--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The future is an infinite succession of…" description: "\"The future is an infinite succession of presents.\" — Howard Zinn" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b4a/howard-zinn-576_future_the-future-is-an-infinite-succession-of_3227135.jpg" --- # The future is an infinite succession of presents. ![“The future is an infinite succession of presents.” quote by Howard Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b4a/howard-zinn-576_future_the-future-is-an-infinite-succession-of_3227135.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b4a/howard-zinn-576_future_the-future-is-an-infinite-succession-of_3227135.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b4a/howard-zinn-576_future_the-future-is-an-infinite-succession-of_3227135.jpg) > “The future is an infinite succession of presents.” [Howard Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-zinn/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Time is experienced as a series of moments, each as immediate as the next, emphasizing presence over distant plans. **In simple terms:** Live in the now. Key Takeaway Focus on present actions. Themes presence time mindfulness Mood reflective calm Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - daily decision making - mindful meditation - stress reduction - goal setting Key Concepts philosophy temporal perception Questions to Reflect On - How does focusing on the present affect long‑term goals? - What practices help you stay present? A Different Perspective Neglecting future planning can lead to short‑sightedness. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Future](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/future/) [Presents](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/presents/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/) [Succession](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/succession/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [The future is an infinite succession of presents, and to live now as we think human beings should live, in defiance of all that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-zinn/the-future-is-an-infinite-succession-of-presents-and-to-live-now-as/) [Howard Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-zinn/) > [“And if we do act, in however small a way, we don't have to wait for some grand Utopian future. The future is an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-zinn/and-if-we-do-act-in-however-small-a-way-we-don-t-have-to-wait-for/) [Howard Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-zinn/) > [It has no future but itself Its infinite contain Its pastenlightened to perceive New periods of pain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-has-no-future-but-itself-its-infinite-contain-its-pastenlightened/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I filled my head with thoughts of the future, of infinite possibly. There's someone out there who will one day find me and fall…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perry-moore/i-filled-my-head-with-thoughts-of-the-future-of-infinite-possibly/) [Perry Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perry-moore/) > [To be hopeful in bad times is based on the fact that human history is not only of cruelty, but also of compassion, sacrifice,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-zinn/to-be-hopeful-in-bad-times-is-based-on-the-fact-that-human-history-is/) [Howard Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-zinn/) > [God had infinite time to give us… He cut it up into a near succession of new mornings, and, with each, therefore, a new…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/god-had-infinite-time-to-give-us-he-cut-it-up-into-a-near-succession/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [My being consists of matter and form, that is, of soul and body; annihilation will reach neither of them, for they were never produced…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-aurelius/my-being-consists-of-matter-and-form-that-is-of-soul-and-body/) [Marcus Aurelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-aurelius/) > [All the Christmas presents in the world are worth nothing without the presence of Christ.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-jeremiah/all-the-christmas-presents-in-the-world-are-worth-nothing-without-the/) [David Jeremiah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-jeremiah/) > [There are those people when you're in their presents, the world seems to stand still.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bulumko-pantsi/there-are-those-people-when-you-re-in-their-presents-the-world-seems/) [Bulumko Pantsi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bulumko-pantsi/) > [Presents are made for the pleasure of who gives them, not the merits of who receives them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-ruiz-zafon/presents-are-made-for-the-pleasure-of-who-gives-them-not-the-merits/) [Carlos Ruiz Zafon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-ruiz-zafon/) > [The center of all my enjoyments is the home wherein are my wife and children, and I have no wish to wander out from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucius-quintus-cincinnatus-lamar-ii/the-center-of-all-my-enjoyments-is-the-home-wherein-are-my-wife-and/) [Lucius Quintus Cincinnatus Lamar II](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucius-quintus-cincinnatus-lamar-ii/) > [I see film roles as lovely presents that come along now and again. I feel really lucky and say thank you very much. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-gambon/i-see-film-roles-as-lovely-presents-that-come-along-now-and-again-i/) [Michael Gambon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-gambon/) > [“We all have something to give, in different gracious forms.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/we-all-have-something-to-give-in-different-gracious-forms/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [If there's one thing I've always taken care of with my work, it's that it's never an advertisement for anything other than the work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jr/if-there-s-one-thing-i-ve-always-taken-care-of-with-my-work-it-s-that/) JR > [My little girl, Anja, is really excited. We had a baby shower yesterday and she took the presents from everyone for me and was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alessandra-ambrosio/my-little-girl-anja-is-really-excited-we-had-a-baby-shower-yesterday/) [Alessandra Ambrosio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alessandra-ambrosio/) ## More by Howard Zinn > [“A black man, Benjamin Banneker, who taught himself mathematics and astronomy, predicted accurately a solar eclipse, and was appointed to plan the new city…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-zinn/a-black-man-benjamin-banneker-who-taught-himself-mathematics-and/) [Howard Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-zinn/) > [There is no flag large enough to cover the shame of killing innocent people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-zinn/there-is-no-flag-large-enough-to-cover-the-shame-of-killing-innocent/) [Howard Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-zinn/) > [“a good education is a synthesis of book learning and involvement in social action, because each enrich the other. The accumulation of knowledge, while…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-zinn/a-good-education-is-a-synthesis-of-book-learning-and-involvement-in/) [Howard Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-zinn/) > [The mountain of history books under which we all stand leans so heavily in the other direction-so tremblingly respectful of states and statesmen and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-zinn/the-mountain-of-history-books-under-which-we-all-stand-leans-so/) [Howard Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-zinn/) > [Let's face a historical truth: we have never had a "free market", we have always had government intervention in the economy, and indeed that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-zinn/let-s-face-a-historical-truth-we-have-never-had-a-free-market-we-have/) [Howard Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-zinn/) > [I can UNDERSTAND pessimism, but I don't BELIEVE in it. It's not simply a matter of faith, but of historical EVIDENCE. Not overwhelming evidence,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-zinn/i-can-understand-pessimism-but-i-don-t-believe-in-it-it-s-not-simply/) [Howard Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-zinn/) > [Protest beyond the law is not a departure from democracy; it is absolutely essential to it. It is a corrective to the sluggishness of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-zinn/protest-beyond-the-law-is-not-a-departure-from-democracy-it-is/) [Howard Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-zinn/) > [Now I have been studying very closely what happens every day in the courts in Boston, Massachusetts. You would be astounded--maybe you wouldn't, maybe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-zinn/now-i-have-been-studying-very-closely-what-happens-every-day-in-the/) [Howard Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-zinn/) > [They were not mentioned in the Declaration of Independence, they were absent in the Constitution and they were invisible in the new political democracy.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-zinn/they-were-not-mentioned-in-the-declaration-of-independence-they-were/) [Howard Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-zinn/) > [“Sexual purity was to be the special virtue of a woman. It was assumed that men, as a matter of biological nature, would sin,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-zinn/sexual-purity-was-to-be-the-special-virtue-of-a-woman-it-was-assumed/) [Howard Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-zinn/) > [“Middle-class Americans might be invited to join a new elite by attacks against the corruption of the established rich. The New Yorker Cadwallader Colden,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-zinn/middle-class-americans-might-be-invited-to-join-a-new-elite-by/) [Howard Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-zinn/) > [If those in charge of our society - politicians, corporate executives, and owners of press and television - can dominate our ideas, they will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-zinn/if-those-in-charge-of-our-society-politicians-corporate-executives/) [Howard Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-zinn/) > [We were not born critical of existing society. There was a moment in our lives (or a month, or a year) when certain facts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-zinn/we-were-not-born-critical-of-existing-society-there-was-a-moment-in/) [Howard Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-zinn/) > [Behind the deceptive words designed to entice people into supporting violence -- words like democracy, freedom, self-defense, national security -- there is the reality…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-zinn/behind-the-deceptive-words-designed-to-entice-people-into-supporting/) [Howard Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-zinn/) > [“George Washington had turned down the requests of blacks, seeking freedom, to fight in the Revolutionary army. So when the British military commander in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-zinn/george-washington-had-turned-down-the-requests-of-blacks-seeking/) [Howard Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-zinn/) [Explore all 461 Howard Zinn quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-zinn/) ## More Future quotes > [“The future is only an indifferent void no one cares about, but the past is filled with life, and its countenance is irritating, repellent,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/the-future-is-only-an-indifferent-void-no-one-cares-about-but-the/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) > [Getting on the cover of TIME guarantees the existence of opposition in the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kenneth-galbraith/getting-on-the-cover-of-time-guarantees-the-existence-of-opposition/) [John Kenneth Galbraith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kenneth-galbraith/) > [In the future, I would like to do more films with contemporary themes. Perhaps comedy, which is something I have done in theater but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luke-evans/in-the-future-i-would-like-to-do-more-films-with-contemporary-themes/) [Luke Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luke-evans/) > [You practice mindfulness, on the one hand, to be calm and peaceful. On the other hand, as you practice mindfulness and live a life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-practice-mindfulness-on-the-one-hand-to-be-calm-and-peaceful-on/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If you can connect people, you can create the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-heiferman/if-you-can-connect-people-you-can-create-the-future/) [Scott Heiferman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-heiferman/) > [A strong, durable Puerto Rican economy will leave the island better prepared to handle future natural disasters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-campos-duffy/a-strong-durable-puerto-rican-economy-will-leave-the-island-better/) [Rachel Campos-Duffy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-campos-duffy/) > [“We have no idea, now, of who or what the inhabitants of our future might be. In that sense, we have no future. Not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-gibson/we-have-no-idea-now-of-who-or-what-the-inhabitants-of-our-future/) [William Gibson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-gibson/) > [“You are destiny for greatness. Your future is in the hands of the Lord.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/you-are-destiny-for-greatness-your-future-is-in-the-hands-of-the-lord/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [I'm just always looking forwards. I spend very little time, looking backwards.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-vaynerchuk/i-m-just-always-looking-forwards-i-spend-very-little-time-looking/) [Gary Vaynerchuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-vaynerchuk/) > [Football is my passion, and who knows where I will play in the future - you cannot foresee that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edinson-cavani/football-is-my-passion-and-who-knows-where-i-will-play-in-the-future/) [Edinson Cavani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edinson-cavani/) > [When I was 17, I broke up with my future wife.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kris-allen/when-i-was-17-i-broke-up-with-my-future-wife/) [Kris Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kris-allen/) > [I think everybody in the future has stopped talking to each other and we all just use emojis.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scarlett-moffatt/i-think-everybody-in-the-future-has-stopped-talking-to-each-other-and/) [Scarlett Moffatt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scarlett-moffatt/) > [When you continue to dwell on the past, there's no chance for a future. History repeats itself, thus, it's ok to LOOK back at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-you-continue-to-dwell-on-the-past-there-s-no-chance-for-a-future/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I am no different from a lot of people. I am concerned for the future of my children and concerned for the future of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-barnes/i-am-no-different-from-a-lot-of-people-i-am-concerned-for-the-future/) [John Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-barnes/) > [Starting a new job can be nerve-racking , but it's also exciting. You're embarking on a new future, positioning yourself to write a fresh…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adena-friedman/starting-a-new-job-can-be-nerve-racking-but-it-s-also-exciting-you-re/) [Adena Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adena-friedman/) [Browse all 12,349 Future quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/future/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The future is an infinite succession of presents.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Howard Zinn" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-zinn/the-future-is-an-infinite-succession-of-presents/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Future" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-zinn/the-future-is-an-infinite-succession-of-presents/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b4a/howard-zinn-576_future_the-future-is-an-infinite-succession-of_3227135.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b4a/howard-zinn-576_future_the-future-is-an-infinite-succession-of_3227135.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b4a/howard-zinn-576_future_the-future-is-an-infinite-succession-of_3227135.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The future is an infinite succession of presents.” — Howard Zinn", "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": "Howard Zinn", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-zinn/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The future is an infinite succession...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-zinn/the-future-is-an-infinite-succession-of-presents/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-zinn/the-future-is-an-infinite-succession-of-presents/#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 } } ] } ```