--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What’s past is past, Conrad. Now you must…" description: "\"“What’s past is past, Conrad. Now you must learn from it and move on. If I’d had your mentality, I would always have been a burlesque dancer. I never w..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/165/kresley-cole-334_time_what-s-past-is-past-conrad-now-you-must_1831316.jpg" --- # What’s past is past, Conrad. Now you must learn from it… ![“What’s past is past, Conrad. Now you must learn from it and move on. If I’d had your mentality, I would always have been a burlesque dancer. I never would have aspired to being a ballerina, a profession that brought me great joy. Imagine all the things you’re missing out on. Your Bride, a family…” quote by Kresley Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/165/kresley-cole-334_time_what-s-past-is-past-conrad-now-you-must_1831316.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/165/kresley-cole-334_time_what-s-past-is-past-conrad-now-you-must_1831316.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/165/kresley-cole-334_time_what-s-past-is-past-conrad-now-you-must_1831316.jpg) > ““What’s past is past, Conrad. Now you must learn from it and move on. If I’d had your mentality, I would always have been a burlesque dancer. I never would have aspired to being a ballerina, a profession that brought me great joy. Imagine all the things you’re missing out on. Your Bride, a family, contentment. Unlike me, you can have a future—it’s out there, just waiting for you to claim it. You have so much to look forward to, if you’d just stop looking back.” This”” [Kresley Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kresley-cole/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker urges letting go of past regrets, embracing new possibilities, and pursuing personal fulfillment. **In simple terms:** Let go of the past and pursue a hopeful future. Key Takeaway Release regret, seek joy. Themes growth hope self‑acceptance Mood determined optimistic Type advice motivational When to use this quote - career change - relationship decisions - personal development - overcoming trauma Key Concepts psychology future‑orientation motivation Questions to Reflect On - What past regret holds you back? - How can you actively create a hopeful future? A Different Perspective Past memories can still influence present choices despite advice. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Conrad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conrad/) [Conrad Learn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conrad-learn-2275935/) [Dancer Aspired](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dancer-aspired-2275936/) [Past](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/past/) [Past Conrad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/past-conrad-2275934/) [Past Is Past](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/past-is-past/) [Past Past](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/past-past/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [Past is past but you can't erase the past in your life.so,live with it and make it your reason to fight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyrala/past-is-past-but-you-can-t-erase-the-past-in-your-life-so-live-with/) [Joyrala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyrala/) > [“Past is past, and the future is ahead.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-jordan/past-is-past-and-the-future-is-ahead/) [Robert Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-jordan/) > [“The past is past. You tried to kill yourself. So what? I humped a couch in season twelve. We all have our skeletons.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heather-demetrios/the-past-is-past-you-tried-to-kill-yourself-so-what-i-humped-a-couch/) [Heather Demetrios](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heather-demetrios/) > [The past is past; what's gone on has gone on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-furnish/the-past-is-past-what-s-gone-on-has-gone-on/) [David Furnish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-furnish/) > [Past is past jst forget about it...yesterday was a history..tomorrow is a mystery...today is a gift that is why it is called present...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maclon-s-fernandes/past-is-past-jst-forget-about-it-yesterday-was-a-history-tomorrow-is/) [Maclon S Fernandes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maclon-s-fernandes/) > [“The past is past. And better it remain so.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenna-blum/the-past-is-past-and-better-it-remain-so/) [Jenna Blum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenna-blum/) > [Your Ex is happy with someone else. Move on and start a new life. Past is past. Show to your Ex that you also…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/your-ex-is-happy-with-someone-else-move-on-and-start-a-new-life-past/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Past is past.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-waterman/past-is-past/) [Pete Waterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-waterman/) > [The past is past .](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-past-is-past/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“There is a reason why past is past.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-francis-alfar/there-is-a-reason-why-past-is-past/) [Dean Francis Alfar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-francis-alfar/) > [The Past is Past and only a better Future can change that...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-past-is-past-and-only-a-better-future-can-change-that/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“There ae things we cannot change so it's better not to talk about what happened. Past is past.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcia-weber-martins/there-ae-things-we-cannot-change-so-it-s-better-not-to-talk-about/) [Marcia Weber Martins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcia-weber-martins/) > [Maybe Rachel was right all along. Maybe the past is past, history is history, and you just push it aside and look for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-lyga/maybe-rachel-was-right-all-along-maybe-the-past-is-past-history-is/) [Barry Lyga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-lyga/) > [What is past is past. You can do nothing about yesterday and last month and the failures of last year, but you can do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/og-mandino/what-is-past-is-past-you-can-do-nothing-about-yesterday-and-last/) [Og Mandino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/og-mandino/) > [What is past is past. never go back. Not for excuses. Not for justification, not for happiness. You are what you are, the world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-puzo/what-is-past-is-past-never-go-back-not-for-excuses-not-for/) [Mario Puzo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-puzo/) ## More by Kresley Cole > [“Before you were my enemy, you were my best friend.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kresley-cole/before-you-were-my-enemy-you-were-my-best-friend/) [Kresley Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kresley-cole/) > [“When drops from the canopy kissed her face, he drew his wings over his head, creating a shelter. “I’ve always room for you too.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kresley-cole/when-drops-from-the-canopy-kissed-her-face-he-drew-his-wings-over-his/) [Kresley Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kresley-cole/) > [“Nix to Regin: What about that nice leopard-shifter pack that wanted to date you? The benefits of a variety pack of males cannot be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kresley-cole/nix-to-regin-what-about-that-nice-leopard-shifter-pack-that-wanted-to/) [Kresley Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kresley-cole/) > [“A woman who likes her whisky,” he said while refilling her glass. “Careful that you doona steal my heart, Annalía.” “It figures that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kresley-cole/a-woman-who-likes-her-whisky-he-said-while-refilling-her-glass/) [Kresley Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kresley-cole/) > [“Call her Betty Fucking Crocker, because the cake was so going to be worth the bake.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kresley-cole/call-her-betty-fucking-crocker-because-the-cake-was-so-going-to-be/) [Kresley Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kresley-cole/) > [“She gazed up at him. "Just don't forget our new motto, Leo. 'We can always murder them later, but we can't bring them back.'"…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kresley-cole/she-gazed-up-at-him-just-don-t-forget-our-new-motto-leo-we-can-always/) [Kresley Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kresley-cole/) > [“This was why we fought to survive. For love. Vincent had it all wrong. I’d had it wrong. Love wasn’t the most destructive force…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kresley-cole/this-was-why-we-fought-to-survive-for-love-vincent-had-it-all-wrong-i/) [Kresley Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kresley-cole/) > [“Ah, but she was a pastel wearer. She was forever dead to Sabine.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kresley-cole/ah-but-she-was-a-pastel-wearer-she-was-forever-dead-to-sabine/) [Kresley Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kresley-cole/) > [“Too bad,Elizabeth. You're Stuck with me.Not for a few decades,not for centuries. You're tied to me forever. That boy and girl offspring you talked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kresley-cole/too-bad-elizabeth-you-re-stuck-with-me-not-for-a-few-decades-not-for/) [Kresley Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kresley-cole/) > [“He was staring at my lips, and before I could think better of it, I’d wetted them. “That’s it, bébé,” he said in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kresley-cole/he-was-staring-at-my-lips-and-before-i-could-think-better-of-it-i-d/) [Kresley Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kresley-cole/) > [“Because of one unsuccessful beheading?” She tapped her claw to her chin. “Wow. I never thought you were such a pussy. I’m rethinking our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kresley-cole/because-of-one-unsuccessful-beheading-she-tapped-her-claw-to-her-chin/) [Kresley Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kresley-cole/) > [“I suppose that now you'll want to sleep with me?Alas big guy I'm taken.' 'No. you're not,'Regin said. 'Am too,' Nix said. 'Mike Rowe,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kresley-cole/i-suppose-that-now-you-ll-want-to-sleep-with-me-alas-big-guy-i-m/) [Kresley Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kresley-cole/) > [“He’d given her his word—when he was soused and under duress from needing to tup her—but still his word.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kresley-cole/he-d-given-her-his-word-when-he-was-soused-and-under-duress-from/) [Kresley Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kresley-cole/) > [I write what I like to read, and I enjoy love triangles in YA and adult fiction - not to mention in other media…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kresley-cole/i-write-what-i-like-to-read-and-i-enjoy-love-triangles-in-ya-and/) [Kresley Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kresley-cole/) > [“It's a sweet setup, I'll admit. For all that the maids STILL show up each day with jumbo crucifixes, jumpy movements, and red eyes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kresley-cole/it-s-a-sweet-setup-i-ll-admit-for-all-that-the-maids-still-show-up/) [Kresley Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kresley-cole/) [Explore all 663 Kresley Cole quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kresley-cole/) ## More Conrad quotes > [“He took a step closer. "I don't know if I'll ever get you out of my system, not completely. I have this... feeling. That…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-han/he-took-a-step-closer-i-don-t-know-if-i-ll-ever-get-you-out-of-my/) [Jenny Han](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-han/) > [“This mountain of a man was learning that his considerable might- which he'd clearly relied on for everything - was futile with her. ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kresley-cole/this-mountain-of-a-man-was-learning-that-his-considerable-might-which/) [Kresley Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kresley-cole/) > [“They wanted facts. Facts! They demanded facts from him, as if facts could explain anything!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-conrad/they-wanted-facts-facts-they-demanded-facts-from-him-as-if-facts/) [Joseph Conrad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-conrad/) > [“--In his themes and techniques, Conrad was a liberator:he eloquently questioned what other people took for granted.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cedric-watts-p190/in-his-themes-and-techniques-conrad-was-a-liberator-he-eloquently/) [Cedric Watts p190](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cedric-watts-p190/) > [ \[W.H.R.\] Rivers is the Rider Haggard of anthropology; I shall be the Conrad. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bronislaw-malinowski/w-h-r-rivers-is-the-rider-haggard-of-anthropology-i-shall-be-the/) [Bronislaw Malinowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bronislaw-malinowski/) > [“The young man regained consciousness in the ambulance, but his mother insisted that he give no evidence to the police because, had he done…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-dalrymple/the-young-man-regained-consciousness-in-the-ambulance-but-his-mother/) [Theodore Dalrymple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-dalrymple/) > [“Do you remember infinity?” Slowly, I turned around. “What about it?” Tossing something toward me, he said, “Catch.” I reached out and caught it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-han/do-you-remember-infinity-slowly-i-turned-around-what-about-it-tossing/) [Jenny Han](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-han/) > [“Conrad had gotten his ambassadorship by being a big bundler and raising a lot of money for the previous president. He reminded Harvath of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-thor/conrad-had-gotten-his-ambassadorship-by-being-a-big-bundler-and/) [Brad Thor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-thor/) > [“Joseph Conrad described life as birth and death separated by struggle.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-m-sevilla/joseph-conrad-described-life-as-birth-and-death-separated-by-struggle/) [Charles M. Sevilla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-m-sevilla/) > [“I love Conrad and I probably always would. I would spend my whole life loving him one way or another. Maybe I would get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-han/i-love-conrad-and-i-probably-always-would-i-would-spend-my-whole-life/) [Jenny Han](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-han/) > [“But just because you bury something, that doesn’t mean it stops existing. Those feelings, they’d been there all along. All that time. I had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-han/but-just-because-you-bury-something-that-doesn-t-mean-it-stops/) [Jenny Han](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-han/) > [“Maybe that was how it was with all first loves. They own a little piece of your heart, always. Conrad at twelve, thirteen, fourteen,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-han/maybe-that-was-how-it-was-with-all-first-loves-they-own-a-little/) [Jenny Han](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-han/) > [ “The fascination of \[Joseph Conrad’s\] writing lies in a singular blending of reality with romance – he paints a world of strange skies and… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-galsworthy/the-fascination-of-joseph-conrad-s-writing-lies-in-a-singular/) [John Galsworthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-galsworthy/) > [“Conrad is a dream for psychoanalitic critics”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chinua-achebe/conrad-is-a-dream-for-psychoanalitic-critics/) [Chinua Achebe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chinua-achebe/) > [“He is romantic—romantic,” he repeated. “And that is very bad—very bad. . . . Very good, too,” he added. “But is he?” I queried.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-conrad/he-is-romantic-romantic-he-repeated-and-that-is-very-bad-very-bad/) [Joseph Conrad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-conrad/) [Browse all 57 Conrad quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conrad/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“What’s past is past, Conrad. Now you must learn from it and move on. If I’d had your mentality, I would always have been a burlesque dancer. I never would have aspired to being a ballerina, a profession that brought me great joy. Imagine all the things you’re missing out on. Your Bride, a family, contentment. Unlike me, you can have a future—it’s out there, just waiting for you to claim it. 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