--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The past has but one answer. The future…" description: "\"“The past has but one answer. The future however is multiple choice.”\" — Cody Edward Lee Miller" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/59d/cody-edward-lee-miller-1361_choice_the-past-has-but-one-answer-the-future-h_2853544.jpg" --- # The past has but one answer. The future however is… ![“The past has but one answer. The future however is multiple choice.” quote by Cody Edward Lee Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/59d/cody-edward-lee-miller-1361_choice_the-past-has-but-one-answer-the-future-h_2853544.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/59d/cody-edward-lee-miller-1361_choice_the-past-has-but-one-answer-the-future-h_2853544.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/59d/cody-edward-lee-miller-1361_choice_the-past-has-but-one-answer-the-future-h_2853544.jpg) > ““The past has but one answer. The future however is multiple choice.”” [Cody Edward Lee Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cody-edward-lee-miller/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The past offers a single lesson; the future presents many possible paths. **In simple terms:** Past is one answer, future many choices. Key Takeaway Embrace multiple options ahead. Themes choice future learning possibility Mood thoughtful inspirational Type philosophical practical When to use this quote - career planning - investment - education - life transitions Key Concepts Decision theory philosophy psychology Questions to Reflect On - What single lesson guides you? - How do you evaluate future options? A Different Perspective Too many choices can cause paralysis. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Choice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choice/) [Future](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/future/) [Multiple choice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/multiple-choice/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [The choices you make today, you're going to have to answer to in the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-choices-you-make-today-you-re-going-to-have-to-answer-to-in-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“What are you going to do with your life?’ In one way or another it seemed that people had been asking her this forever;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-nicholls/what-are-you-going-to-do-with-your-life-in-one-way-or-another-it/) [David Nicholls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-nicholls/) > [Quinn sat back down. He leaned forward, elbows on knees. "Man, don't you remember taking tests in school? Multiple choice: A, B, C, D,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-grant/quinn-sat-back-down-he-leaned-forward-elbows-on-knees-man-don-t-you/) [Michael Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-grant/) > [To the student I would say, "Life is principally multiple choice, but at the end there's a tough essay question.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-breault/to-the-student-i-would-say-life-is-principally-multiple-choice-but-at/) [Robert Breault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-breault/) > [When I am given a multiple choice test I choose not to take it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/demetri-martin/when-i-am-given-a-multiple-choice-test-i-choose-not-to-take-it/) [Demetri Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/demetri-martin/) > [If you show a poetry professor your shiny new multiple choice teaching technology, he will invite you to exit his office.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-ng/if-you-show-a-poetry-professor-your-shiny-new-multiple-choice/) [Andrew Ng](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-ng/) > [Life is not a multiple choice test, it's an open-book essay exam.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-blinder/life-is-not-a-multiple-choice-test-it-s-an-open-book-essay-exam/) [Alan Blinder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-blinder/) > [If I have to have a past, then I prefer it to be multiple choice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-moore/if-i-have-to-have-a-past-then-i-prefer-it-to-be-multiple-choice/) [Alan Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-moore/) > [I'm in favor of it as long as it's multiple choice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-rambis/i-m-in-favor-of-it-as-long-as-it-s-multiple-choice/) [Kurt Rambis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-rambis/) > [“My usual instruction to students when they are preparing to write their examinations is "think before you answer the questions". I am convinced that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/my-usual-instruction-to-students-when-they-are-preparing-to-write/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [Flexibility comes from having multiple choices; wisdom comes from having multiple perspectives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-dilts/flexibility-comes-from-having-multiple-choices-wisdom-comes-from/) Robert Dilts > [What was wrong with train toilet doors that just locked, instead of this multiple choice system? If anything goes wrong, you'll be sitting there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frankie-boyle/what-was-wrong-with-train-toilet-doors-that-just-locked-instead-of/) [Frankie Boyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frankie-boyle/) > [Theres no problem I cant solve in a test to follow. if ur love was multiple choice, you'd be all of the above. ur…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ne-yo/theres-no-problem-i-cant-solve-in-a-test-to-follow-if-ur-love-was/) [Ne-yo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ne-yo/) > [Life is like a multiple choice question, sometimes the choices confuse you, not the question itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-like-a-multiple-choice-question-sometimes-the-choices-confuse/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm in favour of drug tests, just so long as they are multiple choice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-rambis/i-m-in-favour-of-drug-tests-just-so-long-as-they-are-multiple-choice/) [Kurt Rambis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-rambis/) ## More by Cody Edward Lee Miller > [“(‘T) is all that separates I CAN’T from I CAN. Cut away the bullshit and live your life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cody-edward-lee-miller/t-is-all-that-separates-i-can-t-from-i-can-cut-away-the-bullshit-and/) [Cody Edward Lee Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cody-edward-lee-miller/) > [“What makes the stars special is that they shine even after the rest of the world goes dark.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cody-edward-lee-miller/what-makes-the-stars-special-is-that-they-shine-even-after-the-rest/) [Cody Edward Lee Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cody-edward-lee-miller/) > [“In the oppressive future artists will be the last rebels, Muses will be their deity”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cody-edward-lee-miller/in-the-oppressive-future-artists-will-be-the-last-rebels-muses-will/) [Cody Edward Lee Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cody-edward-lee-miller/) > [“We're tragic actors in a world of comedy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cody-edward-lee-miller/we-re-tragic-actors-in-a-world-of-comedy/) [Cody Edward Lee Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cody-edward-lee-miller/) > [“It’s better to have a light heart and a dark mind than for the opposite to be true.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cody-edward-lee-miller/it-s-better-to-have-a-light-heart-and-a-dark-mind-than-for-the/) [Cody Edward Lee Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cody-edward-lee-miller/) > [“Greatness is for those who work for it, Mediocrity is for those who accept it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cody-edward-lee-miller/greatness-is-for-those-who-work-for-it-mediocrity-is-for-those-who/) [Cody Edward Lee Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cody-edward-lee-miller/) > [“Faith, hope and love should be balloons lifting you up, not anchors weighing you down.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cody-edward-lee-miller/faith-hope-and-love-should-be-balloons-lifting-you-up-not-anchors/) [Cody Edward Lee Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cody-edward-lee-miller/) > [“The muse of memories past inspires smiles on many a sad faces, tears on many a dry cheek, and warmth of love inside so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cody-edward-lee-miller/the-muse-of-memories-past-inspires-smiles-on-many-a-sad-faces-tears/) [Cody Edward Lee Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cody-edward-lee-miller/) > [“With every whispered beat of his heart, he could hear her name echo in his chest.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cody-edward-lee-miller/with-every-whispered-beat-of-his-heart-he-could-hear-her-name-echo-in/) [Cody Edward Lee Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cody-edward-lee-miller/) > [“Sometimes the pounding of your heart when it’s in love awakens all the sleeping monster and emotions in you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cody-edward-lee-miller/sometimes-the-pounding-of-your-heart-when-it-s-in-love-awakens-all/) [Cody Edward Lee Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cody-edward-lee-miller/) > [“You define your existence, not the other way around.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cody-edward-lee-miller/you-define-your-existence-not-the-other-way-around/) [Cody Edward Lee Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cody-edward-lee-miller/) > [“We swallow coal, and choke on diamonds, that's the hell inside us.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cody-edward-lee-miller/we-swallow-coal-and-choke-on-diamonds-that-s-the-hell-inside-us/) [Cody Edward Lee Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cody-edward-lee-miller/) > [“Our existence is shaped by our action not our thoughts. Our perceptions are shaped by thoughts not action.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cody-edward-lee-miller/our-existence-is-shaped-by-our-action-not-our-thoughts-our/) [Cody Edward Lee Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cody-edward-lee-miller/) > [“Self-destruction can be cathartic in the worst ways possible.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cody-edward-lee-miller/self-destruction-can-be-cathartic-in-the-worst-ways-possible/) [Cody Edward Lee Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cody-edward-lee-miller/) > [“Helping the caterpillar can sometimes kill the butterfly. You can’t fight their darkness for them, but you can make sure they don't face it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cody-edward-lee-miller/helping-the-caterpillar-can-sometimes-kill-the-butterfly-you-can-t/) [Cody Edward Lee Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cody-edward-lee-miller/) [Explore all 250 Cody Edward Lee Miller quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cody-edward-lee-miller/) ## More Choice quotes > [Making the right decision is hard,telling someone your decision is even harder.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhishek-tiwari/making-the-right-decision-is-hard-telling-someone-your-decision-is/) [Abhishek Tiwari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhishek-tiwari/) > [“That’s all! Now either leave us alone or join us as a father rather than a receiver of sacrifices. You have the choice of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-simmons/that-s-all-now-either-leave-us-alone-or-join-us-as-a-father-rather/) [Dan Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-simmons/) > [“In a world of fixed future, there can be no right or wrong. Right and wrong demand freedom of choice, but if each action…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-lightman/in-a-world-of-fixed-future-there-can-be-no-right-or-wrong-right-and/) [Alan Lightman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-lightman/) > [“Exactly. So, what can't you take? Decide which of the two options is harder, and do the other. That way, no matter how hard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josephine-angelini/exactly-so-what-can-t-you-take-decide-which-of-the-two-options-is/) [Josephine Angelini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josephine-angelini/) > [“too—I realized that my only hope was to give up the life that had been, in order to make room for the life that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-lesser/too-i-realized-that-my-only-hope-was-to-give-up-the-life-that-had/) [Elizabeth Lesser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-lesser/) > [When you have a choice, choose happy!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pancho-barnes/when-you-have-a-choice-choose-happy/) Pancho Barnes > [You dont choose your life; it chooses you. Theres no point asking why life has reserved certain joys or griefs, you just accept them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/you-dont-choose-your-life-it-chooses-you-theres-no-point-asking-why/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [There has always been a feeling with people that they love my singing but not always the choice of material.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-moyet/there-has-always-been-a-feeling-with-people-that-they-love-my-singing/) [Alison Moyet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-moyet/) > [I have too many options when it comes to guitars.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-nielsen/i-have-too-many-options-when-it-comes-to-guitars/) [Rick Nielsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-nielsen/) > [“Amazing how a small choice can change your life forever.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-c-dockens/amazing-how-a-small-choice-can-change-your-life-forever/) Randy C. Dockens > [Change is inevitable but personal growth is a choice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-proctor/change-is-inevitable-but-personal-growth-is-a-choice/) [Bob Proctor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-proctor/) > [If you choose to draw from the inner well of free will, then you can make choices that are outside your current karmic patterns.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/if-you-choose-to-draw-from-the-inner-well-of-free-will-then-you-can/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Since I don't outline my books very much, I feel like sometimes I don't have a choice in what the characters do; they just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-todd/since-i-don-t-outline-my-books-very-much-i-feel-like-sometimes-i-don/) [Anna Todd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-todd/) > [Act always so as to increase the number of choices](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heinz-von-foerster/act-always-so-as-to-increase-the-number-of-choices/) [Heinz von Foerster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heinz-von-foerster/) > [Words can only have an effect on you if you choose to listen to them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernajoy-vaal/words-can-only-have-an-effect-on-you-if-you-choose-to-listen-to-them/) [Bernajoy Vaal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernajoy-vaal/) [Browse all 8,092 Choice quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choice/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“The past has but one answer. 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