--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I think as a species we're not designed…" description: "\"I think as a species we're not designed to be able to think more than one year into the future - if that. Even trying to imagine one year from now make..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4af/douglas-coupland-305_able_i-think-as-a-species-we-re-not-designed_2844329.jpg" --- # I think as a species we're not designed to be able to… ![“I think as a species we're not designed to be able to think more than one year into the future - if that. Even trying to imagine one year from now makes most people feel like they've been given a huge boring chunk of homework that's too hard to do.” quote by Douglas Coupland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4af/douglas-coupland-305_able_i-think-as-a-species-we-re-not-designed_2844329.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4af/douglas-coupland-305_able_i-think-as-a-species-we-re-not-designed_2844329.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4af/douglas-coupland-305_able_i-think-as-a-species-we-re-not-designed_2844329.jpg) > “I think as a species we're not designed to be able to think more than one year into the future - if that. Even trying to imagine one year from now makes most people feel like they've been given a huge boring chunk of homework that's too hard to do.” [Douglas Coupland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-coupland/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Humans struggle to envision beyond a year, seeing long‑term planning as daunting and abstract. **In simple terms:** People find it hard to think past a year. Key Takeaway Cultivate long‑term vision. Themes future psychology planning Mood reflective concerned Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - career planning - financial investing - education goals - environmental policy Key Concepts cognitive bias temporal discounting Questions to Reflect On - How can we train ourselves to think further ahead? - What tools help extend our temporal horizon? A Different Perspective Human brains are wired for short‑term focus, limiting strategic foresight. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Able](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/able/) [Been](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/been/) [Boring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/boring/) [Chunk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chunk/) [Designed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/designed/) [Even](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/even/) [Feel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feel/) [Future](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/future/) [Future Trying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/future-trying-1795443/) [Given](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/given/) [Hard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hard/) [Homework](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/homework/) [Huge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/huge/) [I think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/i-think/) [Imagine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/imagine/) [Imagine Year](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/imagine-year-3293490/) [Like](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/like/) [Makes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/makes/) [More](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/more/) [Most](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/most/) [Now](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/now/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Species](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/species/) [Than](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/than/) [Think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think/) [Think Year](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think-year-293371/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Too](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/too/) [Trying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trying/) [Year](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/year/) [Year Future](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/year-future-1434757/) ## Related quotes > [“Imagine that we are a year into the future. 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I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/america-ferrera/at-different-times-in-my-life-i-ve-made-grand-statements-like-i-want/) [America Ferrera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/america-ferrera/) > [I think that after a year of Portishead I've become a little more sober.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-gibbons/i-think-that-after-a-year-of-portishead-i-ve-become-a-little-more/) [Beth Gibbons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-gibbons/) > [I think every year brings unknowns that you have to deal with and handle, confront and embrace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bjork/i-think-every-year-brings-unknowns-that-you-have-to-deal-with-and/) [Bjork](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bjork/) > [You ever think about this? Every year you live, you pass the anniversary of your death. 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