--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The thing is you cannot imagine what is…" description: "\"“The thing is you cannot imagine what is going to happen next. If you're imagining it - it's from your imagination.”\" — Art Hochberg" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a5/art-hochberg-1133_humor_the-thing-is-you-cannot-imagine-what-is_1760126.jpg" --- # The thing is you cannot imagine what is going to happen… ![“The thing is you cannot imagine what is going to happen next. If you're imagining it - it's from your imagination.” quote by Art Hochberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a5/art-hochberg-1133_humor_the-thing-is-you-cannot-imagine-what-is_1760126.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a5/art-hochberg-1133_humor_the-thing-is-you-cannot-imagine-what-is_1760126.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a5/art-hochberg-1133_humor_the-thing-is-you-cannot-imagine-what-is_1760126.jpg) > ““The thing is you cannot imagine what is going to happen next. If you're imagining it - it's from your imagination.”” [Art Hochberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/art-hochberg/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote highlights that future events are unknowable; any expectation is a mental construct, not reality. **In simple terms:** Future is unknown; imagination is not prediction. Key Takeaway Accept uncertainty and focus on present actions. Themes uncertainty imagination expectation reality mindfulness Mood reflective thoughtful calm Type personal philosophical When to use this quote - planning - creative brainstorming - risk assessment - decision making - mindful meditation Key Concepts cognitive bias future thinking psychology of anticipation Questions to Reflect On - How can you differentiate useful imagination from unhelpful speculation? - What practices help stay grounded in present reality? A Different Perspective Imagination may lead to anxiety if over‑relied upon. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Humor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humor/) [Imagination](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/imagination/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) ## Related quotes > [It is not a thing that you can imagine. It only is. After that, there can be no imagining.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-safran-foer/it-is-not-a-thing-that-you-can-imagine-it-only-is-after-that-there/) [Jonathan Safran Foer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-safran-foer/) > [It's the greatest thing you'd ever imagine, But you'll never know until you're there](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/panic-at-the-disco/it-s-the-greatest-thing-you-d-ever-imagine-but-you-ll-never-know/) [Panic At The Disco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/panic-at-the-disco/) > [“About the only thing we can imagine is catastrophe.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-graeber/about-the-only-thing-we-can-imagine-is-catastrophe/) [David Graeber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-graeber/) > [The point of existence is not to find the most powerful thing you can imagine and then grovel before it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-kendall/the-point-of-existence-is-not-to-find-the-most-powerful-thing-you-can/) [Graham Kendall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-kendall/) > [Nothing is a thing: it's nothing. So I can imagine a place where there's not even nothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/nothing-is-a-thing-it-s-nothing-so-i-can-imagine-a-place-where-there/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [On a night without moon or stars you can't see a thing, but you can imagine anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-palahniuk/on-a-night-without-moon-or-stars-you-can-t-see-a-thing-but-you-can/) [Chuck Palahniuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-palahniuk/) > [When bobsled is going right - and it sometimes goes wrong - it's the closest thing I could imagine to being a superhero.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elana-meyers/when-bobsled-is-going-right-and-it-sometimes-goes-wrong-it-s-the/) [Elana Meyers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elana-meyers/) > [I don't know how people do it these days - paparazzi and that kind of thing. That's something I can't even imagine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-vedder/i-don-t-know-how-people-do-it-these-days-paparazzi-and-that-kind-of/) [Eddie Vedder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-vedder/) > [To treat your facts with imagination is one thing, to imagine your facts is another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-burroughs/to-treat-your-facts-with-imagination-is-one-thing-to-imagine-your/) [John Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-burroughs/) > [Every thing u can imagine is real...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mulfat/every-thing-u-can-imagine-is-real/) [Mulfat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mulfat/) > [My imagination is more tweaked by imagining the lives of the people who were there before us. I don't need to give myself the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gillian-flynn/my-imagination-is-more-tweaked-by-imagining-the-lives-of-the-people/) [Gillian Flynn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gillian-flynn/) > [“Join up the different aspects of yourself – sort of like a team.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/art-hochberg/join-up-the-different-aspects-of-yourself-sort-of-like-a-team/) [Art Hochberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/art-hochberg/) > [“How do the eyes see? I don’t think the scientists have a clue about that one. There is a science within science – that’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/art-hochberg/how-do-the-eyes-see-i-don-t-think-the-scientists-have-a-clue-about/) [Art Hochberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/art-hochberg/) > [Imagining the future is a kind of nostalgia. (...) You spend your whole life stuck in the labyrinth, thinking about how you'll escape it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/imagining-the-future-is-a-kind-of-nostalgia-you-spend-your-whole-life/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [Sometimes people who had been together for a long time got to imagining that things used to be better, even when they weren't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-addison-allen/sometimes-people-who-had-been-together-for-a-long-time-got-to/) [Sarah Addison Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-addison-allen/) ## More by Art Hochberg > [“How do the eyes see? I don’t think the scientists have a clue about that one. There is a science within science – that’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/art-hochberg/how-do-the-eyes-see-i-don-t-think-the-scientists-have-a-clue-about/) [Art Hochberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/art-hochberg/) > [“Join up the different aspects of yourself – sort of like a team.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/art-hochberg/join-up-the-different-aspects-of-yourself-sort-of-like-a-team/) [Art Hochberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/art-hochberg/) > [“The more we cling to the known, the more fearful we are of the unknown.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/art-hochberg/the-more-we-cling-to-the-known-the-more-fearful-we-are-of-the-unknown/) [Art Hochberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/art-hochberg/) > [“A big part of wisdom is to learn which situations to get involved in, or not get involved in – it really is as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/art-hochberg/a-big-part-of-wisdom-is-to-learn-which-situations-to-get-involved-in/) [Art Hochberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/art-hochberg/) > [“Believe your life has value and you are here for a purpose. What that purpose is, is your life’s work.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/art-hochberg/believe-your-life-has-value-and-you-are-here-for-a-purpose-what-that/) [Art Hochberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/art-hochberg/) > [“Sometimes it’s better to not know about something. We don’t always have to fill our head with a lot of stuff we don’t need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/art-hochberg/sometimes-it-s-better-to-not-know-about-something-we-don-t-always/) [Art Hochberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/art-hochberg/) > [“You know you can be as sweet as you want, or as tough as you want, or both at the same time.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/art-hochberg/you-know-you-can-be-as-sweet-as-you-want-or-as-tough-as-you-want-or/) [Art Hochberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/art-hochberg/) > [“Contentment? Hmmmmmmmmm. That’s a really deep one. It requires diving deep into the moment and bringing up that contentment which lies deep within us.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/art-hochberg/contentment-hmmmmmmmmm-that-s-a-really-deep-one-it-requires-diving/) [Art Hochberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/art-hochberg/) > [“Sometimes instead of creating a scene it’s better to quietly slip out of the scene, practically unseen. It saves a lot of drama, unless…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/art-hochberg/sometimes-instead-of-creating-a-scene-it-s-better-to-quietly-slip-out/) [Art Hochberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/art-hochberg/) > [“When you smell a flower, where is the smell before you smell the flower? Think about that one.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/art-hochberg/when-you-smell-a-flower-where-is-the-smell-before-you-smell-the/) [Art Hochberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/art-hochberg/) > [“Don't try to be like the Guru - be yourself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/art-hochberg/don-t-try-to-be-like-the-guru-be-yourself/) [Art Hochberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/art-hochberg/) > [“I don’t think that God cares about what you think. It’s the actions that count. Actually He doesn’t care what you do as long…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/art-hochberg/i-don-t-think-that-god-cares-about-what-you-think-it-s-the-actions/) [Art Hochberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/art-hochberg/) > [“When you get to a point where there’s absolutely nothing you can count on in this world, you’re home free.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/art-hochberg/when-you-get-to-a-point-where-there-s-absolutely-nothing-you-can/) [Art Hochberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/art-hochberg/) > [“It’s easy then we’re just doing what’s in front of us – without judging the hell out of ourselves.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/art-hochberg/it-s-easy-then-we-re-just-doing-what-s-in-front-of-us-without-judging/) [Art Hochberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/art-hochberg/) > [“There is no sense of worshipping a Guru - or anyone for that matter.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/art-hochberg/there-is-no-sense-of-worshipping-a-guru-or-anyone-for-that-matter/) [Art Hochberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/art-hochberg/) [Explore all 285 Art Hochberg quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/art-hochberg/) ## More Humor quotes > ['Mad TV' is one of my most favorite shows of all time and is a huge part of my obsession with sketch comedy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-dawson/mad-tv-is-one-of-my-most-favorite-shows-of-all-time-and-is-a-huge/) [Shane Dawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-dawson/) > [When you step out and do a song in a musical, the easier thing to do is make it funny. But when those transitions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelli-o-hara/when-you-step-out-and-do-a-song-in-a-musical-the-easier-thing-to-do/) [Kelli O'Hara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelli-o-hara/) > [Joking about violence is not funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perez-hilton/joking-about-violence-is-not-funny/) [Perez Hilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perez-hilton/) > [In my opinion, sexiness comes down to three things: chemistry, sense of humor, and treatment of waitstaff at restaurants.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhoda-janzen/in-my-opinion-sexiness-comes-down-to-three-things-chemistry-sense-of/) [Rhoda Janzen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhoda-janzen/) > [“...I haven't guessed where your shirt is from yet Bane, but I don't think it'll matter once it's underwater!' Tristan looked at Bane questioningly.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-k-munt/i-haven-t-guessed-where-your-shirt-is-from-yet-bane-but-i-don-t-think/) S.K. Munt > [“Be careful about reading health books. Some fine day you'll die of a misprint.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-herz/be-careful-about-reading-health-books-some-fine-day-you-ll-die-of-a/) Markus Herz > [“Not wise, perhaps, to be rude to the Pope's favorite son, but my viper tongue still required a fool now and then on which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-quinn/not-wise-perhaps-to-be-rude-to-the-pope-s-favorite-son-but-my-viper/) [Kate Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-quinn/) > [In the future, I would like to do more films with contemporary themes. Perhaps comedy, which is something I have done in theater but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luke-evans/in-the-future-i-would-like-to-do-more-films-with-contemporary-themes/) [Luke Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luke-evans/) > [ “\[S\]ometimes, when you are a food person, the possible irrelevance of what you are doing doesn’t cross your mind until it’s too late. 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Yes, I say--Northerners.” Roy Blount, Jr., Roy Blount’s Book of Southern Humor”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-ford/do-southerners-laugh-at-different-things-than-northerners-do-yes-i/) [Deborah Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-ford/) > [There's a difference between delivering real funny and just silly funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lil-rel-howery/there-s-a-difference-between-delivering-real-funny-and-just-silly/) [Lil Rel Howery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lil-rel-howery/) > [I love being my silly ole self! Lifes a lot better when you have a good sense of humor and you smile.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-love-being-my-silly-ole-self-lifes-a-lot-better-when-you-have-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Men circle like bees around honey, buzzing to communicate their sexual despair.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carla-h-krueger/men-circle-like-bees-around-honey-buzzing-to-communicate-their-sexual/) [Carla H Krueger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carla-h-krueger/) [Browse all 33,155 Humor quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humor/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“The thing is you cannot imagine what is going to happen next. 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