--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I've always tried to live in the future…" description: "\"I've always tried to live in the future and think about things and how to make things better. If you have great-grandchildren around, and their picture..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/213/george-p-shultz-18551_about_i-ve-always-tried-to-live-in-the-future_1851758.jpg" --- # I've always tried to live in the future and think about… ![“I've always tried to live in the future and think about things and how to make things better. If you have great-grandchildren around, and their pictures are looking at you, well, that's the future.” quote by George P. Shultz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/213/george-p-shultz-18551_about_i-ve-always-tried-to-live-in-the-future_1851758.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/213/george-p-shultz-18551_about_i-ve-always-tried-to-live-in-the-future_1851758.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/213/george-p-shultz-18551_about_i-ve-always-tried-to-live-in-the-future_1851758.jpg) > “I've always tried to live in the future and think about things and how to make things better. If you have great-grandchildren around, and their pictures are looking at you, well, that's the future.” [George P. Shultz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-p-shultz/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Living forward‑focused inspires us to improve society for future generations, especially those we will never meet. **In simple terms:** Think ahead for others’ benefit. Key Takeaway Act now for future wellbeing. Themes legacy future responsibility Mood hopeful determined Type ethical inspirational When to use this quote - policy making - family planning - environmental activism - career mentoring Key Concepts intergenerational ethics long‑term planning Questions to Reflect On - What steps can you take today to benefit future generations? - How do you balance present needs with future goals? A Different Perspective Future outcomes are uncertain; present actions may not affect distant descendants. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Future](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/future/) [Live In The Future](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/live-in-the-future/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [I like to live in the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denny-laine/i-like-to-live-in-the-future/) [Denny Laine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denny-laine/) > [“All we have is now, this moment. If you live in the future, you’ll miss things, right here, right now, and you’ll regret it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-therrien/all-we-have-is-now-this-moment-if-you-live-in-the-future-you-ll-miss/) Jessica Therrien > [There's a difference between setting goals and trying to live in the future before it even happens.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dominic-calvert-lewin/there-s-a-difference-between-setting-goals-and-trying-to-live-in-the/) [Dominic Calvert-Lewin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dominic-calvert-lewin/) > [“The fetishizing of the past is something that seems to happen more now than ever because of these perceived “dark times” that we're living…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-frost/the-fetishizing-of-the-past-is-something-that-seems-to-happen-more/) Ben Frost > [“We can't live in our past, it is no more. We can't live in the future, it is yet to be formed. We can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynette-chambers/we-can-t-live-in-our-past-it-is-no-more-we-can-t-live-in-the-future/) Lynette Chambers > [It is difficult to live in the present, ridiculous to live in the future, and impossible to live in the past. Nothing is as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-bishop/it-is-difficult-to-live-in-the-present-ridiculous-to-live-in-the/) [Jim Bishop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-bishop/) > [Live both in the future and the past. Who does not live in the past does not live in the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-acton/live-both-in-the-future-and-the-past-who-does-not-live-in-the-past/) [Lord Acton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-acton/) > [Live in the future with which you create your present. Create and exchange and dont forget to acknowledge yourself and others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sofia-milos/live-in-the-future-with-which-you-create-your-present-create-and/) [Sofia Milos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sofia-milos/) > [The past is over; the present is fleeting; we live in the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-kurzweil/the-past-is-over-the-present-is-fleeting-we-live-in-the-future/) [Ray Kurzweil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-kurzweil/) > [“We’re committed to the idea that a book has to live in the present . . . but the reality, that’s hard for us to recognise, is that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/junot-diaz/we-re-committed-to-the-idea-that-a-book-has-to-live-in-the-present/) [Junot Díaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/junot-diaz/) > [It is no more possible to live in the future than it is to live in the past. If life is not now, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/it-is-no-more-possible-to-live-in-the-future-than-it-is-to-live-in/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) > [“We’re moving faster with our science and technology than our morals are evolving, we’re going to have to live in the future we create…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/we-re-moving-faster-with-our-science-and-technology-than-our-morals/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Do not live in the future, only the present is real](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-k-s-iyengar/do-not-live-in-the-future-only-the-present-is-real/) [B.K.S. Iyengar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-k-s-iyengar/) > [“You will live in the future as an extension of the lives that you have touched. Therefore, you may wish to consider how you’re…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-d-lounsbrough/you-will-live-in-the-future-as-an-extension-of-the-lives-that-you/) [Craig D. Lounsbrough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-d-lounsbrough/) > [We cannot live in the past; it is gone. Nor can we live in the future; it is forever beyond our grasp. We can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-n-goenka/we-cannot-live-in-the-past-it-is-gone-nor-can-we-live-in-the-future/) [S. N. Goenka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-n-goenka/) ## More by George P. Shultz > [Ideas matter a lot, the underlying ideas that stand behind policies. When you don't have ideas, your policies are flip-flopping all over the place.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-p-shultz/ideas-matter-a-lot-the-underlying-ideas-that-stand-behind-policies/) [George P. Shultz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-p-shultz/) > [If they are too big to fail, make them smaller.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-p-shultz/if-they-are-too-big-to-fail-make-them-smaller/) [George P. Shultz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-p-shultz/) > [I don't know how you define 'neoconservatism,' but I think it's associated with trying to spread open political systems and democracy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-p-shultz/i-don-t-know-how-you-define-neoconservatism-but-i-think-it-s/) [George P. Shultz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-p-shultz/) > [Oh, you know. I am secretary of state. My trips aren't successful. I just talk to people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-p-shultz/oh-you-know-i-am-secretary-of-state-my-trips-aren-t-successful-i-just/) [George P. Shultz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-p-shultz/) > [I like the life of ideas and applying ideas to action.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-p-shultz/i-like-the-life-of-ideas-and-applying-ideas-to-action/) [George P. Shultz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-p-shultz/) > [Nothing ever gets settled in this town. a seething debating society in which the debate never stops, in which people never give up, including…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-p-shultz/nothing-ever-gets-settled-in-this-town-a-seething-debating-society-in/) [George P. Shultz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-p-shultz/) > [What we want is scientists who don't become part of the policy discussion: All they do is produce science. If someone becomes an advocate,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-p-shultz/what-we-want-is-scientists-who-don-t-become-part-of-the-policy/) [George P. Shultz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-p-shultz/) > [Before you get mugged by reality, take out an insurance policy. It's the Reagan way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-p-shultz/before-you-get-mugged-by-reality-take-out-an-insurance-policy-it-s/) [George P. Shultz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-p-shultz/) > [We have struggled with terrorism for a long time. In the Reagan administration, I was a hawk on the subject. I said terrorism is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-p-shultz/we-have-struggled-with-terrorism-for-a-long-time-in-the-reagan/) [George P. Shultz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-p-shultz/) > [The civilized world has a common stake in defeating the terrorists.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-p-shultz/the-civilized-world-has-a-common-stake-in-defeating-the-terrorists/) [George P. Shultz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-p-shultz/) > [Nothing ever gets settled in this town (Washington). It's not like running a company or even a university. It's a seething debating society, in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-p-shultz/nothing-ever-gets-settled-in-this-town-washington-it-s-not-like/) [George P. 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That means I write about guys - so far. I'm interested in the people closest to them, the people they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-kearns-goodwin/i-write-about-presidents-that-means-i-write-about-guys-so-far-i-m/) [Doris Kearns Goodwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-kearns-goodwin/) > [That's something a lot of folks don't know about me - I'm pretty darn funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jai-white/that-s-something-a-lot-of-folks-don-t-know-about-me-i-m-pretty-darn/) [Michael Jai White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jai-white/) > [I learned a lot about myself at Oakmont.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-lowry/i-learned-a-lot-about-myself-at-oakmont/) [Shane Lowry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-lowry/) > [I don't think about the press or the crowds or the other leaders of the race. The focus is only on myself. As soon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/magdalena-neuner/i-don-t-think-about-the-press-or-the-crowds-or-the-other-leaders-of/) [Magdalena Neuner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/magdalena-neuner/) > [Sport is not just about entertainment. It is equally about winning and losing, pooling and galvanising the energy of the youth, upgrading people's physical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nita-ambani/sport-is-not-just-about-entertainment-it-is-equally-about-winning-and/) [Nita Ambani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nita-ambani/) > [One of the ways that I discovered my confidence and my ability to overpower is becoming a mother. Suddenly, my world wasn't about myself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lights/one-of-the-ways-that-i-discovered-my-confidence-and-my-ability-to/) [Lights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lights/) > [I didn't want to do 'Fashion Police' because I thought, 'This is stupid, this is beneath me, who wants to talk about fashion?' 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