--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We should not fret for what is past, nor…" description: "\"We should not fret for what is past, nor should we be anxious about the future; men of discernment deal only with the present moment.\" — Chanakya" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4e9/chanakya-1643_men_we-should-not-fret-for-what-is-past-nor_953556.jpg" --- # We should not fret for what is past, nor should we be… ![“We should not fret for what is past, nor should we be anxious about the future; men of discernment deal only with the present moment.” quote by Chanakya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4e9/chanakya-1643_men_we-should-not-fret-for-what-is-past-nor_953556.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4e9/chanakya-1643_men_we-should-not-fret-for-what-is-past-nor_953556.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4e9/chanakya-1643_men_we-should-not-fret-for-what-is-past-nor_953556.jpg) > “We should not fret for what is past, nor should we be anxious about the future; men of discernment deal only with the present moment.” [Chanakya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chanakya/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Focus on the present; past and future cause anxiety, but wise people attend only to now. **In simple terms:** Live in the moment, not past or future. Key Takeaway Practice present‑moment awareness. Themes mindfulness philosophy self‑control Mood calm reflective Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - stress - making - meditation Key Concepts temporal focus wisdom Questions to Reflect On - How can you train attention to the present? - What habits keep you anchored now? A Different Perspective Past and future can still dominate thoughts. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Discernment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/discernment/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Past](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/past/) [Present moment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/present-moment/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [“Our wives, our families, and our churches need godly men who have discernment--discernment to deal with life and life-issues on a spiritual level.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-george/our-wives-our-families-and-our-churches-need-godly-men-who-have/) [Jim George](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-george/) > [“If you are depressed, you are living in the past; if you are anxious, you are living in the present; if you are at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lao-tzu/if-you-are-depressed-you-are-living-in-the-past-if-you-are-anxious/) [Lao Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lao-tzu/) > [If you are depressed, you are living in the past. 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She gets anxious about the future.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-mills/i-know-that-she-hates-change-she-gets-anxious-about-the-future/) [Emma Mills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-mills/) > [Don't miss where you are now because you are anxious for the the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-joseph/don-t-miss-where-you-are-now-because-you-are-anxious-for-the-the/) [Jesse Joseph](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-joseph/) > [The mind that is anxious about the future is miserable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucius-annaeus-seneca/the-mind-that-is-anxious-about-the-future-is-miserable/) [Lucius Annaeus Seneca](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucius-annaeus-seneca/) > [Dread, which is closely related to fear, steals the ability to enjoy ordinary life and makes people anxious about the future. It keeps them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-meyer/dread-which-is-closely-related-to-fear-steals-the-ability-to-enjoy/) [Joyce Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-meyer/) ## More by Chanakya > [A low-minded person should not be given good advice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chanakya/a-low-minded-person-should-not-be-given-good-advice/) [Chanakya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chanakya/) > [The ruler should employ person in tasks according to their abilities because Knowers ( or the means ) and efficient employees make impossible tasks also possible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chanakya/the-ruler-should-employ-person-in-tasks-according-to-their-abilities/) [Chanakya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chanakya/) > [The serpent, the king, the tiger, the stinging wasp, the small child, the dog owned by other people, and the fool: these seven ought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chanakya/the-serpent-the-king-the-tiger-the-stinging-wasp-the-small-child-the/) [Chanakya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chanakya/) > [Prosperity lasts long for one who acts after proper consideration.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chanakya/prosperity-lasts-long-for-one-who-acts-after-proper-consideration/) [Chanakya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chanakya/) > [Learning is like a cow of desire. It, like her, yields in all seasons. Like a mother, it feeds you on your journey. Therefore…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chanakya/learning-is-like-a-cow-of-desire-it-like-her-yields-in-all-seasons/) [Chanakya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chanakya/) > [Who realises all the happiness he desires? Everything is in the hands of God. Therefore one should learn contentment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chanakya/who-realises-all-the-happiness-he-desires-everything-is-in-the-hands/) [Chanakya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chanakya/) > [Every relationship has one or the other motive behind it. Friendship or enemity are not purposeless.Oneness of motive is turned into friendship. While diversity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chanakya/every-relationship-has-one-or-the-other-motive-behind-it-friendship/) [Chanakya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chanakya/) > [Never share your secrets with anybody. It will destroy you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chanakya/never-share-your-secrets-with-anybody-it-will-destroy-you/) [Chanakya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chanakya/) > [The beauty of a cuckoo is in its notes, that of a woman in her unalloyed devotion to her husband, that of an ugly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chanakya/the-beauty-of-a-cuckoo-is-in-its-notes-that-of-a-woman-in-her/) [Chanakya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chanakya/) > [Do not be very upright in your dealings for you would see by going to the forest that straight trees are cut down while…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chanakya/do-not-be-very-upright-in-your-dealings-for-you-would-see-by-going-to/) [Chanakya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chanakya/) > [The happiness and peace attained by those satisfied by the nectar of spiritual tranquillity is not attained by greedy persons restlessly moving here and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chanakya/the-happiness-and-peace-attained-by-those-satisfied-by-the-nectar-of/) [Chanakya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chanakya/) > [What good is a cow that neither gives milk nor conceives? 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Therefore we must immediately engage in acts of merit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chanakya/our-bodies-are-perishable-wealth-is-not-at-all-permanent-and-death-is/) [Chanakya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chanakya/) [Explore all 220 Chanakya quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chanakya/) ## More Discernment quotes > [“Discernment is first of all a habit, a way of seeing that eventually permeates our whole life. It is the journey from spiritual blindness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-haley-barton/discernment-is-first-of-all-a-habit-a-way-of-seeing-that-eventually/) [Ruth Haley Barton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-haley-barton/) > [“Age doesn't mean Maturity but Senescence”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-asumadu-sarkodie/age-doesn-t-mean-maturity-but-senescence/) [Samuel Asumadu-Sarkodie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-asumadu-sarkodie/) > [You must teach yourself how to eat less, but with discernment, insofar as your work allows. 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It is not ability to predict…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-w-tozer/the-word-of-wisdom-is-missing-he-continued-we-need-the-gift-of/) [a.w. tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-w-tozer/) > [Yet you must not cling to the words of the old sages either; they, too, may not be right. Even if you believe them,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dogen/yet-you-must-not-cling-to-the-words-of-the-old-sages-either-they-too/) [Dogen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dogen/) > [It is an unquestionable truth, that the body of the people in every country desire sincerely its prosperity. 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