--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Everything’s focused on the next step…" description: "\"“Everything’s focused on the next step, and before they know it, they’ve spent all their best years always aiming for the future and never really enjoy..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/659/maria-murnane-40482_next-step_everything-s-focused-on-the-next-step-an_2004638.jpg" --- # Everything’s focused on the next step, and before they… ![“Everything’s focused on the next step, and before they know it, they’ve spent all their best years always aiming for the future and never really enjoying the present.” quote by Maria Murnane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/659/maria-murnane-40482_next-step_everything-s-focused-on-the-next-step-an_2004638.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/659/maria-murnane-40482_next-step_everything-s-focused-on-the-next-step-an_2004638.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/659/maria-murnane-40482_next-step_everything-s-focused-on-the-next-step-an_2004638.jpg) > ““Everything’s focused on the next step, and before they know it, they’ve spent all their best years always aiming for the future and never really enjoying the present.”” [Maria Murnane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-murnane/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote warns that obsessively planning the future causes us to waste our best years, preventing us from truly experiencing the present moment. **In simple terms:** Future focus wastes present life. Key Takeaway Balance planning with present enjoyment. Themes time management mindfulness future orientation present living life balance Mood thoughtful motivational Type self-help philosophical When to use this quote - career planning - personal development - daily routines - goal setting - stress management Key Concepts psychology philosophy self-help Questions to Reflect On - What present moments are you missing? - How can you integrate future goals without losing present joy? A Different Perspective May undervalue the need for future preparation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Aiming Future](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aiming-future-3546702/) [Future](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/future/) [Future Really](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/future-really-700932/) [Next step](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/next-step/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/years/) [Years Aiming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/years-aiming-3546703/) ## Related quotes > [I've always felt that I was from the future because the future is really not about what you make but what you stand for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-winding-refn/i-ve-always-felt-that-i-was-from-the-future-because-the-future-is/) [Nicolas Winding Refn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-winding-refn/) > [I really - I try not to look ahead too far into the future and really just appreciate the here and now.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/crystal-bowersox/i-really-i-try-not-to-look-ahead-too-far-into-the-future-and-really/) [Crystal Bowersox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/crystal-bowersox/) > [I don't think that marriage is in the future for me, I really don't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fabolous/i-don-t-think-that-marriage-is-in-the-future-for-me-i-really-don-t/) [Fabolous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fabolous/) > [It looks like the future's really bright.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-looks-like-the-future-s-really-bright/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The balancing of present wants against the future is really the central problem of ethics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-lippmann/the-balancing-of-present-wants-against-the-future-is-really-the/) [Walter Lippmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-lippmann/) > [Trying to predict the future is a discouraging and hazardous occupation. If by some miracle a prophet could describe the future exactly as it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-c-clarke/trying-to-predict-the-future-is-a-discouraging-and-hazardous/) [Arthur C. Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-c-clarke/) > [Lots of companies don’t succeed over time. What do they fundamentally do wrong? They usually miss the future. I try to focus on that:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-page/lots-of-companies-don-t-succeed-over-time-what-do-they-fundamentally/) [Larry Page](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-page/) > [You can't insure against the future, except by really believing in the best bit of you, and in the power beyond it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-can-t-insure-against-the-future-except-by-really-believing-in-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Projection into the future does not create security because the future is not really there. It's a fluid mirage. The only security is merging…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penney-peirce/projection-into-the-future-does-not-create-security-because-the/) [Penney Peirce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penney-peirce/) > [The past, the present and the future are really one: they are today.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harriet-beecher-stowe/the-past-the-present-and-the-future-are-really-one-they-are-today/) [Harriet Beecher Stowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harriet-beecher-stowe/) > [The idea that somebody is going to come in and make your debt go away and all be well for the future is really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-moran/the-idea-that-somebody-is-going-to-come-in-and-make-your-debt-go-away/) [Victoria Moran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-moran/) > [I think the future's really bright.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-weah/i-think-the-future-s-really-bright/) [Timothy Weah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-weah/) > [The FUTURE is here! Really! Yey! Get out of vision! boooy. That's a statement for anal retentive ocd people. Now go seat in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-future-is-here-really-yey-get-out-of-vision-boooy-that-s-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I don't know about the future; no one really does. I'm excited about the possibilities of what can happen, and I feel good about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitchell-trubisky/i-don-t-know-about-the-future-no-one-really-does-i-m-excited-about/) [Mitchell Trubisky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitchell-trubisky/) > [The future is not really the future. It's just a present that looks good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-heller/the-future-is-not-really-the-future-it-s-just-a-present-that-looks/) [Steven Heller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-heller/) ## More by Maria Murnane > [“you a question,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-murnane/you-a-question/) [Maria Murnane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-murnane/) > [“In your life, it shouldn’t matter what anyone else is doing, or what anyone else thinks. You are the only person keeping score of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-murnane/in-your-life-it-shouldn-t-matter-what-anyone-else-is-doing-or-what/) [Maria Murnane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-murnane/) > [“She’s very good at saying no, but she never learned how to say yes. Yes to new experiences. Yes to friendly yet unfamiliar faces.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-murnane/she-s-very-good-at-saying-no-but-she-never-learned-how-to-say-yes-yes/) [Maria Murnane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-murnane/) > [“like Shane had done at Morton’s.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-murnane/like-shane-had-done-at-morton-s/) [Maria Murnane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-murnane/) > [“I think my FAVORITE part of being an author is reading all the wonderful emails I get from fans. It makes me so happy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-murnane/i-think-my-favorite-part-of-being-an-author-is-reading-all-the/) [Maria Murnane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-murnane/) > [“night of the tequila shots. She remembered how”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-murnane/night-of-the-tequila-shots-she-remembered-how/) [Maria Murnane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-murnane/) > [“I believe if we focus on the things that make us happy, then happiness will find us in return.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-murnane/i-believe-if-we-focus-on-the-things-that-make-us-happy-then-happiness/) [Maria Murnane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-murnane/) > [“If you aren’t happy, do something about it. When you know what you want, don’t give up until you get it. Only you know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-murnane/if-you-aren-t-happy-do-something-about-it-when-you-know-what-you-want/) [Maria Murnane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-murnane/) > [“You know you’re a real grown-up when nothing but Oreos is black and white.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-murnane/you-know-you-re-a-real-grown-up-when-nothing-but-oreos-is-black-and/) [Maria Murnane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-murnane/) > [“Do your married friends tell you that you’re too picky? Honey, they settled. Either that or they’re not really your friends.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-murnane/do-your-married-friends-tell-you-that-you-re-too-picky-honey-they/) [Maria Murnane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-murnane/) [Explore all 11 Maria Murnane quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-murnane/) ## More Future quotes > [“The future is only an indifferent void no one cares about, but the past is filled with life, and its countenance is irritating, repellent,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/the-future-is-only-an-indifferent-void-no-one-cares-about-but-the/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) > [Getting on the cover of TIME guarantees the existence of opposition in the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kenneth-galbraith/getting-on-the-cover-of-time-guarantees-the-existence-of-opposition/) [John Kenneth Galbraith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kenneth-galbraith/) > [In the future, I would like to do more films with contemporary themes. Perhaps comedy, which is something I have done in theater but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luke-evans/in-the-future-i-would-like-to-do-more-films-with-contemporary-themes/) [Luke Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luke-evans/) > [You practice mindfulness, on the one hand, to be calm and peaceful. On the other hand, as you practice mindfulness and live a life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-practice-mindfulness-on-the-one-hand-to-be-calm-and-peaceful-on/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [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/) > [A strong, durable Puerto Rican economy will leave the island better prepared to handle future natural disasters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-campos-duffy/a-strong-durable-puerto-rican-economy-will-leave-the-island-better/) [Rachel Campos-Duffy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-campos-duffy/) > [“We have no idea, now, of who or what the inhabitants of our future might be. In that sense, we have no future. Not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-gibson/we-have-no-idea-now-of-who-or-what-the-inhabitants-of-our-future/) [William Gibson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-gibson/) > [“You are destiny for greatness. Your future is in the hands of the Lord.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/you-are-destiny-for-greatness-your-future-is-in-the-hands-of-the-lord/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [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/) > [Football is my passion, and who knows where I will play in the future - you cannot foresee that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edinson-cavani/football-is-my-passion-and-who-knows-where-i-will-play-in-the-future/) [Edinson Cavani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edinson-cavani/) > [When I was 17, I broke up with my future wife.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kris-allen/when-i-was-17-i-broke-up-with-my-future-wife/) [Kris Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kris-allen/) > [I think everybody in the future has stopped talking to each other and we all just use emojis.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scarlett-moffatt/i-think-everybody-in-the-future-has-stopped-talking-to-each-other-and/) [Scarlett Moffatt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scarlett-moffatt/) > [When you continue to dwell on the past, there's no chance for a future. History repeats itself, thus, it's ok to LOOK back at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-you-continue-to-dwell-on-the-past-there-s-no-chance-for-a-future/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I am no different from a lot of people. I am concerned for the future of my children and concerned for the future of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-barnes/i-am-no-different-from-a-lot-of-people-i-am-concerned-for-the-future/) [John Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-barnes/) > [Starting a new job can be nerve-racking , but it's also exciting. You're embarking on a new future, positioning yourself to write a fresh…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adena-friedman/starting-a-new-job-can-be-nerve-racking-but-it-s-also-exciting-you-re/) [Adena Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adena-friedman/) [Browse all 12,349 Future quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/future/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Everything’s focused on the next step, and before they know it, they’ve spent all their best years always aiming for the future and never really enjoying the present.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Maria Murnane" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-murnane/everything-s-focused-on-the-next-step-and-before-they-know-it-they-ve/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Future" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-murnane/everything-s-focused-on-the-next-step-and-before-they-know-it-they-ve/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/659/maria-murnane-40482_next-step_everything-s-focused-on-the-next-step-an_2004638.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/659/maria-murnane-40482_next-step_everything-s-focused-on-the-next-step-an_2004638.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/659/maria-murnane-40482_next-step_everything-s-focused-on-the-next-step-an_2004638.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Everything’s focused on the next step, and before they know it, they’ve spent all their best years always…” — Maria Murnane", "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": "Maria Murnane", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-murnane/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Everything’s focused on the next step,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-murnane/everything-s-focused-on-the-next-step-and-before-they-know-it-they-ve/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-murnane/everything-s-focused-on-the-next-step-and-before-they-know-it-they-ve/#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 } } ] } ```