---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Certainly, I've never wanted to live on…"
description: "\"Certainly, I've never wanted to live on past achievements.\" — Buzz Aldrin"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/42d/buzz-aldrin-954_achievements_certainly-i-ve-never-wanted-to-live-on-p_494843.jpg"
---

#  Certainly, I've never wanted to live on past achievements.

![“Certainly, I've never wanted to live on past achievements.” quote by Buzz Aldrin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/42d/buzz-aldrin-954_achievements_certainly-i-ve-never-wanted-to-live-on-p_494843.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/42d/buzz-aldrin-954_achievements_certainly-i-ve-never-wanted-to-live-on-p_494843.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/42d/buzz-aldrin-954_achievements_certainly-i-ve-never-wanted-to-live-on-p_494843.jpg)

> “Certainly, I've never wanted to live on past achievements.”

[Buzz Aldrin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/buzz-aldrin/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Living in past achievements hinders growth; focus on present and future goals instead.

**In simple terms:** Dwelling on past wins blocks progress.

Key Takeaway

Prioritize current and future aspirations.

Themes

growth future orientation self‑improvement

Mood

reflective motivational

Type

personal development philosophical

When to use this quote

- career planning
- skill learning
- new projects

Key Concepts

achievement mindset goal setting personal development

Questions to Reflect On

- What past successes inspire you?
- How to balance reflection and forward motion?

A Different Perspective

Nostalgia can be motivating for some.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Achievements](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/achievements/) [Certainly Ve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/certainly-ve-2561785/) [Live](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/live/) [Live Past](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/live-past/) [Never](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/never/) [Past](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/past/) [Past Achievements](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/past-achievements-3260910/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/) [Wanted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wanted/)

## Related quotes

> [I'm glad I'm still in motion. I don't think of my past achievements. The most important thing is what I'm going to do tomorrow.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manu-dibango/i-m-glad-i-m-still-in-motion-i-don-t-think-of-my-past-achievements/)

[Manu Dibango](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manu-dibango/)

> [Your only competitors are your past achievements.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-cameron/your-only-competitors-are-your-past-achievements/)

[James Cameron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-cameron/)

> [I certainly could've gone off track many, many times in my youth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shania-twain/i-certainly-could-ve-gone-off-track-many-many-times-in-my-youth/)

[Shania Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shania-twain/)

> [Our achievements speak for themselves. What we have to keep track of are our failures, discouragements and doubts. We tend to forget the past…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/our-achievements-speak-for-themselves-what-we-have-to-keep-track-of-2/)

[Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/)

> [“Allow your past achievements to provide fuel for your current goals.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-hinds/allow-your-past-achievements-to-provide-fuel-for-your-current-goals/)

[Josh Hinds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-hinds/)

> [If you try to live that which is past, that which IS will bypass you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaggi-vasudev/if-you-try-to-live-that-which-is-past-that-which-is-will-bypass-you/)

[Jaggi Vasudev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaggi-vasudev/)

> [“How can you grow with your present to get ready for your future if you continue to live in your past and all that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angelica-stevenson/how-can-you-grow-with-your-present-to-get-ready-for-your-future-if/)

[Angelica Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angelica-stevenson/)

> [You'll never be completely happy if you still live in the past and if your heart is filled with anger.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janethnipay/you-ll-never-be-completely-happy-if-you-still-live-in-the-past-and-if/)

[Janethnipay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janethnipay/)

> [To live in the past or in the future may be less satisfying than to live in the present, but it can never be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-d-laing/to-live-in-the-past-or-in-the-future-may-be-less-satisfying-than-to/)

[R. D. Laing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-d-laing/)

> [“For the Arab, the past does not merely live. The past defines the present.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/davis-bunn/for-the-arab-the-past-does-not-merely-live-the-past-defines-the/)

[Davis Bunn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/davis-bunn/)

> [I was able to turn to classical music many people, who saw my programs live and on YouTube, and this is one of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aleksey-igudesman/i-was-able-to-turn-to-classical-music-many-people-who-saw-my-programs/)

[Aleksey Igudesman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aleksey-igudesman/)

> [You can't live in the past, there's nothing you can do about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martina-navratilova/you-can-t-live-in-the-past-there-s-nothing-you-can-do-about-it/)

[Martina Navratilova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martina-navratilova/)

> [What she wants to do if she can get the time to do it, is not so much to live in the past as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-munro/what-she-wants-to-do-if-she-can-get-the-time-to-do-it-is-not-so-much/)

[Alice Munro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-munro/)

> [People tell me not to live in the past BUT, That's where all the cool cars and great music is from !!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishan-panwar/people-tell-me-not-to-live-in-the-past-but-that-s-where-all-the-cool/)

[Nishan Panwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishan-panwar/)

> [I live in the past, I do not need anyone's help,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mak-786/i-live-in-the-past-i-do-not-need-anyone-s-help/)

[Mak\_786](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mak-786/)

## More by Buzz Aldrin

> [You can never tell when a commercial space venture will suddenly become viable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/buzz-aldrin/you-can-never-tell-when-a-commercial-space-venture-will-suddenly/)

[Buzz Aldrin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/buzz-aldrin/)

> [A family needs to work as a team, supporting each other's individual aims and aspirations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/buzz-aldrin/a-family-needs-to-work-as-a-team-supporting-each-other-s-individual/)

[Buzz Aldrin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/buzz-aldrin/)

> [In space, you don't get that much noise. Noise doesn't propagate in a vacuum.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/buzz-aldrin/in-space-you-don-t-get-that-much-noise-noise-doesn-t-propagate-in-a/)

[Buzz Aldrin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/buzz-aldrin/)

> [I'm sure the most favorite airplane in my career would still be the Sabre F86 cleft wing , which allowed me to be credited…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/buzz-aldrin/i-m-sure-the-most-favorite-airplane-in-my-career-would-still-be-the/)

[Buzz Aldrin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/buzz-aldrin/)

> [For every winner, there's a loser. And that person didn't really need to lose. They just didn't understand the game plan.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/buzz-aldrin/for-every-winner-there-s-a-loser-and-that-person-didn-t-really-need/)

[Buzz Aldrin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/buzz-aldrin/)

> [The society of life on Mars, or the challenge of making Mars more livable, will have significant benefits on our attempts to modify and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/buzz-aldrin/the-society-of-life-on-mars-or-the-challenge-of-making-mars-more/)

[Buzz Aldrin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/buzz-aldrin/)

> [Exploration is wired into our brains. If we can see the horizon, we want to know what's beyond.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/buzz-aldrin/exploration-is-wired-into-our-brains-if-we-can-see-the-horizon-we/)

[Buzz Aldrin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/buzz-aldrin/)

> [“I believe that every human has a finite number of heart-beats. I don't intend to waste any of mine running around doing exercises. ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/buzz-aldrin/i-believe-that-every-human-has-a-finite-number-of-heart-beats-i-don-t/)

[Buzz Aldrin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/buzz-aldrin/)

> [There is very little doubt, in my mind, that what the next monumental achievement of humanity will be the first landing by an Earthling,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/buzz-aldrin/there-is-very-little-doubt-in-my-mind-that-what-the-next-monumental/)

[Buzz Aldrin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/buzz-aldrin/)

> [ Weve got to go \[back to the moon\]. But we dont want to stay too long. ... The ultimate goal is Mars. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/buzz-aldrin/weve-got-to-go-back-to-the-moon-but-we-dont-want-to-stay-too-long-the/)

[Buzz Aldrin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/buzz-aldrin/)

> [I want to keep on the move, keep stimulated and challenged.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/buzz-aldrin/i-want-to-keep-on-the-move-keep-stimulated-and-challenged/)

[Buzz Aldrin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/buzz-aldrin/)

> [America can take man to the moon, and America can take men to Mars - and beyond.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/buzz-aldrin/america-can-take-man-to-the-moon-and-america-can-take-men-to-mars-and/)

[Buzz Aldrin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/buzz-aldrin/)

> [I don't believe any pair of people had been more removed physically from the rest of the world than we were.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/buzz-aldrin/i-don-t-believe-any-pair-of-people-had-been-more-removed-physically/)

[Buzz Aldrin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/buzz-aldrin/)

> [We have the ability, at such high fidelity, to simulate the physical world through computers. But when the spiritual world or human behavior comes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/buzz-aldrin/we-have-the-ability-at-such-high-fidelity-to-simulate-the-physical/)

[Buzz Aldrin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/buzz-aldrin/)

> [I do celebrity ski races all over the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/buzz-aldrin/i-do-celebrity-ski-races-all-over-the-world/)

[Buzz Aldrin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/buzz-aldrin/)

[Explore all 319 Buzz Aldrin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/buzz-aldrin/)

## More Achievements quotes

> [“Desires and wishes don’t lead to success. Plans and efforts do. Create a vision, chalk out an action plan, put in your best efforts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roopleen/desires-and-wishes-don-t-lead-to-success-plans-and-efforts-do-create/)

[Roopleen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roopleen/)

> [One of the achievements of the reform movement is that people realize that they can be democrats and remain faithful Muslims. Democracy is now…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abdolkarim-soroush/one-of-the-achievements-of-the-reform-movement-is-that-people-realize/)

[Abdolkarim Soroush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abdolkarim-soroush/)

> [If I stayed in this game for individual achievements, I don't think I'd still be playing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chili-davis/if-i-stayed-in-this-game-for-individual-achievements-i-don-t-think-i/)

[Chili Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chili-davis/)

> [Big achievements come one small advantage at a time, one step at a time, one day at time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-rohn/big-achievements-come-one-small-advantage-at-a-time-one-step-at-a/)

[Jim Rohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-rohn/)

> [“Leaders spend time reviewing their mistakes rather than having fantasies over their achievements! They look for every way to do the undone!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/leaders-spend-time-reviewing-their-mistakes-rather-than-having/)

[Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/)

> [A woman's professional achievements are always overlooked.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simi-garewal/a-woman-s-professional-achievements-are-always-overlooked/)

[Simi Garewal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simi-garewal/)

> [I was able to turn to classical music many people, who saw my programs live and on YouTube, and this is one of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aleksey-igudesman/i-was-able-to-turn-to-classical-music-many-people-who-saw-my-programs/)

[Aleksey Igudesman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aleksey-igudesman/)

> [Fame is like the dessert that comes with your achievements - it's not an achievement in itself, but sometimes it can overpower the work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-clayton/fame-is-like-the-dessert-that-comes-with-your-achievements-it-s-not/)

[Adam Clayton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-clayton/)

> [“If this conviction had not been a strongly emotional one and if those searching for knowledge had not been inspired by Spinoza 's Amor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/if-this-conviction-had-not-been-a-strongly-emotional-one-and-if-those/)

[Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/)

> [I love the success of my teammates more than my individual achievements. I've just always cared more about that since I started playing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lebron-james/i-love-the-success-of-my-teammates-more-than-my-individual/)

[LeBron James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lebron-james/)

> [It's very confusing when fame comes early on in your career. You get a little bit bent out of shape in terms of what's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-clayton/it-s-very-confusing-when-fame-comes-early-on-in-your-career-you-get-a/)

[Adam Clayton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-clayton/)

> [“To have the wisdom is rarely achieved by seeking the knowledge.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-advise/to-have-the-wisdom-is-rarely-achieved-by-seeking-the-knowledge/)

[Will Advise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-advise/)

> [It's not that I think weddings - or marriages - are letdowns. It's just that I want to see my wedding as one awesome…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessi-klein/it-s-not-that-i-think-weddings-or-marriages-are-letdowns-it-s-just/)

[Jessi Klein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessi-klein/)

> [All my achievements - even if they may seem small - are mine. No one has contributed to them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/koena-mitra/all-my-achievements-even-if-they-may-seem-small-are-mine-no-one-has/)

[Koena Mitra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/koena-mitra/)

> [I'm not sure my achievements have been 'great.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sally-phillips/i-m-not-sure-my-achievements-have-been-great/)

[Sally Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sally-phillips/)

[Browse all 319 Achievements quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/achievements/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Certainly, I've never wanted to live on past achievements.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Buzz Aldrin"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/buzz-aldrin/certainly-i-ve-never-wanted-to-live-on-past-achievements/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Achievements"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/buzz-aldrin/certainly-i-ve-never-wanted-to-live-on-past-achievements/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/42d/buzz-aldrin-954_achievements_certainly-i-ve-never-wanted-to-live-on-p_494843.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/42d/buzz-aldrin-954_achievements_certainly-i-ve-never-wanted-to-live-on-p_494843.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/42d/buzz-aldrin-954_achievements_certainly-i-ve-never-wanted-to-live-on-p_494843.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Certainly, I've never wanted to live on past achievements.” — Buzz Aldrin",
                "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": "Buzz Aldrin",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/buzz-aldrin/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Certainly, I've never wanted to live...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/buzz-aldrin/certainly-i-ve-never-wanted-to-live-on-past-achievements/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/buzz-aldrin/certainly-i-ve-never-wanted-to-live-on-past-achievements/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
