--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: To redeem the past and to transform every…" description: "\"“To redeem the past and to transform every 'It was' into an 'I wanted it thus!' – that alone do I call redemption!”\" — Friedrich Nietzsche" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4f3/friedrich-nietzsche-15_regret_to-redeem-the-past-and-to-transform-ever_1440228.jpg" --- # To redeem the past and to transform every 'It was' into an… ![“To redeem the past and to transform every 'It was' into an 'I wanted it thus!' – that alone do I call redemption!” quote by Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4f3/friedrich-nietzsche-15_regret_to-redeem-the-past-and-to-transform-ever_1440228.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4f3/friedrich-nietzsche-15_regret_to-redeem-the-past-and-to-transform-ever_1440228.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4f3/friedrich-nietzsche-15_regret_to-redeem-the-past-and-to-transform-ever_1440228.jpg) > ““To redeem the past and to transform every 'It was' into an 'I wanted it thus!' – that alone do I call redemption!”” [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Redemption means turning past regrets into purposeful intention, reshaping history into personal agency. **In simple terms:** Turn past regrets into purpose. Key Takeaway Own your past, act purposefully. Themes redemption agency self‑determination Mood reflective determined Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - personal growth - career change - overcoming trauma - goal setting Key Concepts existentialism will to power Questions to Reflect On - How can you transform a past regret into a present goal? - What limits personal agency in redemption? A Different Perspective Redemption may ignore systemic factors beyond personal control. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Redeem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/redeem/) [Redeem Past](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/redeem-past-757005/) [Redemption](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/redemption/) [Regret](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/regret/) [The past](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/the-past/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Transform Wanted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/transform-wanted-5151632/) [Wanted Redemption](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wanted-redemption-3307497/) ## Related quotes > [Basically, I wanted redemption for the way I lived my life beforehand, and that was the drugs, the drink, the loose sex, whatever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elton-john/basically-i-wanted-redemption-for-the-way-i-lived-my-life-beforehand/) [Elton John](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elton-john/) > [“We just philosophize, complain of boredom, or drink vodka. It's so clear, you see, that if we're to begin living in the present, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anton-chekhov/we-just-philosophize-complain-of-boredom-or-drink-vodka-it-s-so-clear/) [Anton Chekhov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anton-chekhov/) > [“God can allow you to pass through storms and get to your success. But what the devil loves to do is to make you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/god-can-allow-you-to-pass-through-storms-and-get-to-your-success-but/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [“We just have to redeem ourselves. No one else is going to do it for us.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-m-lawler/we-just-have-to-redeem-ourselves-no-one-else-is-going-to-do-it-for-us/) [J.M. Lawler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-m-lawler/) > [“It isn't what you did in the past that will affect the present. It's what you do in the present that will redeem the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/it-isn-t-what-you-did-in-the-past-that-will-affect-the-present-it-s/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [It’s what you do in the present that will redeem the past and thereby change the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/it-s-what-you-do-in-the-present-that-will-redeem-the-past-and-thereby/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [Identity is a prison you can never escape, but the way to redeem your past is not to run from it, but to try…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-z/identity-is-a-prison-you-can-never-escape-but-the-way-to-redeem-your/) [Jay-Z](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-z/) > [“God has a way of picking a “nobody” and turning their world upside down, in order to create a “somebody” that will remove the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/god-has-a-way-of-picking-a-nobody-and-turning-their-world-upside-down/) [Shannon L. Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-l-alder/) > [The god on the cross is a curse on life, a signpost to seek redemption from life; Dionysus cut to pieces is a promise…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/the-god-on-the-cross-is-a-curse-on-life-a-signpost-to-seek-redemption/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [“It was suffering and incapacity that created all afterworlds - this, and that brief madness of bliss which is experienced only by those who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/it-was-suffering-and-incapacity-that-created-all-afterworlds-this-and/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [We can always redeem the man who aspires and strives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/we-can-always-redeem-the-man-who-aspires-and-strives/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [I was never one to run away from trouble - I intend to continue to fight my corner and try to redeem our reputation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-quinn/i-was-never-one-to-run-away-from-trouble-i-intend-to-continue-to/) [Sean Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-quinn/) > [The next time we hang out, I will redeem myself. My heart can rest till then.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miley-cyrus/the-next-time-we-hang-out-i-will-redeem-myself-my-heart-can-rest-till/) [Miley Cyrus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miley-cyrus/) > [Redeem thy misspent time that's past, And live this day as if thy last.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-ken/redeem-thy-misspent-time-that-s-past-and-live-this-day-as-if-thy-last/) [Thomas Ken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-ken/) > [Christ became one of us to redeem all of us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-lucado/christ-became-one-of-us-to-redeem-all-of-us/) [Max Lucado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-lucado/) ## More by Friedrich Nietzsche > [Animals know nothing of themselves, and they also know nothing of the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/animals-know-nothing-of-themselves-and-they-also-know-nothing-of-the/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [“Every select man strives instinctively for a citadel and a privacy, where he is FREE from the crowd, the many, the majority-- where he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/every-select-man-strives-instinctively-for-a-citadel-and-a-privacy/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [“It breaks my heart. Better than your words, your eye tells me all your peril. You are not yet free, you still search for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/it-breaks-my-heart-better-than-your-words-your-eye-tells-me-all-your/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [“79. A soul which knows that it is loved, but does not itself love, betrays its sediment: its dregs come up.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/79-a-soul-which-knows-that-it-is-loved-but-does-not-itself-love/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [We deceive ourselves when giving respect to the person for whom we have surrendered ourselves, when we respectively expect them to be as we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/we-deceive-ourselves-when-giving-respect-to-the-person-for-whom-we/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [“The great periods of our life occur when we gain the courage to rechristen what is bad about us as what is best.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/the-great-periods-of-our-life-occur-when-we-gain-the-courage-to/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [“What is life? Life - that is: continually shedding something that wants to die. Life - that is: being cruel and inexorable against everything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/what-is-life-life-that-is-continually-shedding-something-that-wants/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [It is thus only this personal feeling of misery that we get rid of by acts of pity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/it-is-thus-only-this-personal-feeling-of-misery-that-we-get-rid-of-by/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [“Writers whose thoughts are expressed with clarity and precision are assumed by readers to be superficial. Where the meaning is obscured, then readers give…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/writers-whose-thoughts-are-expressed-with-clarity-and-precision-are/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [“he does not wear a twitching, mobile, human face, but rather a mask, as it were, with its features in dignified equilibrium; he does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/he-does-not-wear-a-twitching-mobile-human-face-but-rather-a-mask-as/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [Chastity is a virtue with some, but with many it is almost a vice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/chastity-is-a-virtue-with-some-but-with-many-it-is-almost-a-vice/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [The earth is like the breasts of a woman: useful as well as pleasing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/the-earth-is-like-the-breasts-of-a-woman-useful-as-well-as-pleasing/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [“Of all that is written I love only what a man has written in his own blood.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/of-all-that-is-written-i-love-only-what-a-man-has-written-in-his-own/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [No shepherd and one herd! Everybody wants the same, everybody is the same: whoever feels different goes voluntarily into a madhouse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/no-shepherd-and-one-herd-everybody-wants-the-same-everybody-is-the/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [Pain makes hens and poets cackle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/pain-makes-hens-and-poets-cackle/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) [Explore all 3,486 Friedrich Nietzsche quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) ## More Redeem quotes > [Redeem thy misspent time that's past, And live this day as if thy last.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-ken/redeem-thy-misspent-time-that-s-past-and-live-this-day-as-if-thy-last/) [Thomas Ken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-ken/) > [The next time we hang out, I will redeem myself. My heart can rest till then.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miley-cyrus/the-next-time-we-hang-out-i-will-redeem-myself-my-heart-can-rest-till/) [Miley Cyrus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miley-cyrus/) > [I was never one to run away from trouble - I intend to continue to fight my corner and try to redeem our reputation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-quinn/i-was-never-one-to-run-away-from-trouble-i-intend-to-continue-to/) [Sean Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-quinn/) > [We can always redeem the man who aspires and strives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/we-can-always-redeem-the-man-who-aspires-and-strives/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [Christ became one of us to redeem all of us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-lucado/christ-became-one-of-us-to-redeem-all-of-us/) [Max Lucado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-lucado/) > [Spain, must we some day tell Filipinas that thou hast no ear for her woes and that if she wishes to be saved she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-rizal/spain-must-we-some-day-tell-filipinas-that-thou-hast-no-ear-for-her/) [Jose Rizal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-rizal/) > [“He have allowed us to redeem one soul already, and we go out as the old knights of the Cross to redeem more. Like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bram-stoker/he-have-allowed-us-to-redeem-one-soul-already-and-we-go-out-as-the/) [Bram Stoker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bram-stoker/) > [Just when I thought you couldn't get any dumber, you go and do something like this... and totally redeem yourself!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-dunn/just-when-i-thought-you-couldn-t-get-any-dumber-you-go-and-do/) [Harry Dunn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-dunn/) > [“Cultivate the habit of defining, refining, redefining and redeeming your opportunities. Failure is a temporal event, not a permanent trademark.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/cultivate-the-habit-of-defining-refining-redefining-and-redeeming/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [“We just have to redeem ourselves. No one else is going to do it for us.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-m-lawler/we-just-have-to-redeem-ourselves-no-one-else-is-going-to-do-it-for-us/) [J.M. Lawler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-m-lawler/) > [I'm all about people being able to redeem themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-waltman/i-m-all-about-people-being-able-to-redeem-themselves/) [Sean Waltman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-waltman/) > [“We can only get to God through God. Every other possible avenue is a dead-end before it even starts.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-d-lounsbrough/we-can-only-get-to-god-through-god-every-other-possible-avenue-is-a/) [Craig D. Lounsbrough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-d-lounsbrough/) > [“God can allow you to pass through storms and get to your success. But what the devil loves to do is to make you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/god-can-allow-you-to-pass-through-storms-and-get-to-your-success-but/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [Pain is essential. Often I cannot avoid it.Therefore all one can do is redeem it; and the only way to redeem it is through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elie-wiesel/pain-is-essential-often-i-cannot-avoid-it-therefore-all-one-can-do-is/) [Elie Wiesel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elie-wiesel/) > [With Yowza there are no games, you don't have to check in or become the mayor or go back home and redeem anything online…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-grunberg/with-yowza-there-are-no-games-you-don-t-have-to-check-in-or-become/) [Greg Grunberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-grunberg/) [Browse all 45 Redeem quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/redeem/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“To redeem the past and to transform every 'It was' into an 'I wanted it thus!' – that alone do I call redemption!”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Friedrich Nietzsche" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/to-redeem-the-past-and-to-transform-every-it-was-into-an-i-wanted-it/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Redeem" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/to-redeem-the-past-and-to-transform-every-it-was-into-an-i-wanted-it/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4f3/friedrich-nietzsche-15_regret_to-redeem-the-past-and-to-transform-ever_1440228.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4f3/friedrich-nietzsche-15_regret_to-redeem-the-past-and-to-transform-ever_1440228.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4f3/friedrich-nietzsche-15_regret_to-redeem-the-past-and-to-transform-ever_1440228.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“To redeem the past and to transform every 'It was' into an 'I wanted it thus!' – that alone do I call…” — Friedrich Nietzsche", "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": "Friedrich Nietzsche", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“To redeem the past and to...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/to-redeem-the-past-and-to-transform-every-it-was-into-an-i-wanted-it/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/to-redeem-the-past-and-to-transform-every-it-was-into-an-i-wanted-it/#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 } } ] } ```