--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The future is not out there in front of…" description: "\"The future is not out there in front of us, but inside us.\" — Joanna Macy" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/50a/joanna-macy-15005_fronts_the-future-is-not-out-there-in-front-of_2219317.jpg" --- # The future is not out there in front of us, but inside us. ![“The future is not out there in front of us, but inside us.” quote by Joanna Macy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/50a/joanna-macy-15005_fronts_the-future-is-not-out-there-in-front-of_2219317.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/50a/joanna-macy-15005_fronts_the-future-is-not-out-there-in-front-of_2219317.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/50a/joanna-macy-15005_fronts_the-future-is-not-out-there-in-front-of_2219317.jpg) > “The future is not out there in front of us, but inside us.” [Joanna Macy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanna-macy/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The future we imagine depends on our inner mindset and values, not external circumstances. **In simple terms:** Our inner world shapes future possibilities. Key Takeaway Cultivate inner awareness to shape tomorrow. Themes mindset future inner potential Mood reflective hopeful Type inspirational philosophical When to use this quote - personal development - leadership - community building - creative projects Key Concepts psychology philosophy self‑determination Questions to Reflect On - How can you align personal values with future goals? - What inner habits foster a positive future? A Different Perspective External factors alone cannot guarantee desired outcomes. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Funny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/funny/) [Future](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/future/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [The present was an egg laid by the past that had the future inside its shell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zora-neale-hurston/the-present-was-an-egg-laid-by-the-past-that-had-the-future-inside/) [Zora Neale Hurston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zora-neale-hurston/) > [Though things change, the future's still inside of me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/though-things-change-the-future-s-still-inside-of-me/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“There is no future in a job. The only future is inside oneself. We look inside rather than outside. We become producer rather than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-covey/there-is-no-future-in-a-job-the-only-future-is-inside-oneself-we-look/) [Stephen Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-covey/) > [I can occupy myself quite easily with what's going on inside me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-rampling/i-can-occupy-myself-quite-easily-with-what-s-going-on-inside-me/) [Charlotte Rampling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-rampling/) > [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/) > [I love inside jokes. I hope to be a part of one some day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-scott/i-love-inside-jokes-i-hope-to-be-a-part-of-one-some-day/) [Michael Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-scott/) > [There is a morning inside you waiting to burst open into light.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rumi/there-is-a-morning-inside-you-waiting-to-burst-open-into-light/) [Rumi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rumi/) > [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/) > [Fantasizing about the future is one of my favorite pastimes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-branson/fantasizing-about-the-future-is-one-of-my-favorite-pastimes/) [Richard Branson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-branson/) > [“Maybe I could use a little metal on the inside, I thought. If I'd kept my heart better armored, where would I be now?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ransom-riggs/maybe-i-could-use-a-little-metal-on-the-inside-i-thought-if-i-d-kept/) [Ransom Riggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ransom-riggs/) > [We have nothing less to do than to get inside of whole peoples and change their motives and dispositions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-raleigh-mott/we-have-nothing-less-to-do-than-to-get-inside-of-whole-peoples-and/) John Raleigh Mott > [I jerk off inside books and give life to words.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/immortal-technique/i-jerk-off-inside-books-and-give-life-to-words/) [Immortal Technique](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/immortal-technique/) > [Every patient carries her or his own doctor inside.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-schweitzer/every-patient-carries-her-or-his-own-doctor-inside/) [Albert Schweitzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-schweitzer/) > [I would love to be in love but there's no love inside of me to love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-reyes/i-would-love-to-be-in-love-but-there-s-no-love-inside-of-me-to-love/) [Maria Reyes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-reyes/) > [My team mates are fundamental for my characteristics, if they send in crosses I can play inside the area.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/filippo-inzaghi/my-team-mates-are-fundamental-for-my-characteristics-if-they-send-in/) [Filippo Inzaghi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/filippo-inzaghi/) ## More by Joanna Macy > [The heart that breaks open can contain the whole universe... All is registered in the 'boundless heart' of the bodhisattva. Through our deepest and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanna-macy/the-heart-that-breaks-open-can-contain-the-whole-universe-all-is/) [Joanna Macy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanna-macy/) > [When you look at what is happening to our world-and it is hard to look at what's happening to our water, our air, our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanna-macy/when-you-look-at-what-is-happening-to-our-world-and-it-is-hard-to/) [Joanna Macy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanna-macy/) > [“In the first movement, our infancy as a species, we felt no separation from the natural world around us. Trees, rocks, and plants surrounded…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanna-macy/in-the-first-movement-our-infancy-as-a-species-we-felt-no-separation/) [Joanna Macy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanna-macy/) > [“Yet, even focusing on this present life, disciples often queried the Buddha as to who is responsible for the habits, sufferings, and pleasures we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanna-macy/yet-even-focusing-on-this-present-life-disciples-often-queried-the/) [Joanna Macy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanna-macy/) > [There's a song that wants to sing itself through us. We just got to be available. Maybe the song that is to be sung…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanna-macy/there-s-a-song-that-wants-to-sing-itself-through-us-we-just-got-to-be/) [Joanna Macy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanna-macy/) > [Clothe yourself in your authority. You speak not only as yourself or for yourself. You will speak and act with the courage and endurance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanna-macy/clothe-yourself-in-your-authority-you-speak-not-only-as-yourself-or/) [Joanna Macy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanna-macy/) > [There are the holding actions, the changing actions, and the vision of the future - what we want to see happen for the Earth.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanna-macy/there-are-the-holding-actions-the-changing-actions-and-the-vision-of/) [Joanna Macy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanna-macy/) > [We are capable of suffering with our world, and that is the true meaning of compassion. It enables us to recognize our profound interconnectedness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanna-macy/we-are-capable-of-suffering-with-our-world-and-that-is-the-true/) [Joanna Macy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanna-macy/) > [Action isn't a burden to be hoisted up and lugged around on our shoulders. It is something we are. The work we have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanna-macy/action-isn-t-a-burden-to-be-hoisted-up-and-lugged-around-on-our/) [Joanna Macy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanna-macy/) > [Qualities like love and compassion are not just abstract virtues that are the property of saints and adepts. Anyone can develop these qualities in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanna-macy/qualities-like-love-and-compassion-are-not-just-abstract-virtues-that/) [Joanna Macy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanna-macy/) > [The most radical thing any of us can do at this time is to be fully present to what is happening in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanna-macy/the-most-radical-thing-any-of-us-can-do-at-this-time-is-to-be-fully/) [Joanna Macy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanna-macy/) > [This is a dark time, filled with suffering and uncertainty. Like living cells in a larger body, it is natural that we feel the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanna-macy/this-is-a-dark-time-filled-with-suffering-and-uncertainty-like-living/) [Joanna Macy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanna-macy/) > [Future generations, if there is a livable world for them, will look back at the epochal transition we are making to a life-sustaining society.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanna-macy/future-generations-if-there-is-a-livable-world-for-them-will-look/) [Joanna Macy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanna-macy/) > [Because the relationship between self and world is reciprocal, it is not a matter of first getting enlightened or saved and then acting. As…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanna-macy/because-the-relationship-between-self-and-world-is-reciprocal-it-is/) [Joanna Macy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanna-macy/) > [It’s walking the razor’s edge of the sacred moment where you don’t know, you can’t count on, and comfort yourself with any sure hope.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanna-macy/it-s-walking-the-razor-s-edge-of-the-sacred-moment-where-you-don-t/) [Joanna Macy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanna-macy/) [Explore all 44 Joanna Macy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanna-macy/) ## More Fronts quotes > [I didn't get how big it was until I went home, turned on the television and saw it on all the news, and later…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-simon/i-didn-t-get-how-big-it-was-until-i-went-home-turned-on-the/) [Paul Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-simon/) > [I'm in a business where there's complete anarchy. You can't control it - you can only react to it. The control that people traditionally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-sorrell/i-m-in-a-business-where-there-s-complete-anarchy-you-can-t-control-it/) [Martin Sorrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-sorrell/) > [It's something he used to say when he was happy. It could be a very, very simple day. We might be sitting out on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-grant/it-s-something-he-used-to-say-when-he-was-happy-it-could-be-a-very/) [Jennifer Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-grant/) > [Some writers say they cannot write in front of a window; many say they cannot function without almost perfect quiet. A writer with only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-wolfe/some-writers-say-they-cannot-write-in-front-of-a-window-many-say-they/) [Gene Wolfe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-wolfe/) > [ Leave a cavity behind the \[wall\] facings, and on the inside build walls two feet thick, made of red dimension stone or burnt brick… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-vitruvius-pollio/leave-a-cavity-behind-the-wall-facings-and-on-the-inside-build-walls/) [Marcus Vitruvius Pollio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-vitruvius-pollio/) > [Sometimes I envy painters, it is wonderful to remain in front of a bouquet of flowers a whole morning, or even longer. A photographer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edouard-boubat/sometimes-i-envy-painters-it-is-wonderful-to-remain-in-front-of-a/) [Edouard Boubat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edouard-boubat/) > [I used to sit in front of McDonald's and ask people for dollars to get me a cheeseburger. It was bad.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-pain/i-used-to-sit-in-front-of-mcdonald-s-and-ask-people-for-dollars-to/) [T-Pain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-pain/) > [Success is like a mountain in front of you that keeps growing. If you're not careful, it will take up your whole life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/success-is-like-a-mountain-in-front-of-you-that-keeps-growing-if-you/) [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) > [ I love doing sitcoms and I love performing in front of a live audience, so \[Payne\] was a really fun experience. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-benz/i-love-doing-sitcoms-and-i-love-performing-in-front-of-a-live/) [Julie Benz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-benz/) > [Nerves are always a big problem for me, which is why I loved doing American sitcoms. Because you know when you do the take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cleese/nerves-are-always-a-big-problem-for-me-which-is-why-i-loved-doing/) [John Cleese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cleese/) > [I didn't have a lot of exposure to films as a kid, and I never went to the cinema. I had a single mom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-didn-t-have-a-lot-of-exposure-to-films-as-a-kid-and-i-never-went-to/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [Whether Theresa May had stabbed has stabbed the former Mayor of London in the back and Michael Gove had stabbed him in the front.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nigel-evans/whether-theresa-may-had-stabbed-has-stabbed-the-former-mayor-of/) Nigel Evans > [If people are kicking you in the behind, at least you're in front of them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-graham/if-people-are-kicking-you-in-the-behind-at-least-you-re-in-front-of/) [Billy Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-graham/) > [So many people are on the front lines of this fossil fuel frenzy. It is infused with a sense of urgency.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/avi-lewis/so-many-people-are-on-the-front-lines-of-this-fossil-fuel-frenzy-it/) [Avi Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/avi-lewis/) > [Our eyes are not viewers, they're also projectors that are running a second story over the picture that we see in front of us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-carrey/our-eyes-are-not-viewers-they-re-also-projectors-that-are-running-a/) [Jim Carrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-carrey/) Browse all 2,987 Fronts quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The future is not out there in front of us, but inside us.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Joanna Macy" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanna-macy/the-future-is-not-out-there-in-front-of-us-but-inside-us/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Fronts" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanna-macy/the-future-is-not-out-there-in-front-of-us-but-inside-us/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/50a/joanna-macy-15005_fronts_the-future-is-not-out-there-in-front-of_2219317.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/50a/joanna-macy-15005_fronts_the-future-is-not-out-there-in-front-of_2219317.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/50a/joanna-macy-15005_fronts_the-future-is-not-out-there-in-front-of_2219317.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The future is not out there in front of us, but inside us.” — Joanna Macy", "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": "Joanna Macy", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanna-macy/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The future is not out there...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanna-macy/the-future-is-not-out-there-in-front-of-us-but-inside-us/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanna-macy/the-future-is-not-out-there-in-front-of-us-but-inside-us/#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 } } ] } ```