---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Guys like us got nothing to look ahead to"
description: "\"Guys like us got nothing to look ahead to\" — John Steinbeck"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e72/john-steinbeck-71_ahead_guys-like-us-got-nothing-to-look-ahead-t_2359679.jpg"
---

#  Guys like us got nothing to look ahead to

![“Guys like us got nothing to look ahead to” quote by John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e72/john-steinbeck-71_ahead_guys-like-us-got-nothing-to-look-ahead-t_2359679.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e72/john-steinbeck-71_ahead_guys-like-us-got-nothing-to-look-ahead-t_2359679.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e72/john-steinbeck-71_ahead_guys-like-us-got-nothing-to-look-ahead-t_2359679.jpg)

> “Guys like us got nothing to look ahead to”

[John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/)

## About This Quote

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

People without hope feel stuck and see no future.

**In simple terms:** No hope, no future.

Key Takeaway

Cultivate hope through community and purpose.

Themes

despair future hope

Mood

somber determined

Type

literary motivational

When to use this quote

- community projects
- career planning
- mental health support
- creative expression

Key Concepts

social support purpose finding resilience

Questions to Reflect On

- What gives you hope in tough times?
- How can you help others find purpose?

A Different Perspective

Hope can be fragile in hardship.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Ahead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ahead/) [Greatness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greatness/) [Guy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/guy/) [Guys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/guys/) [Guys Like](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/guys-like/) [Look](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/look/) [Look Ahead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/look-ahead/) [Looks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/looks/)

## Related quotes

> [I like the nice guys. I like when they show the stories, the human element behind it all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-bassett/i-like-the-nice-guys-i-like-when-they-show-the-stories-the-human/)

[Angela Bassett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-bassett/)

> [It is important to look ahead to the next game.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hansi-flick/it-is-important-to-look-ahead-to-the-next-game/)

[Hansi Flick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hansi-flick/)

> [Our eyes are placed in front because it is more important to look ahead than to look back](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/our-eyes-are-placed-in-front-because-it-is-more-important-to-look/)

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

> [I don't look ahead. I just worry about today.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/davis-webb/i-don-t-look-ahead-i-just-worry-about-today/)

[Davis Webb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/davis-webb/)

> [When you're 20 or 30, looking ahead, you see these benchmarks for relationships, career, ambition, sexuality, and they went off into infinity. When you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracey-emin/when-you-re-20-or-30-looking-ahead-you-see-these-benchmarks-for/)

[Tracey Emin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracey-emin/)

> [Surfing's one of the few sports that you look ahead to see what's behind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laird-hamilton/surfing-s-one-of-the-few-sports-that-you-look-ahead-to-see-what-s/)

[Laird Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laird-hamilton/)

> [Perhaps you need to look back before you can move ahead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-brennert/perhaps-you-need-to-look-back-before-you-can-move-ahead/)

[Alan Brennert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-brennert/)

> [I look one move ahead... the best!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/siegbert-tarrasch/i-look-one-move-ahead-the-best/)

[Siegbert Tarrasch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/siegbert-tarrasch/)

> [“We look back and we look ahead, but we live in the time we are allowed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-dinerstein/we-look-back-and-we-look-ahead-but-we-live-in-the-time-we-are-allowed/)

[Eric Dinerstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-dinerstein/)

> [The farther you look back, the farther you can look ahead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ford/the-farther-you-look-back-the-farther-you-can-look-ahead/)

[Henry Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ford/)

> [Management is not about shouting and bawling, because some guys will not like that. They take it personally.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-hughes/management-is-not-about-shouting-and-bawling-because-some-guys-will/)

[Mark Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-hughes/)

> [“There are no rules, no right or wrong, and no shame when it comes to what happens between a man and a woman if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meghan-march/there-are-no-rules-no-right-or-wrong-and-no-shame-when-it-comes-to/)

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

> [Guys like Samoa Joe, no matter what it's been, what promotion, every time we are in the ring there is such an easy storytelling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-aries/guys-like-samoa-joe-no-matter-what-it-s-been-what-promotion-every/)

[Austin Aries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-aries/)

> [“Guys are like purses,Cute, full of crap, and totally replaceable.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucy-miller/guys-are-like-purses-cute-full-of-crap-and-totally-replaceable/)

[Lucy Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucy-miller/)

> [Guys are like roller-coasters¦everytime you recover from the last one theres another JERK.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/guys-are-like-roller-coasters-everytime-you-recover-from-the-last-one/)

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

## More by John Steinbeck

> [ Teaching might even be the greatest of the arts since the medium is the human mind and spirit. My three \[great teachers\] did not… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/teaching-might-even-be-the-greatest-of-the-arts-since-the-medium-is/)

[John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/)

> [Prayer never brought in no side-meat. Takes a shoat to bring in pork.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/prayer-never-brought-in-no-side-meat-takes-a-shoat-to-bring-in-pork/)

[John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/)

> [“And now submarines are armed with mass murder, our silly, only way of deterring mass murder.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/and-now-submarines-are-armed-with-mass-murder-our-silly-only-way-of/)

[John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/)

> [“I’d think there are degrees of greatness,” Adam said. “I don’t think so,” said Samuel. “That would be like saying there is a little…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/i-d-think-there-are-degrees-of-greatness-adam-said-i-don-t-think-so/)

[John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/)

> [“He was forever inventing a new way of doing an old thing and doing it better and quicker, but he never in his whole…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/he-was-forever-inventing-a-new-way-of-doing-an-old-thing-and-doing-it/)

[John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/)

> [“You come back a changed man. Samuel, you don’t change him. He changes you. I can see the look of him in your face.”…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/you-come-back-a-changed-man-samuel-you-don-t-change-him-he-changes/)

[John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/)

> [I find out of long experience that I admire all nations and hate all governments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/i-find-out-of-long-experience-that-i-admire-all-nations-and-hate-all/)

[John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/)

> [At about 10 o'clock in the morning the sun threw a bright dust-laden bar through one of the side windows and in and out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/at-about-10-o-clock-in-the-morning-the-sun-threw-a-bright-dust-laden/)

[John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/)

> [I have noticed that there is no dissatisfaction like that of the rich. Feed a man, clothe him, put him in a good house,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/i-have-noticed-that-there-is-no-dissatisfaction-like-that-of-the-rich/)

[John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/)

> [“Who in his mind has not probe the dark water?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/who-in-his-mind-has-not-probe-the-dark-water/)

[John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/)

> [Sometimes, a lie is told in kindness. I don't believe it ever works kindly. The quick pain of truth can pass away, but the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/sometimes-a-lie-is-told-in-kindness-i-don-t-believe-it-ever-works/)

[John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/)

> [People like you to be something, preferably what they are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/people-like-you-to-be-something-preferably-what-they-are/)

[John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/)

> [“Suddenly he knew joy and sorrow felted into one fabric. Courage and fear were one thing too. He found that he had started to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/suddenly-he-knew-joy-and-sorrow-felted-into-one-fabric-courage-and/)

[John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/)

> [I am writing this from what we Americans call Yurrp. In Yurrp writers are taken as seriously as Lana Turner's legs are in America…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/i-am-writing-this-from-what-we-americans-call-yurrp-in-yurrp-writers/)

[John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/)

> [I write because I like to write. I find joy in the texture and tone and rhythm of words. It is a satisfaction like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/i-write-because-i-like-to-write-i-find-joy-in-the-texture-and-tone/)

[John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/)

[Explore all 1,589 John Steinbeck quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/)

## More Ahead quotes

> [Anybody who thinks that they should lead the country should go ahead and put their hat in the ring. I am not among them.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-schatz/anybody-who-thinks-that-they-should-lead-the-country-should-go-ahead/)

[Brian Schatz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-schatz/)

> [If I have a problem with somebody, I go ahead and say what's on my mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nico-hulkenberg/if-i-have-a-problem-with-somebody-i-go-ahead-and-say-what-s-on-my-mind/)

[Nico Hulkenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nico-hulkenberg/)

> [I once invested in a risky business. Quite a few people warned me not to do so, but I still went ahead and invested…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gautam-rode/i-once-invested-in-a-risky-business-quite-a-few-people-warned-me-not/)

[Gautam Rode](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gautam-rode/)

> [“What lies behind us is nothing compared to what lies within us and ahead of us.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-r-covey/what-lies-behind-us-is-nothing-compared-to-what-lies-within-us-and/)

[Stephen R. Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-r-covey/)

> [In Life, We May Never Get The Same Opportunity Again, But There's Always Something Better Ahead...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pacifiersucker/in-life-we-may-never-get-the-same-opportunity-again-but-there-s/)

[Pacifiersucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pacifiersucker/)

> [Makeup is only fun if it's occasional and capricious - just like it's a treat to have an empty day ahead, but it wouldn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-coren-mitchell/makeup-is-only-fun-if-it-s-occasional-and-capricious-just-like-it-s-a/)

[Victoria Coren Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-coren-mitchell/)

> [There is no such thing as disposable time if you want to stay ahead of the game](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/there-is-no-such-thing-as-disposable-time-if-you-want-to-stay-ahead/)

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

> [I'm the kind of guy who comes home and checks scores for everything. I'm a sports fan in general, so I pretty much keep…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chadwick-boseman/i-m-the-kind-of-guy-who-comes-home-and-checks-scores-for-everything-i/)

[Chadwick Boseman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chadwick-boseman/)

> [People are flying you places in business class. Everyone wants to take pictures of you and find out information about you. It's a freak-out.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yolandi-visser/people-are-flying-you-places-in-business-class-everyone-wants-to-take/)

[Yolandi Visser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yolandi-visser/)

> [I wasn't putting my all into it and I was still managing to score goals, and that gave me something to dream about, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-gray/i-wasn-t-putting-my-all-into-it-and-i-was-still-managing-to-score/)

[Andre Gray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-gray/)

> [There's no limit to what you can accomplish, but there's always someone one step ahead of you, so it's a constant uphill battle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-mary-stewart/there-s-no-limit-to-what-you-can-accomplish-but-there-s-always/)

[Catherine Mary Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-mary-stewart/)

> [I was never bothered about my position in the industry. If I had believed in it, I wouldn't have allowed anyone to get ahead…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dharmendra/i-was-never-bothered-about-my-position-in-the-industry-if-i-had/)

[Dharmendra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dharmendra/)

> [I don't want to look too far ahead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jofra-archer/i-don-t-want-to-look-too-far-ahead/)

[Jofra Archer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jofra-archer/)

> [“one who takes the first step always remains one step ahead”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rabi-shaheen/one-who-takes-the-first-step-always-remains-one-step-ahead/)

[Rabi Shaheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rabi-shaheen/)

> [I am not interested to sing in Bollywood. I sing for only those actors whom I admire. I sing free of cost for them.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yo-yo-honey-singh/i-am-not-interested-to-sing-in-bollywood-i-sing-for-only-those-actors/)

[Yo Yo Honey Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yo-yo-honey-singh/)

[Browse all 1,773 Ahead quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ahead/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Guys like us got nothing to look ahead to",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "John Steinbeck"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/guys-like-us-got-nothing-to-look-ahead-to/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Ahead"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/guys-like-us-got-nothing-to-look-ahead-to/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e72/john-steinbeck-71_ahead_guys-like-us-got-nothing-to-look-ahead-t_2359679.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e72/john-steinbeck-71_ahead_guys-like-us-got-nothing-to-look-ahead-t_2359679.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e72/john-steinbeck-71_ahead_guys-like-us-got-nothing-to-look-ahead-t_2359679.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Guys like us got nothing to look ahead to” — John Steinbeck",
                "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": "John Steinbeck",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Guys like us got nothing to...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/guys-like-us-got-nothing-to-look-ahead-to/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/guys-like-us-got-nothing-to-look-ahead-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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
