--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We did not come to fear the future. We…" description: "\"We did not come to fear the future. We came here to shape it.\" — Barack Obama" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/777/barack-obama-17_fear_we-did-not-come-to-fear-the-future-we-ca_1145699.jpg" --- # We did not come to fear the future. We came here to shape… ![“We did not come to fear the future. We came here to shape it.” quote by Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/777/barack-obama-17_fear_we-did-not-come-to-fear-the-future-we-ca_1145699.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/777/barack-obama-17_fear_we-did-not-come-to-fear-the-future-we-ca_1145699.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/777/barack-obama-17_fear_we-did-not-come-to-fear-the-future-we-ca_1145699.jpg) > “We did not come to fear the future. We came here to shape it.” [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. We should face the future with agency, not dread, aiming to influence outcomes. **In simple terms:** Shape the future, don’t fear it. Key Takeaway Take active steps to influence outcomes. Themes leadership future agency Mood determined optimistic Type inspirational political When to use this quote - career planning - community projects - policy advocacy Key Concepts political will empowerment Questions to Reflect On - What future do you want to shape? - How can you turn fear into motivation? A Different Perspective Fear can paralyze action and limit vision. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Came Shape](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/came-shape-3213805/) [Did Come](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/did-come/) [Fear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fear/) [Fear Future](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fear-future/) [Fear of the future](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fear-of-the-future/) [Future](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/future/) [Future Came](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/future-came-3213804/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Inspirational presidential](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational-presidential/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [My future](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/my-future/) [Presidential](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/presidential/) [Shape](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shape/) [Shapes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shapes/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [“For those overwhelmed by fear of the future. Live in the moment.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynette-noni/for-those-overwhelmed-by-fear-of-the-future-live-in-the-moment/) [Lynette Noni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynette-noni/) > [Never let the Sadness of the Past and the Fear of the Future ruin the Happiness of the Present...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kushandwizdom/never-let-the-sadness-of-the-past-and-the-fear-of-the-future-ruin-the/) [Kushandwizdom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kushandwizdom/) > [“For how many people does fear of the future take away the present as well?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-perry/for-how-many-people-does-fear-of-the-future-take-away-the-present-as/) [Anne Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-perry/) > [Only when all conceptions of space and time, life and death, are exploded, when the grip of the past and fear of the future…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alberto-villoldo/only-when-all-conceptions-of-space-and-time-life-and-death-are/) [Alberto Villoldo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alberto-villoldo/) > [Have no fear of the future. 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I still use it, but I kind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-klosterman/to-me-fear-of-the-future-means-fear-of-technology-i-have-a-little-bit/) [Chuck Klosterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-klosterman/) > [“Every moment is brand new, but we often fill the new with fear of the future or pain of the past instead of simply…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vivian-amis/every-moment-is-brand-new-but-we-often-fill-the-new-with-fear-of-the/) [Vivian Amis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vivian-amis/) > [Fear of the future and longing for the past are major factors which impede appropriate action.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brenda-shoshanna/fear-of-the-future-and-longing-for-the-past-are-major-factors-which/) [Brenda Shoshanna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brenda-shoshanna/) > [If you live in fear of the future because of what happened in your past, you'll end up losing what you have in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishan-panwar/if-you-live-in-fear-of-the-future-because-of-what-happened-in-your/) [Nishan Panwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishan-panwar/) ## More by Barack Obama > [So here's what I want you to know, and here's what I want all our men and women in uniform to know: Because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/so-here-s-what-i-want-you-to-know-and-here-s-what-i-want-all-our-men/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [The peaceful transition of power is one of the hallmarks of our democracy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/the-peaceful-transition-of-power-is-one-of-the-hallmarks-of-our/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [As opposed to getting into arguments about, well, these folks have been treated fairly so now we're going to be doing things that, very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/as-opposed-to-getting-into-arguments-about-well-these-folks-have-been/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Donald Trump is temperamentally unfit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/donald-trump-is-temperamentally-unfit/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [What we've said to the girls is: 'If you guys ever decide that you're going to get a tattoo, then mommy and me will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/what-we-ve-said-to-the-girls-is-if-you-guys-ever-decide-that-you-re/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Nobody is listening to your telephone calls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/nobody-is-listening-to-your-telephone-calls/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [All of us take offense to anyone who reaps the rewards of living in America without taking on the responsibilities of living in America.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/all-of-us-take-offense-to-anyone-who-reaps-the-rewards-of-living-in/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [The world is complicated and full of grays, but there's still truth there to be found.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/the-world-is-complicated-and-full-of-grays-but-there-s-still-truth/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [ That is another theme in the book \[Dreams from My Father\]. How do we exercise more empathy in our public discourse? How do we… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/that-is-another-theme-in-the-book-dreams-from-my-father-how-do-we/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [I can say across Europe that many principles that have been taken for granted here around free speech, and around civil liberties and an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-can-say-across-europe-that-many-principles-that-have-been-taken-for/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [So Americans understand the costs of war. Yet as a country, we will never tolerate our security being threatened, nor stand idly by when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/so-americans-understand-the-costs-of-war-yet-as-a-country-we-will/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [I want to thank the Greek people publicly for their humanitarian response to the crisis of so many migrants and refugees seeking safety in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-want-to-thank-the-greek-people-publicly-for-their-humanitarian/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [We had a farewell dinner for some of my senior staff, and generally everybody likes to talk about how cool I was.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/we-had-a-farewell-dinner-for-some-of-my-senior-staff-and-generally/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [ It's good to get fresh legs in \[the White house\]. I think that it refreshes our democracy. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/it-s-good-to-get-fresh-legs-in-the-white-house-i-think-that-it/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Believe it or not, entertainment is part of our American diplomacy, it is part of what makes us exceptional, part of what makes us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/believe-it-or-not-entertainment-is-part-of-our-american-diplomacy-it/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) [Explore all 3,624 Barack Obama quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) ## More Fear quotes > [This may sound strange, but although I feel like I know everything about my characters, the brand of shampoo they use, how many cavities…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-honeyman/this-may-sound-strange-but-although-i-feel-like-i-know-everything/) [Gail Honeyman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-honeyman/) > [“That horrible stinging sensation returned, the muscles behind my eyes straining as the first tear began to fall. “I’m scared, too. 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Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-t-anderson/) > [What an incredible drug fear is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-lamott/what-an-incredible-drug-fear-is/) [Anne Lamott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-lamott/) > [“Anything that you find yourself worrying about regularly may find you suddenly wanting unrealistic changes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nagisa-tatsumi/anything-that-you-find-yourself-worrying-about-regularly-may-find-you/) [Nagisa Tatsumi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nagisa-tatsumi/) > [“We all know how the thing we secretly fear is not a secret at all but the open and eternal thing that predicts its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-delillo/we-all-know-how-the-thing-we-secretly-fear-is-not-a-secret-at-all-but/) [Don DeLillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-delillo/) > [When you're scared - and I mean really scared, not just hearing a noise in the night, or standing toe to toe with someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-gordon-smith/when-you-re-scared-and-i-mean-really-scared-not-just-hearing-a-noise/) [Alexander Gordon Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-gordon-smith/) > [“I had nowhere to go and did not wish to be seen by anyone for fear they would recognize my sadness and so for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-dewitt/i-had-nowhere-to-go-and-did-not-wish-to-be-seen-by-anyone-for-fear/) [Patrick deWitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-dewitt/) > [It's easier to change a law than an age-old mentality. 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