--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You dwell on the past, you can't move…" description: "\"“You dwell on the past, you can't move forward. Spend too much time planning for the future and you just push yourself backwards, or you stay stagnant ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/351/j-a-redmerski-1662_bad-memories_you-dwell-on-the-past-you-can-t-move-for_2682734.jpg" --- # You dwell on the past, you can't move forward. Spend too… ![“You dwell on the past, you can't move forward. Spend too much time planning for the future and you just push yourself backwards, or you stay stagnant in the same place all your life." His eyes lock on mine. "Live in the moment," he says as if making a serious point, "where everything is just…” quote by J.A. Redmerski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/351/j-a-redmerski-1662_bad-memories_you-dwell-on-the-past-you-can-t-move-for_2682734.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/351/j-a-redmerski-1662_bad-memories_you-dwell-on-the-past-you-can-t-move-for_2682734.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/351/j-a-redmerski-1662_bad-memories_you-dwell-on-the-past-you-can-t-move-for_2682734.jpg) > ““You dwell on the past, you can't move forward. Spend too much time planning for the future and you just push yourself backwards, or you stay stagnant in the same place all your life." His eyes lock on mine. "Live in the moment," he says as if making a serious point, "where everything is just right, take your time and limit your bad memories and you'll get wherever it is you'r going alot faster and with less bumps in the road along the way.”” [J.A. Redmerski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-a-redmerski/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Focusing too much on past regrets or future plans prevents present‑moment awareness, which hinders progress and creates stagnation. **In simple terms:** Living now avoids being stuck in past or future. Key Takeaway Embrace present awareness for smoother progress. Themes mindfulness growth presence Mood reflective optimistic Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - career decisions - relationships - creative projects - daily routines Key Concepts psychology temporal focus well‑being Questions to Reflect On - What does “living in the moment” mean for you? - How can you balance reflection with action? A Different Perspective Over‑emphasis on present can ignore valuable lessons from past or future planning. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bad memories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bad-memories/) [Bumps in the road](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bumps-in-the-road/) [Dwell on the past](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dwell-on-the-past/) [Live in the moment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/live-in-the-moment/) [Move forward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/move-forward/) [Planning For The Future](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/planning-for-the-future/) [Push yourself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/push-yourself/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [“You dwell on the past, you can't move forward. Spend too much time planning for the future and you just push yourself backwards, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-a-redmerski/you-dwell-on-the-past-you-can-t-move-forward-spend-too-much-time/) [J.A. Redmerski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-a-redmerski/) > [Just that dwelling and planning is bullshit, you dwell on the past, you can’t move forward. Spend too much time planning for the future…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-a-redmerski/just-that-dwelling-and-planning-is-bullshit-you-dwell-on-the-past-you/) [J.A. Redmerski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-a-redmerski/) > [“…dwelling and planning is bullshit,” he says. “You dwell on the past, you can’t move forward. Spend too much time planning for the future…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-a-redmerski/dwelling-and-planning-is-bullshit-he-says-you-dwell-on-the-past-you/) [J.A. Redmerski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-a-redmerski/) > [Whether you are just entering the workforce or nearing retirement age, planning for the future is critical.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-lewis/whether-you-are-just-entering-the-workforce-or-nearing-retirement-age/) [Ron Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-lewis/) > [Planning for the future without a sense of history is like planting cut flowers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-j-boorstin/planning-for-the-future-without-a-sense-of-history-is-like-planting/) [Daniel J. Boorstin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-j-boorstin/) > [Strategic planning for the future is the most hopeful indication of our increasing social intelligence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/strategic-planning-for-the-future-is-the-most-hopeful-indication-of/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Part of the whole capitalist ethic is that the only thing that matters is how much money you make tomorrow: that's the crucial value…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/part-of-the-whole-capitalist-ethic-is-that-the-only-thing-that/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [I realized sometime in the early '80s that if I didn't do something - like planning for the future in a way, a kind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-lowe/i-realized-sometime-in-the-early-80s-that-if-i-didn-t-do-something/) [Nick Lowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-lowe/) > [“I find it terrifying how any of us can die at any moment, yet we live our lives always planning for the future.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tumblr-user/i-find-it-terrifying-how-any-of-us-can-die-at-any-moment-yet-we-live/) Tumblr user > [We're not planning for the future. If we continue to spend ourselves into oblivion, we are going to destroy this nation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-carson/we-re-not-planning-for-the-future-if-we-continue-to-spend-ourselves/) [Benjamin Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-carson/) > [“Living in the moment" all the time may not be practical if one lives for many years. Planning for the future confers benefits, especially…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-klitzman/living-in-the-moment-all-the-time-may-not-be-practical-if-one-lives/) Robert Klitzman > [Remember that you should live your life right now, while learning from the past, and planning for the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/remember-that-you-should-live-your-life-right-now-while-learning-from/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Technology is permeating every single thing we do... And to the extent that we can better expose our young people to all the different…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-morial/technology-is-permeating-every-single-thing-we-do-and-to-the-extent/) [Marc Morial](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marc-morial/) > [I see that that 'American dream' is slipping away because we're not solving the problems of today, we're not planning for the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-messam/i-see-that-that-american-dream-is-slipping-away-because-we-re-not/) [Wayne Messam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-messam/) > [“Planning for the future is like going fishing in a dry gulch; Nothing ever works out as you wanted, so give up all your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sogyal-rinpoche/planning-for-the-future-is-like-going-fishing-in-a-dry-gulch-nothing/) [Sogyal Rinpoche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sogyal-rinpoche/) ## More by J.A. Redmerski > [“Sarai, you never know who might betray you until it’s too late.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-a-redmerski/sarai-you-never-know-who-might-betray-you-until-it-s-too-late/) [J.A. Redmerski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-a-redmerski/) > [“The twins hobbled forward. "Freaks and dames and boys and things, drinks and bones and shiny rings," said the twin on the left. "Ashes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-a-redmerski/the-twins-hobbled-forward-freaks-and-dames-and-boys-and-things-drinks/) [J.A. Redmerski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-a-redmerski/) > [“You two were meant to be together. It's like some wicked fucking fairytale love story that you just can't make up, y'know?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-a-redmerski/you-two-were-meant-to-be-together-it-s-like-some-wicked-fucking/) [J.A. Redmerski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-a-redmerski/) > [Live in the moment, where everything is just right, take your time and limit your bad memories and you'll get wherever it is you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-a-redmerski/live-in-the-moment-where-everything-is-just-right-take-your-time-and/) [J.A. Redmerski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-a-redmerski/) > [“Maybe that is the key to surviving change: embracing it, however cumbersomely, or gracefully, one can.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-a-redmerski/maybe-that-is-the-key-to-surviving-change-embracing-it-however/) [J.A. Redmerski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-a-redmerski/) > [“spontaneity is more rewarding than a meticulously planned life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-a-redmerski/spontaneity-is-more-rewarding-than-a-meticulously-planned-life/) [J.A. Redmerski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-a-redmerski/) > [I don't know myself. I don't know what I want or how I feel or how I should feeland I don't think I ever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-a-redmerski/i-don-t-know-myself-i-don-t-know-what-i-want-or-how-i-feel-or-how-i/) [J.A. Redmerski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-a-redmerski/) > [“You know damn well that it doesn’t really matter what’s going on in your life, who you just lost, how much you hate the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-a-redmerski/you-know-damn-well-that-it-doesn-t-really-matter-what-s-going-on-in/) [J.A. Redmerski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-a-redmerski/) > [“The heart always wins over the mind. The heart although reckless and suicidal and a masochist all on its own always gets its way.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-a-redmerski/the-heart-always-wins-over-the-mind-the-heart-although-reckless-and/) [J.A. Redmerski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-a-redmerski/) > [“I go to the window of my top floor hotel room and gaze out, not at the glittering city, but at the stars fully…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-a-redmerski/i-go-to-the-window-of-my-top-floor-hotel-room-and-gaze-out-not-at-the/) [J.A. Redmerski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-a-redmerski/) > [“Don't, he says and then places his free hand underneath mine.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-a-redmerski/don-t-he-says-and-then-places-his-free-hand-underneath-mine/) [J.A. Redmerski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-a-redmerski/) > [“Where everything is just right, take your time and limit your bad memories and you'll get wherever it is you're going a lot faster.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-a-redmerski/where-everything-is-just-right-take-your-time-and-limit-your-bad/) [J.A. Redmerski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-a-redmerski/) > [“Forgive me,” I whisper to Izabel, ignoring it all, as if I were in the eye of that storm where everything is calm, rocking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-a-redmerski/forgive-me-i-whisper-to-izabel-ignoring-it-all-as-if-i-were-in-the/) [J.A. Redmerski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-a-redmerski/) > [Are you in love with me, Camryn Bennett?” … “Not yet,” I say with a smile in my voice, “but I’m getting there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-a-redmerski/are-you-in-love-with-me-camryn-bennett-not-yet-i-say-with-a-smile-in/) [J.A. Redmerski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-a-redmerski/) > [“He's gawking at me when I open the door. "Damn girl," he says, looking me over, "what the hell are you trying to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-a-redmerski/he-s-gawking-at-me-when-i-open-the-door-damn-girl-he-says-looking-me/) [J.A. Redmerski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-a-redmerski/) [Explore all 212 J.A. Redmerski quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-a-redmerski/) ## More Bad memories quotes > [Take responsibily for your past, the bad memories of poor decisions you took were your choices once, and you liked them for the moment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aruho-marvin/take-responsibily-for-your-past-the-bad-memories-of-poor-decisions/) [Aruho Marvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aruho-marvin/) > [“You must learn to release and let go of the hurt of the past it serves you no purpose you are only hurting yourself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marian-cooney/you-must-learn-to-release-and-let-go-of-the-hurt-of-the-past-it/) Marian Cooney > [Start everyday with a new hope leave bad memories behind and have faith for a better tomorrow …](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexa-dolmo/start-everyday-with-a-new-hope-leave-bad-memories-behind-and-have/) [Alexa Dolmo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexa-dolmo/) > [“I felt my heart skip a beat, just one, but it was enough that I took notice. It was nice to know that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-m-stunich/i-felt-my-heart-skip-a-beat-just-one-but-it-was-enough-that-i-took/) [C.M. Stunich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-m-stunich/) > [I want the same one, the way she always is, without failures, without fights, without bad memories.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabriel-garc-a-m-rquez/i-want-the-same-one-the-way-she-always-is-without-failures-without/) [Gabriel Garcia Marquez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabriel-garc-a-m-rquez/) > [“When pain inspires you, your thoughts scream its lungs out.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bassey-johnson/when-pain-inspires-you-your-thoughts-scream-its-lungs-out/) [Michael Bassey Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bassey-johnson/) > [“In a war between races, nobody wins,” Vincent sighed, “and Agatha lost dearly . As we all did, on all sides. You were guilty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bella-forrest/in-a-war-between-races-nobody-wins-vincent-sighed-and-agatha-lost/) [Bella Forrest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bella-forrest/) > [“Life is this one gigantic ball full of heartaches, breakups, both good and bad memories, make-up and falling love. it's messy but it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-this-one-gigantic-ball-full-of-heartaches-breakups-both-good/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Always remember all the beautiful things happened, that gives big smile in our face,. Especially don't forget the bad memories,,that give us strenght and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ailenecaballero/always-remember-all-the-beautiful-things-happened-that-gives-big/) [Ailenecaballero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ailenecaballero/) > [Live in the moment, where everything is just right, take your time and limit your bad memories and you'll get wherever it is you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-a-redmerski/live-in-the-moment-where-everything-is-just-right-take-your-time-and/) [J.A. Redmerski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-a-redmerski/) > [I've got a prostate the size of a honeydew and a head full of bad memories.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-stiller/i-ve-got-a-prostate-the-size-of-a-honeydew-and-a-head-full-of-bad/) [Jerry Stiller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-stiller/) > [“Time made apologies and absolution unnecessary. Time didn't really heal, it just made bad memories distant so that the brain couldn't recapture the lost…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amulya-malladi/time-made-apologies-and-absolution-unnecessary-time-didn-t-really/) [Amulya Malladi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amulya-malladi/) > [Good relationships are ones that you don't see bad memories because you are having a good time with that person that makes you happy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-im/good-relationships-are-ones-that-you-don-t-see-bad-memories-because/) Ian Im > [“We don’t have to relive the sad and bad memories of Christmas Past. We can create new Christmas memories in the present for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-north/we-don-t-have-to-relive-the-sad-and-bad-memories-of-christmas-past-we/) Tom North > [“I have always had a bad memory, as far back as I can remember.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-thomas/i-have-always-had-a-bad-memory-as-far-back-as-i-can-remember/) [Lewis Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-thomas/) [Browse all 141 Bad memories quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bad-memories/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“You dwell on the past, you can't move forward. 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