--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Our past’s can either dictate who we are…" description: "\"“Our past’s can either dictate who we are today, or help shape that we want to be.”\" — J.S. Snow" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5a3/j-s-snow-244657_time_our-past-s-can-either-dictate-who-we-are_1211875.jpg" --- # Our past’s can either dictate who we are today, or help… ![“Our past’s can either dictate who we are today, or help shape that we want to be.” quote by J.S. Snow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5a3/j-s-snow-244657_time_our-past-s-can-either-dictate-who-we-are_1211875.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5a3/j-s-snow-244657_time_our-past-s-can-either-dictate-who-we-are_1211875.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5a3/j-s-snow-244657_time_our-past-s-can-either-dictate-who-we-are_1211875.jpg) > ““Our past’s can either dictate who we are today, or help shape that we want to be.”” [J.S. Snow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-s-snow/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Our past can either define us or help us shape who we want to become. **In simple terms:** Past can define or guide us. Key Takeaway Choose to shape your future. Themes self-development past influence choice Mood motivational thoughtful Type Past:1 Time:0 Shape Want:0 Help Shape:0 Past Dictate:1 Dictate Today:0 When to use this quote - career planning - life coaching Key Concepts personal growth goal setting self-reflection Questions to Reflect On - Will you let past dictate or guide you? - How can you reshape your narrative? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Dictate Today](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dictate-today-3676640/) [Help Shape](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/help-shape-1232576/) [Past](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/past/) [Past Dictate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/past-dictate-1685730/) [Shape Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shape-want-1038357/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [Don't let your mistakes define who you are, but let it help shape what you want to become.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishan-panwar/don-t-let-your-mistakes-define-who-you-are-but-let-it-help-shape-what/) [Nishan Panwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishan-panwar/) > [I know that together we can and will help shape the future of this country for the better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharice-davids/i-know-that-together-we-can-and-will-help-shape-the-future-of-this/) [Sharice Davids](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharice-davids/) > [“Our expectations help shape our future.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-a-white/our-expectations-help-shape-our-future/) [Jeffrey A. White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-a-white/) > [Help shape the stories that people are telling about you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-hsieh/help-shape-the-stories-that-people-are-telling-about-you/) [Tony Hsieh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-hsieh/) > [One thing Kid Cudi did that I always wanted to do was the crop top, but I need to get in shape if I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lil-yachty/one-thing-kid-cudi-did-that-i-always-wanted-to-do-was-the-crop-top/) [Lil Yachty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lil-yachty/) > [I just have to stay away from craft services. Having that routine allows me to keep absolute focus on the physical shape I want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darby-stanchfield/i-just-have-to-stay-away-from-craft-services-having-that-routine/) [Darby Stanchfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darby-stanchfield/) > [“It’s impossible to want what I want and in the shape I want it, and share life with others besides. I had to know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julio-cort-zar/it-s-impossible-to-want-what-i-want-and-in-the-shape-i-want-it-and/) [Julio Cortázar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julio-cort-zar/) > [“Clay can be shaped and reshaped, over and over, but if it gets too dry, if it sets…then there’s only so much you can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/clay-can-be-shaped-and-reshaped-over-and-over-but-if-it-gets-too-dry/) [Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/) > [You can break a thing, but you cannot always guide it afterward into the shape you want.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-black/you-can-break-a-thing-but-you-cannot-always-guide-it-afterward-into/) [Holly Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-black/) > [I've heard dont let your past dictate your future, but what if you keep making the same mistakes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-ve-heard-dont-let-your-past-dictate-your-future-but-what-if-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Don't let the bitterness of your past that you have towards someone dictate your future because it can drive you away from your relationship…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diogo-fino/don-t-let-the-bitterness-of-your-past-that-you-have-towards-someone/) [Diogo Fino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diogo-fino/) > [“Don't let your past dictate your future.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-mentillo/don-t-let-your-past-dictate-your-future/) [Chris Mentillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-mentillo/) > [“I just want to show her that her life is worth living, that she can't let her past dictate her future.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-a-rolls/i-just-want-to-show-her-that-her-life-is-worth-living-that-she-can-t/) [S.A. Rolls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-a-rolls/) > [Don't let your past dictate who you are but rather let it be part of who you will become.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/don-t-let-your-past-dictate-who-you-are-but-rather-let-it-be-part-of/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Don't let the bitterness of your past dictate your future because it can drive you away from your relationship with God!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diogo-fino/don-t-let-the-bitterness-of-your-past-dictate-your-future-because-it/) [Diogo Fino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diogo-fino/) ## More Past quotes > [Because after you've crossed some lines, you just keep crossing them. And there's no escaping from constant escape. Distracting ourselves. Avoiding confrontation. Getting past…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-palahniuk/because-after-you-ve-crossed-some-lines-you-just-keep-crossing-them/) [Chuck Palahniuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-palahniuk/) > [You can think about it, wonder what went wrong, over analyze the situation but the fact remains... it's the past, just let it go.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rashida-rowe/you-can-think-about-it-wonder-what-went-wrong-over-analyze-the/) [Rashida Rowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rashida-rowe/) > [The Iranian people have a proud past. They merit a great future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/condoleezza-rice/the-iranian-people-have-a-proud-past-they-merit-a-great-future/) [Condoleezza Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/condoleezza-rice/) > [I used to fight with hate. There's been a lot of aggression in my past growing up and stuff. That's because I was hurt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rose-namajunas/i-used-to-fight-with-hate-there-s-been-a-lot-of-aggression-in-my-past/) [Rose Namajunas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rose-namajunas/) > [In the past 40 years, the United States lost more than a million farmers and ranchers. Many of our farmers are aging. Today, only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-vilsack/in-the-past-40-years-the-united-states-lost-more-than-a-million/) [Tom Vilsack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-vilsack/) > [Nostalgia keeps dissolving the ironic narratives in which I have contained my past.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mason-cooley/nostalgia-keeps-dissolving-the-ironic-narratives-in-which-i-have/) [Mason Cooley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mason-cooley/) > [Above Coblentz almost every mountain has a ruin and a legend. One feels everywhere the spirit of the past, and its stirring recollections come…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bayard-taylor/above-coblentz-almost-every-mountain-has-a-ruin-and-a-legend-one/) [Bayard Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bayard-taylor/) > [Time is painted with a lock before, and bald behind, signifying thereby that we must take time by the forelock; for, when it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-swift/time-is-painted-with-a-lock-before-and-bald-behind-signifying-thereby/) [Jonathan Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-swift/) > [I am attracted to looking at the different things language can mean even in one sometimes quite ordinary utterance. Writing is partly about listening…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rae-armantrout/i-am-attracted-to-looking-at-the-different-things-language-can-mean/) [Rae Armantrout](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rae-armantrout/) > [Right before the pandemic, 'Past Lives' came across to me as something to read and possibly put myself on tape for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-faist/right-before-the-pandemic-past-lives-came-across-to-me-as-something/) [Mike Faist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-faist/) > [I nibbled my lower lip. "If you could see into my past just by touching my back, you'd have a hard time resisting the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/becca-fitzpatrick/i-nibbled-my-lower-lip-if-you-could-see-into-my-past-just-by-touching/) [Becca Fitzpatrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/becca-fitzpatrick/) > [Liberalism is the philosophy for our time, because it does not try to conserve every tradition of the past, because it does not apply…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-trudeau/liberalism-is-the-philosophy-for-our-time-because-it-does-not-try-to/) [Pierre Trudeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-trudeau/) > [I have a way to photograph. You work with space, you have a camera, you have a frame, and then a fraction of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sebastiao-salgado/i-have-a-way-to-photograph-you-work-with-space-you-have-a-camera-you/) [Sebastiao Salgado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sebastiao-salgado/) > [At no time in the past century has public distrust of the government been so broadly distributed across the political spectrum, as it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-zimmermann/at-no-time-in-the-past-century-has-public-distrust-of-the-government/) [Phil Zimmermann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-zimmermann/) > [Voting Labour in the past hasn't protected Scotland against Tory governments.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicola-sturgeon/voting-labour-in-the-past-hasn-t-protected-scotland-against-tory/) [Nicola Sturgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicola-sturgeon/) [Browse all 19,844 Past quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/past/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Our past’s can either dictate who we are today, or help shape that we want to be.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "J.S. 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