---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You change the future by taking control…"
description: "\"“You change the future by taking control of the present. Know how to use your minutes and hours.”\" — Innocent Mwatsikesimbe"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b2d/innocent-mwatsikesimbe-19297_change_you-change-the-future-by-taking-control_272545.jpg"
---

#  You change the future by taking control of the present…

![“You change the future by taking control of the present. Know how to use your minutes and hours.” quote by Innocent Mwatsikesimbe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b2d/innocent-mwatsikesimbe-19297_change_you-change-the-future-by-taking-control_272545.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b2d/innocent-mwatsikesimbe-19297_change_you-change-the-future-by-taking-control_272545.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b2d/innocent-mwatsikesimbe-19297_change_you-change-the-future-by-taking-control_272545.jpg)

> ““You change the future by taking control of the present. Know how to use your minutes and hours.””

[Innocent Mwatsikesimbe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/innocent-mwatsikesimbe/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Control the present moment to shape future outcomes; time management is key.

**In simple terms:** Use today wisely to affect tomorrow.

Key Takeaway

Plan and act with purpose now.

Themes

self‑improvement time management future planning

Mood

reflective inspirational

Type

advice philosophical

When to use this quote

- daily routines
- career planning
- personal projects

Key Concepts

agency mindfulness goal setting

Questions to Reflect On

- What actions can you take today to influence your goals?
- How do you balance present enjoyment with future planning?

A Different Perspective

Future is uncertain despite present control.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Motivational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/motivational/) [Self improvement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self-improvement/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/)

## Related quotes

> [“The future is being made out of the present, so the best way to take care of the future is to take care of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/th-ch-nh-t-h-nh/the-future-is-being-made-out-of-the-present-so-the-best-way-to-take/)

[Thich Nhat Hanh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/th-ch-nh-t-h-nh/)

> [It's not about the past, and it's not about the future, its about taking this moment you're living in right now, and making it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rashida-rowe/it-s-not-about-the-past-and-it-s-not-about-the-future-its-about/)

[Rashida Rowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rashida-rowe/)

> [Accordingly, globalization is not only something that will concern and threaten us in the future, but something that is taking place in the present…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ulrich-beck/accordingly-globalization-is-not-only-something-that-will-concern-and/)

[Ulrich Beck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ulrich-beck/)

> [“When you do what's important now for you, you create a past that leaves you ready to handle the present. By default, the future…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kuypers/when-you-do-what-s-important-now-for-you-you-create-a-past-that/)

[John Kuypers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kuypers/)

> [I want to pursue music in the future, but I'm taking it a step at a time and making sure I'm constantly growing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-scott/i-want-to-pursue-music-in-the-future-but-i-m-taking-it-a-step-at-a/)

[Naomi Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-scott/)

> [Determine your future now by taking hold of every opportunity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debbye-turner/determine-your-future-now-by-taking-hold-of-every-opportunity/)

Debbye Turner

> [The way that organizations and organisms anticipate the future is by taking signals from the past, most the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-kelly/the-way-that-organizations-and-organisms-anticipate-the-future-is-by/)

[Kevin Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-kelly/)

> [We are always acting on what has just finished happening. It happened at least 1/30th of a second ago. We think we're in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-wolfe/we-are-always-acting-on-what-has-just-finished-happening-it-happened/)

[Tom Wolfe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-wolfe/)

> [This is my present, you know. My present from Mother.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gypsy-rose-lee/this-is-my-present-you-know-my-present-from-mother/)

[Gypsy Rose Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gypsy-rose-lee/)

> [“When you are living in the present, you know what's important now for you and you act on that knowing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kuypers/when-you-are-living-in-the-present-you-know-what-s-important-now-for/)

[John Kuypers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kuypers/)

> [If you are truly present and know how to take care of the present moment as best you can, you are doing your best…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nhat-hanh/if-you-are-truly-present-and-know-how-to-take-care-of-the-present/)

[Nhat Hanh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nhat-hanh/)

> [Man can only be certain about the present moment. But is that quite true either? Can he really know the present? Is he in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/man-can-only-be-certain-about-the-present-moment-but-is-that-quite/)

[Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/)

> [Recognize your history, in the present, to know your future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helene-lagerberg/recognize-your-history-in-the-present-to-know-your-future/)

[Helene Lagerberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helene-lagerberg/)

> [Jazz has a lot to do with being very present. You know the structure, then you flow through it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lizz-wright/jazz-has-a-lot-to-do-with-being-very-present-you-know-the-structure/)

[Lizz Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lizz-wright/)

> [“Be present or you never know the beauty of everything you’ve missed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meghan-march/be-present-or-you-never-know-the-beauty-of-everything-you-ve-missed/)

[Meghan March](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meghan-march/)

## More by Innocent Mwatsikesimbe

> [“Idleness is seductive. Just relax and do nothing, it says.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/innocent-mwatsikesimbe/idleness-is-seductive-just-relax-and-do-nothing-it-says/)

[Innocent Mwatsikesimbe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/innocent-mwatsikesimbe/)

> [“Just don't waste time trying to change what you can't.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/innocent-mwatsikesimbe/just-don-t-waste-time-trying-to-change-what-you-can-t/)

[Innocent Mwatsikesimbe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/innocent-mwatsikesimbe/)

> [“Heart to heart we speak the same language.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/innocent-mwatsikesimbe/heart-to-heart-we-speak-the-same-language/)

[Innocent Mwatsikesimbe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/innocent-mwatsikesimbe/)

> [“⁯It is not something you can tell by looking at a person, but trust is always being increased or decreased as you interact with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/innocent-mwatsikesimbe/it-is-not-something-you-can-tell-by-looking-at-a-person-but-trust-is/)

[Innocent Mwatsikesimbe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/innocent-mwatsikesimbe/)

> [“Originality of mind untainted, And enthusiasm for life, unlimited.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/innocent-mwatsikesimbe/originality-of-mind-untainted-and-enthusiasm-for-life-unlimited/)

[Innocent Mwatsikesimbe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/innocent-mwatsikesimbe/)

> [“When all is said and done, I personally think that success is when you're consistently improving and outdoing yourself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/innocent-mwatsikesimbe/when-all-is-said-and-done-i-personally-think-that-success-is-when-you/)

[Innocent Mwatsikesimbe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/innocent-mwatsikesimbe/)

> [Age doesn't determine maturity. It's the depth of life that does, not its duration](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/innocent-mwatsikesimbe/age-doesn-t-determine-maturity-it-s-the-depth-of-life-that-does-not/)

[Innocent Mwatsikesimbe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/innocent-mwatsikesimbe/)

> [“Your action plan is what you use to turn your dream into reality.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/innocent-mwatsikesimbe/your-action-plan-is-what-you-use-to-turn-your-dream-into-reality/)

[Innocent Mwatsikesimbe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/innocent-mwatsikesimbe/)

> [“Reflection and learning are lifelong processes...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/innocent-mwatsikesimbe/reflection-and-learning-are-lifelong-processes/)

[Innocent Mwatsikesimbe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/innocent-mwatsikesimbe/)

> [“Comfortable in my own skin, I'm madly in love with myself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/innocent-mwatsikesimbe/comfortable-in-my-own-skin-i-m-madly-in-love-with-myself/)

[Innocent Mwatsikesimbe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/innocent-mwatsikesimbe/)

> [“They live life out loud. Can you hear their sound?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/innocent-mwatsikesimbe/they-live-life-out-loud-can-you-hear-their-sound/)

[Innocent Mwatsikesimbe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/innocent-mwatsikesimbe/)

> [“And I know that I’m not perfect, But this path feels perfect.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/innocent-mwatsikesimbe/and-i-know-that-i-m-not-perfect-but-this-path-feels-perfect/)

[Innocent Mwatsikesimbe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/innocent-mwatsikesimbe/)

> [“Can trust be trusted?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/innocent-mwatsikesimbe/can-trust-be-trusted/)

[Innocent Mwatsikesimbe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/innocent-mwatsikesimbe/)

> [“You only know how you feel, and you can only guess how others feel.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/innocent-mwatsikesimbe/you-only-know-how-you-feel-and-you-can-only-guess-how-others-feel/)

[Innocent Mwatsikesimbe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/innocent-mwatsikesimbe/)

> [“... love life and live or exist to just survive.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/innocent-mwatsikesimbe/love-life-and-live-or-exist-to-just-survive/)

[Innocent Mwatsikesimbe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/innocent-mwatsikesimbe/)

[Explore all 33 Innocent Mwatsikesimbe quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/innocent-mwatsikesimbe/)

## More Change quotes

> [Only within yourself exists the other reality for which you long. I can give you nothing that has not already its being within yourself.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/only-within-yourself-exists-the-other-reality-for-which-you-long-i/)

[Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/)

> [Life is full of change. That's how we learn and grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-full-of-change-that-s-how-we-learn-and-grow/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [I can't believe that I'm sitting in meetings with Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, and Annette Bening. I want to take on that responsibility to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-can-t-believe-that-i-m-sitting-in-meetings-with-steven-spielberg/)

[Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/)

> [“…progress isn't necessarily about change but about things turning out as we want them to”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-hogan/progress-isn-t-necessarily-about-change-but-about-things-turning-out/)

Phil Hogan

> [Nobody can tell me that no changes are necessary in Washington.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-weld/nobody-can-tell-me-that-no-changes-are-necessary-in-washington/)

[William Weld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-weld/)

> [If my campaign is not in the debate, we will not be talking about how we really fix this problem of endless and expanding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/if-my-campaign-is-not-in-the-debate-we-will-not-be-talking-about-how/)

[Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/)

> [When you walk down the street of Kabul your values for life changes, they do change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-pierre-white/when-you-walk-down-the-street-of-kabul-your-values-for-life-changes/)

[Marco Pierre White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-pierre-white/)

> [Your world will change whether or not you choose to change, but you have the power to choose it's direction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/your-world-will-change-whether-or-not-you-choose-to-change-but-you/)

[Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/)

> [I hope I continue to evolve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-flair/i-hope-i-continue-to-evolve/)

[Charlotte Flair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-flair/)

> [“Stay focused on bringing people together and more on positive messaging so that you can be the change you wish to see in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germany-kent/stay-focused-on-bringing-people-together-and-more-on-positive/)

[Germany Kent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germany-kent/)

> [The biggest change for me as a mom was realizing I needed to put someone else before me. Now the hardest part about the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-alexis/the-biggest-change-for-me-as-a-mom-was-realizing-i-needed-to-put/)

[Kim Alexis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-alexis/)

> [“After the funeral, my life changed. I felt as if time were suddenly precious, water going down an open drain, and I could not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/after-the-funeral-my-life-changed-i-felt-as-if-time-were-suddenly/)

[Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/)

> [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/)

> [Irish research will contribute to global progress and have the potential to help all countries realise the potential of their land sectors in addressing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enda-kenny/irish-research-will-contribute-to-global-progress-and-have-the/)

[Enda Kenny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enda-kenny/)

> [No man can change himself into anything from sheer reason; he can only change into what he potentially is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-jung/no-man-can-change-himself-into-anything-from-sheer-reason-he-can-only/)

[Carl Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-jung/)

[Browse all 33,920 Change quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“You change the future by taking control of the present. Know how to use your minutes and hours.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Innocent Mwatsikesimbe"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/innocent-mwatsikesimbe/you-change-the-future-by-taking-control-of-the-present-know-how-to/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Change"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/innocent-mwatsikesimbe/you-change-the-future-by-taking-control-of-the-present-know-how-to/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b2d/innocent-mwatsikesimbe-19297_change_you-change-the-future-by-taking-control_272545.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b2d/innocent-mwatsikesimbe-19297_change_you-change-the-future-by-taking-control_272545.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b2d/innocent-mwatsikesimbe-19297_change_you-change-the-future-by-taking-control_272545.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“You change the future by taking control of the present. Know how to use your minutes and hours.” — Innocent Mwatsikesimbe",
                "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": "Innocent Mwatsikesimbe",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/innocent-mwatsikesimbe/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“You change the future by taking...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/innocent-mwatsikesimbe/you-change-the-future-by-taking-control-of-the-present-know-how-to/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/innocent-mwatsikesimbe/you-change-the-future-by-taking-control-of-the-present-know-how-to/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
