--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Men spend their lives in…" description: "\"Men spend their lives in anticipations,—in determining to be vastly happy at some period when they have time. But the present time has one advantage ov..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ac7/charles-caleb-colton-270_advantage_men-spend-their-lives-in-anticipations-i_199319.jpg" --- # Men spend their lives in anticipations,—in determining to… ![“Men spend their lives in anticipations,—in determining to be vastly happy at some period when they have time. But the present time has one advantage over every other—it is our own. Past opportunities are gone, future have not come. We may lay in a stock of pleasures, as we would lay in a stock of…” quote by Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ac7/charles-caleb-colton-270_advantage_men-spend-their-lives-in-anticipations-i_199319.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ac7/charles-caleb-colton-270_advantage_men-spend-their-lives-in-anticipations-i_199319.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ac7/charles-caleb-colton-270_advantage_men-spend-their-lives-in-anticipations-i_199319.jpg) > “Men spend their lives in anticipations,—in determining to be vastly happy at some period when they have time. But the present time has one advantage over every other—it is our own. Past opportunities are gone, future have not come. We may lay in a stock of pleasures, as we would lay in a stock of wine; but if we defer the tasting of them too long, we shall find that both are soured by age.” [Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The present is the only moment we truly own; postponing pleasure leads to loss. **In simple terms:** Focus on now, not future or past. Key Takeaway Value today’s experiences. Themes presence contentment time impermanence Mood thoughtful serene Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - career decisions - personal goals - relationships - health choices Key Concepts existentialism hedonism Questions to Reflect On - What pleasures can you savor now? - How does delaying joy affect you? A Different Perspective Future uncertainty can make present choices feel risky. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Advantage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/advantage/) [Age](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/age/) [Happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness/) [Inspiration](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspiration/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Life changing experience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-changing-experience/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Opportunity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opportunity/) [Past](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/past/) [Pleasure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pleasure/) [Pleasures](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pleasures/) [Present time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/present-time/) [Spiritual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spiritual/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Wine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wine/) [You make me happy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/you-make-me-happy/) ## Related quotes > [We may lay in a stock of pleasures, as we would lay in a stock of wine; but if we defer tasting them too…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/we-may-lay-in-a-stock-of-pleasures-as-we-would-lay-in-a-stock-of-wine/) [Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/) > [“As my college days draw to a close, I find myself looking forward with beating heart and bright anticipations to what the future holds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-keller/as-my-college-days-draw-to-a-close-i-find-myself-looking-forward-with/) [Helen Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-keller/) > [“Your fantastic anticipations make me discern all the more forcibly what a wretched, unsubstantial scheme is this, on which we have wasted a precious…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-hawthorne/your-fantastic-anticipations-make-me-discern-all-the-more-forcibly/) [Nathaniel Hawthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-hawthorne/) > [“Unanticipated novelty, the new discovery, can emerge only to the extent that his anticipations about nature and his instruments prove wrong.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-s-kuhn/unanticipated-novelty-the-new-discovery-can-emerge-only-to-the-extent/) [Thomas S. Kuhn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-s-kuhn/) > [Our mere anticipations of life outrun its realities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aesop/our-mere-anticipations-of-life-outrun-its-realities/) [Aesop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aesop/) > [Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/life-should-not-be-a-journey-to-the-grave-with-the-intention-of-3/) [Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) > [Outing someone is like ripping a butterfly from its cocoon. You can damage them for life and rob them of THEIR life changing experience…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-venn-brown/outing-someone-is-like-ripping-a-butterfly-from-its-cocoon-you-can/) [Anthony Venn-Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-venn-brown/) > [We always strive after what is forbidden, and desire the things refused us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ovid/we-always-strive-after-what-is-forbidden-and-desire-the-things/) [Ovid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ovid/) > [The man is happiest who lives from day to day and asks no more, garnering the simple goodness of life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/euripides/the-man-is-happiest-who-lives-from-day-to-day-and-asks-no-more/) [Euripides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/euripides/) > [Going to the Sahara Desert and meeting the Touareg band Tinariwen was a life-changing experience. All through that time, I have just carried on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-adams/going-to-the-sahara-desert-and-meeting-the-touareg-band-tinariwen-was/) [Justin Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-adams/) > [A testimony of the truth of the gospel does not come the same way to all people. Some receive it in a unique, life-changing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-b-wirthlin/a-testimony-of-the-truth-of-the-gospel-does-not-come-the-same-way-to/) [Joseph B. 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