--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The future could go this way, that way…" description: "\"The future could go this way, that way. The future's futures have never looked so rocky. Don't put money on it. Take my advice and stick to the present..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b41/martin-amis-704_advice_the-future-could-go-this-way-that-way-th_75886.jpg" --- # The future could go this way, that way. The future's… ![“The future could go this way, that way. The future's futures have never looked so rocky. Don't put money on it. Take my advice and stick to the present. It's the real stuff, the only stuff, it's all there is, the present, the panting present.” quote by Martin Amis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b41/martin-amis-704_advice_the-future-could-go-this-way-that-way-th_75886.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b41/martin-amis-704_advice_the-future-could-go-this-way-that-way-th_75886.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b41/martin-amis-704_advice_the-future-could-go-this-way-that-way-th_75886.jpg) > “The future could go this way, that way. The future's futures have never looked so rocky. Don't put money on it. Take my advice and stick to the present. It's the real stuff, the only stuff, it's all there is, the present, the panting present.” [Martin Amis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-amis/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Emphasizes that the present moment is the only reliable reality amidst uncertain and turbulent future possibilities. **In simple terms:** Live in the now. Key Takeaway Present is all that matters. Themes impermanence uncertainty mindfulness skepticism present focus Mood contemplative cautious urgent Type aphor advice When to use this quote - making financial decisions - career planning - personal relationships - stressful events Key Concepts time perception value of present future anxiety Practical Applications - mindfulness practice - decision‑making frameworks Questions to Reflect On - How does focusing on the present affect long‑term goals? - What risks arise from ignoring future possibilities? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Advice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/advice/) [Future](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/future/) [Money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/money/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [I mean, the nation in which we live - and the world in which we live - is so extraordinarily more like a future…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/junot-diaz/i-mean-the-nation-in-which-we-live-and-the-world-in-which-we-live-is/) [Junot Diaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/junot-diaz/) > [Sooner rather than later, any other form other than digital media will be a thing of the past. 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It's world where there's no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garry-kasparov/people-s-minds-are-polluted-by-these-dark-pictures-of-the-future-from/) [Garry Kasparov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garry-kasparov/) > [The best way to be future-friendly is to be backwards compatible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-keith/the-best-way-to-be-future-friendly-is-to-be-backwards-compatible/) Jeremy Keith > [I decided that the only way there would be a future was to start to cut back.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-cohen/i-decided-that-the-only-way-there-would-be-a-future-was-to-start-to/) [Benjamin Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-cohen/) > [“Something needed to work—and work in a big way—if the future was going to be better at all.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-thiel/something-needed-to-work-and-work-in-a-big-way-if-the-future-was/) [Peter Thiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-thiel/) > [Hopefully I can go back and forth from the United States to Asia. 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I'm 100 percent committed in fiction to the pleasure principle - that's what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-amis/i-m-not-interested-in-making-a-diagnostic-novel-or-a-concern-i-m-100/) [Martin Amis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-amis/) > [“If we all downed tools and joined hands for ten minutes and stopped believing in money, then money would no longer exist. We never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-amis/if-we-all-downed-tools-and-joined-hands-for-ten-minutes-and-stopped/) [Martin Amis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-amis/) > [When I see a lot of young faces in the audience, it's just sort of sinking in how important that is. Because you're old…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-amis/when-i-see-a-lot-of-young-faces-in-the-audience-it-s-just-sort-of/) [Martin Amis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-amis/) > [“I was informed by my viscera that now was the time to put my arm around her shoulders. 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And once it's gone, there's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/time-is-priceless-you-have-it-but-you-don-t-own-it-you-spend-it-but/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You don't need to take a persons advice to make him feel good, just ask him for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-j-peter/you-don-t-need-to-take-a-persons-advice-to-make-him-feel-good-just/) [Laurence J. Peter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-j-peter/) > [Some of the things that we hold onto the most, are the things that we need to let go of.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryaj-ablando-catayas/some-of-the-things-that-we-hold-onto-the-most-are-the-things-that-we/) [Ryaj Ablando Catayas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryaj-ablando-catayas/) > [“If your clothes are enough to drive would-be friends away, they're not the kind of friends you want." Typical mother advice. 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