--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It's always easier for people to face…" description: "\"It's always easier for people to face backward than to face forward.\" — Martha Nussbaum" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b90/martha-nussbaum-4759_always_it-s-always-easier-for-people-to-face-ba_2413418.jpg" --- # It's always easier for people to face backward than to… ![“It's always easier for people to face backward than to face forward.” quote by Martha Nussbaum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b90/martha-nussbaum-4759_always_it-s-always-easier-for-people-to-face-ba_2413418.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b90/martha-nussbaum-4759_always_it-s-always-easier-for-people-to-face-ba_2413418.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b90/martha-nussbaum-4759_always_it-s-always-easier-for-people-to-face-ba_2413418.jpg) > “It's always easier for people to face backward than to face forward.” [Martha Nussbaum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-nussbaum/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People tend to cling to past comforts rather than confronting uncertain futures. **In simple terms:** People avoid forward change. Key Takeaway Embrace forward challenges. Themes change comfort future psychology Mood reflective concerned Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - career decisions - personal growth - political reform - social activism Key Concepts human behavior risk aversion nostalgia Questions to Reflect On - What past habit holds you back? - How can you reframe uncertainty as opportunity? A Different Perspective Forward movement can be hindered by fear of loss. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Always](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/always/) [Backward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/backward/) [Backward Face](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/backward-face-6084022/) [Easier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/easier/) [Face](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/face/) [Face Backward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/face-backward-6084021/) [Face Forward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/face-forward-356115/) [Forward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forward/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) ## Related quotes > [We face neither East nor West: we face forward.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kwame-nkrumah/we-face-neither-east-nor-west-we-face-forward/) [Kwame Nkrumah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kwame-nkrumah/) > [Falling on your face, at the very least, is a forward movement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-mitchell/falling-on-your-face-at-the-very-least-is-a-forward-movement/) [Pat Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-mitchell/) > [“Amazing what more we can see looking back. But God didn't give us eyes in the back of our heads. Our eyes, like our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/regina-scott/amazing-what-more-we-can-see-looking-back-but-god-didn-t-give-us-eyes/) [Regina Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/regina-scott/) > [“In every situation, at the beginning or end of the workday, you have a choice. You can look back or you can look forward.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/twyla-tharp/in-every-situation-at-the-beginning-or-end-of-the-workday-you-have-a/) [Twyla Tharp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/twyla-tharp/) > [“Everything I want, and everything I crave, is you. Now, face forward.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ella-frank/everything-i-want-and-everything-i-crave-is-you-now-face-forward/) [Ella Frank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ella-frank/) > [Even if you fell on your face you must move on forward in order to achieve your goal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hussein-nishah/even-if-you-fell-on-your-face-you-must-move-on-forward-in-order-to/) [Hussein Nishah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hussein-nishah/) > [When nothing goes right, you have to face forward and take it on head first.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kyo-shirodaira/when-nothing-goes-right-you-have-to-face-forward-and-take-it-on-head/) [Kyo Shirodaira](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kyo-shirodaira/) > [“I tilted my face forward, unable to speak the lie that would make him go away, or the truth that would make him stay.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jocelyn-adams/i-tilted-my-face-forward-unable-to-speak-the-lie-that-would-make-him/) [Jocelyn Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jocelyn-adams/) > [“When we endure loss, the past reaches out to grip us from behind, but it's not wrong to turn your face forward.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-neumeier/when-we-endure-loss-the-past-reaches-out-to-grip-us-from-behind-but/) [Rachel Neumeier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-neumeier/) > [Revenging the person that broke your heart is a simplest thing. Just move on and face forward, don't look back](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/revenging-the-person-that-broke-your-heart-is-a-simplest-thing-just/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Face Forward » It's best to be focused on the future than what's holding you back with the past . . . Face Forward!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tshiamo/face-forward-it-s-best-to-be-focused-on-the-future-than-what-s/) [Tshiamo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tshiamo/) > [“You face forward or you face the possibility of shock and damage.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brodie-bruce/you-face-forward-or-you-face-the-possibility-of-shock-and-damage/) [Brodie Bruce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brodie-bruce/) > [You can't go forward if you're looking backward. You run into walls that way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-marie-moning/you-can-t-go-forward-if-you-re-looking-backward-you-run-into-walls/) [Karen Marie Moning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-marie-moning/) > [Every day you reinvent yourself. You’re always in motion. But you decide every day: forward or backward.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-altucher/every-day-you-reinvent-yourself-you-re-always-in-motion-but-you/) [James Altucher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-altucher/) > [They had their faces twisted toward their haunches and found it necessary to walk backward, because they could not see ahead of them. ...And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dante-alighieri/they-had-their-faces-twisted-toward-their-haunches-and-found-it/) [Dante Alighieri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dante-alighieri/) ## More by Martha Nussbaum > [I worked among many famous philosophers, and I tried to observe how they treated students. I knew which ones I wanted to be like,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-nussbaum/i-worked-among-many-famous-philosophers-and-i-tried-to-observe-how/) [Martha Nussbaum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-nussbaum/) > [All of us, whether we are ignorant of philosophy or professors of philosophy, find it easier to follow dogma than to think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-nussbaum/all-of-us-whether-we-are-ignorant-of-philosophy-or-professors-of/) [Martha Nussbaum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-nussbaum/) > [I think Americans did learn that you just are not going to be able to live well if you subordinate people on the grounds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-nussbaum/i-think-americans-did-learn-that-you-just-are-not-going-to-be-able-to/) [Martha Nussbaum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-nussbaum/) > [I wish a person with a record of competence such as Nitish Kumar would get a chance to lead India.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-nussbaum/i-wish-a-person-with-a-record-of-competence-such-as-nitish-kumar/) [Martha Nussbaum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-nussbaum/) > [I wouldn't express anything without being very thoughtful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-nussbaum/i-wouldn-t-express-anything-without-being-very-thoughtful/) [Martha Nussbaum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-nussbaum/) > [When I was four I joined a group of girls who were talking about their party dresses. I thought they were imagining, so I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-nussbaum/when-i-was-four-i-joined-a-group-of-girls-who-were-talking-about/) [Martha Nussbaum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-nussbaum/) > [There were several men who had blazed the trail for talking about emotions in philosophy; otherwise my work would have had even more opposition…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-nussbaum/there-were-several-men-who-had-blazed-the-trail-for-talking-about/) [Martha Nussbaum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-nussbaum/) > [Emotions aren't just mindless urges; they contain thoughts about matters of importance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-nussbaum/emotions-aren-t-just-mindless-urges-they-contain-thoughts-about/) [Martha Nussbaum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-nussbaum/) > [If you've been betrayed by a spouse or a partner, it's much easier to focus on causing that person pain than it is to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-nussbaum/if-you-ve-been-betrayed-by-a-spouse-or-a-partner-it-s-much-easier-to/) [Martha Nussbaum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-nussbaum/) > [People - and I think this is particularly true of Americans - don't like to be passive. They like to seize control.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-nussbaum/people-and-i-think-this-is-particularly-true-of-americans-don-t-like/) [Martha Nussbaum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-nussbaum/) > [Fear and monarchy pair nicely. But democracy means you have to work with people you may not like but you must still believe are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-nussbaum/fear-and-monarchy-pair-nicely-but-democracy-means-you-have-to-work/) [Martha Nussbaum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-nussbaum/) > [You have to connect your work to what people are doing. A good way is to construct a bridge between theory and practice -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-nussbaum/you-have-to-connect-your-work-to-what-people-are-doing-a-good-way-is/) [Martha Nussbaum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-nussbaum/) > [You can't have a democracy when people don't learn to put themselves in the shoes of another person, who can't think what their policies…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-nussbaum/you-can-t-have-a-democracy-when-people-don-t-learn-to-put-themselves/) [Martha Nussbaum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-nussbaum/) > [Every time I undress in the locker room of my gym, I see women bearing the scars of liposuction, tummy tucks, breast implants.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-nussbaum/every-time-i-undress-in-the-locker-room-of-my-gym-i-see-women-bearing/) [Martha Nussbaum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-nussbaum/) > [The U.S. has always understood itself to be united around political principles and not around culture, whereas the nations of Europe have a much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-nussbaum/the-u-s-has-always-understood-itself-to-be-united-around-political/) [Martha Nussbaum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-nussbaum/) [Explore all 106 Martha Nussbaum quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-nussbaum/) ## More Always quotes > [I think performing has pretty much always been a part of me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isa-briones/i-think-performing-has-pretty-much-always-been-a-part-of-me/) [Isa Briones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isa-briones/) > [I always thought if I was born 2000 years earlier, I would be a monk, probably carving a monastery or some giant pantheon buildings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenova-chen/i-always-thought-if-i-was-born-2000-years-earlier-i-would-be-a-monk/) [Jenova Chen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenova-chen/) > [I always like a character who makes me laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachael-stirling/i-always-like-a-character-who-makes-me-laugh/) [Rachael Stirling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachael-stirling/) > [It's always great to see old friends, especially those I have not been able to see in 15 months.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-regal/it-s-always-great-to-see-old-friends-especially-those-i-have-not-been/) [William Regal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-regal/) > [When you step out and do a song in a musical, the easier thing to do is make it funny. But when those transitions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelli-o-hara/when-you-step-out-and-do-a-song-in-a-musical-the-easier-thing-to-do/) [Kelli O'Hara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelli-o-hara/) > [I have really good lateral movement. I've always had quick lateral movement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-rivers/i-have-really-good-lateral-movement-i-ve-always-had-quick-lateral/) [Austin Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-rivers/) > [There is something magical about being able to feel somebody. And that is something that has always moved me with music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-brink/there-is-something-magical-about-being-able-to-feel-somebody-and-that/) [Maria Brink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-brink/) > [Mythology is something that always has opportunities to explore. 'It' has been on Earth for millions of years. He's been in contact with humans…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-muschietti/mythology-is-something-that-always-has-opportunities-to-explore-it/) [Andy Muschietti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-muschietti/) > [It's not writing in the traditional sense, but I've always said that the writing process continues on the set and even into the editing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-b-weide/it-s-not-writing-in-the-traditional-sense-but-i-ve-always-said-that/) [Robert B. Weide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-b-weide/) > [I always watch my matches back 100 times afterwards because that's how I improve. This is something I've always done, even in NXT.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mandy-rose/i-always-watch-my-matches-back-100-times-afterwards-because-that-s/) [Mandy Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mandy-rose/) > [I've always been of the idea that is doesn't really matter where you are geographically - with 'Lonerism,' we made half the album in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-parker/i-ve-always-been-of-the-idea-that-is-doesn-t-really-matter-where-you/) [Kevin Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-parker/) > [It's very easy to fool yourself that you're working, you know, when you're really not working very hard. I mean, I'm very lazy. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-caro/it-s-very-easy-to-fool-yourself-that-you-re-working-you-know-when-you/) [Robert Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-caro/) > [Whether it was Little League or playing with your brothers or sisters, that was always a problem. If I would lose - because I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-ripken-jr/whether-it-was-little-league-or-playing-with-your-brothers-or-sisters/) [Cal Ripken, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-ripken-jr/) > [I always say if you put someone from a small town into a big city for ten years, then when they go back, they'll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-colter/i-always-say-if-you-put-someone-from-a-small-town-into-a-big-city-for/) [Mike Colter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-colter/) > [Bayern is always a team that can win the Champions League title in Europe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lothar-matthaus/bayern-is-always-a-team-that-can-win-the-champions-league-title-in/) [Lothar Matthaus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lothar-matthaus/) [Browse all 36,048 Always quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/always/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It's always easier for people to face backward than to face forward.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Martha Nussbaum" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-nussbaum/it-s-always-easier-for-people-to-face-backward-than-to-face-forward/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Always" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-nussbaum/it-s-always-easier-for-people-to-face-backward-than-to-face-forward/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b90/martha-nussbaum-4759_always_it-s-always-easier-for-people-to-face-ba_2413418.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b90/martha-nussbaum-4759_always_it-s-always-easier-for-people-to-face-ba_2413418.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b90/martha-nussbaum-4759_always_it-s-always-easier-for-people-to-face-ba_2413418.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It's always easier for people to face backward than to face forward.” — Martha Nussbaum", "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": "Martha Nussbaum", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-nussbaum/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "It's always easier for people to...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-nussbaum/it-s-always-easier-for-people-to-face-backward-than-to-face-forward/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-nussbaum/it-s-always-easier-for-people-to-face-backward-than-to-face-forward/#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 } } ] } ```