--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Fully engaged people believe the future…" description: "\"“Fully engaged people believe the future can be bigger than the past, and they believe they can directly influence that bigger future. That’s our No. 1..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/86c/matthew-kelly-3453_leader_fully-engaged-people-believe-the-future_2391062.png" --- # Fully engaged people believe the future can be bigger than… ![“Fully engaged people believe the future can be bigger than the past, and they believe they can directly influence that bigger future. That’s our No. 1 job as leaders, to convince people of those two things.” quote by Matthew Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/86c/matthew-kelly-3453_leader_fully-engaged-people-believe-the-future_2391062.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/86c/matthew-kelly-3453_leader_fully-engaged-people-believe-the-future_2391062.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/86c/matthew-kelly-3453_leader_fully-engaged-people-believe-the-future_2391062.png) > ““Fully engaged people believe the future can be bigger than the past, and they believe they can directly influence that bigger future. That’s our No. 1 job as leaders, to convince people of those two things.”” [Matthew Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-kelly/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Effective leaders inspire belief that the future can surpass the past and that individuals can shape it, making this belief their primary mission. **In simple terms:** Leaders should convince people the future can be bigger and they can shape it. Key Takeaway Empower others to envision and create a larger future. Themes leadership vision empowerment future influence Mood inspirational motivational Type leadership motivational When to use this quote - team meetings - coaching sessions - strategic retreats - public speaking Key Concepts psychology organizational behavior strategic planning Questions to Reflect On - How can you balance visionary optimism with realistic planning? - What evidence supports the belief that people can influence large‑scale outcomes? A Different Perspective Overemphasis on optimism may ignore practical constraints. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Leader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leader/) [Leadership](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leadership/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [You have to be able to risk your identity for a bigger future than the present you are living.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fernando-flores/you-have-to-be-able-to-risk-your-identity-for-a-bigger-future-than/) [Fernando Flores](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fernando-flores/) > [That's what I'm about -- getting engaged. Too many people don't wade in the mud with the politicians.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-bragg/that-s-what-i-m-about-getting-engaged-too-many-people-don-t-wade-in/) [Billy Bragg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-bragg/) > [If we genuinely believe in a bigger future for our country, we have to redistribute both wealth and power - so people can take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caroline-lucas/if-we-genuinely-believe-in-a-bigger-future-for-our-country-we-have-to/) [Caroline Lucas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caroline-lucas/) > [“What can I do to get people more engaged? What can I do to get people working collaboratively? What do others need from me?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilee-g-adams/what-can-i-do-to-get-people-more-engaged-what-can-i-do-to-get-people/) Marilee G. Adams > [ He \[Andy Warhol\] engaged people and I think all of that is what helped keep him keyed in to the times beyond all of… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-colacello/he-andy-warhol-engaged-people-and-i-think-all-of-that-is-what-helped/) [Bob Colacello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-colacello/) > [The bigger your obstacle, the bigger your future. Don't get discouraged, keep moving forward.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/the-bigger-your-obstacle-the-bigger-your-future-don-t-get-discouraged/) [Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/) > [I don't find most people to be as politically engaged as I am. I do find people that appreciate eye-opening events and words, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/serj-tankian/i-don-t-find-most-people-to-be-as-politically-engaged-as-i-am-i-do/) [Serj Tankian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/serj-tankian/) > [I would rather not be engaged. When people are engaged, they begin to think of being married soon, and I should like everything to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-eliot/i-would-rather-not-be-engaged-when-people-are-engaged-they-begin-to/) [George Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-eliot/) > [Future is not made by those who dreams bigger. Future is made by those who willing to make their dreams a reality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anurag-prakash-ray/future-is-not-made-by-those-who-dreams-bigger-future-is-made-by-those/) [Anurag Prakash Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anurag-prakash-ray/) > [The bigger the obstacle ,the bigger you future. Don't get discouraged ,keep moving forward .](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-bigger-the-obstacle-the-bigger-you-future-don-t-get-discouraged/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The future for us is not to go bigger but to go different.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-zadan/the-future-for-us-is-not-to-go-bigger-but-to-go-different/) [Craig Zadan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-zadan/) > [Our hope is always bigger than whatever we have now, that is why it is connected to the future. And the future is ever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-mark/our-hope-is-always-bigger-than-whatever-we-have-now-that-is-why-it-is/) [Terry Mark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-mark/) > [Your future is bigger than where you were born.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-ashimolowo/your-future-is-bigger-than-where-you-were-born/) [Matthew Ashimolowo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-ashimolowo/) > [Baseball's future? Bigger and bigger, better and better! No question about it, it's the greatest game there is!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-williams/baseball-s-future-bigger-and-bigger-better-and-better-no-question/) [Ted Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-williams/) > [“The future is a much bigger deal than the past,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-fry/the-future-is-a-much-bigger-deal-than-the-past/) [Stephen Fry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-fry/) ## More by Matthew Kelly > [Thought determines action. Do not let your whole life be a reaction to the things that happen around you each day. Let your life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-kelly/thought-determines-action-do-not-let-your-whole-life-be-a-reaction-to/) [Matthew Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-kelly/) > [“Hope is not merely a wish that something good might happen—it is the firm confidence and desire that the promises of God will be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-kelly/hope-is-not-merely-a-wish-that-something-good-might-happen-it-is-the/) [Matthew Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-kelly/) > [It has been my experience that nothing changes a person's life more than the discovery of one solitary truth: There is a meaning and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-kelly/it-has-been-my-experience-that-nothing-changes-a-person-s-life-more/) [Matthew Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-kelly/) > [“Discipline is the faithful friend who will introduce you to your true self. Discipline is the worthy protector who will defend you from your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-kelly/discipline-is-the-faithful-friend-who-will-introduce-you-to-your-true/) [Matthew Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-kelly/) > [“The future of your organization and the potential of your employees are intertwined; their destines are linked." - Matthew Kelly, The Dream Manager”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-kelly/the-future-of-your-organization-and-the-potential-of-your-employees/) [Matthew Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-kelly/) > [A mother has a unique perspective. Nobody sees the life of the child the way the child’s mother does—not even the father. This is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-kelly/a-mother-has-a-unique-perspective-nobody-sees-the-life-of-the-child/) [Matthew Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-kelly/) > [The beauty of Catholicism is every human being's right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-kelly/the-beauty-of-catholicism-is-every-human-being-s-right/) [Matthew Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-kelly/) > [Superficiality is the curse of the modern world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-kelly/superficiality-is-the-curse-of-the-modern-world/) [Matthew Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-kelly/) > [We become the books we read.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-kelly/we-become-the-books-we-read/) [Matthew Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-kelly/) > [“we are much more interested in developing self-expression than we are in developing selves that are worth expressing. Personal preference has triumphed over the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-kelly/we-are-much-more-interested-in-developing-self-expression-than-we-are/) [Matthew Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-kelly/) > [The challenge life presents to each of us is to become truly ourselves--not the self we have imagined or fantasized about, not the self…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-kelly/the-challenge-life-presents-to-each-of-us-is-to-become-truly/) [Matthew Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-kelly/) > [We don't want to think about our weaknesses. We don't want to talk about them, and we certainly don't want anyone else to point…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-kelly/we-don-t-want-to-think-about-our-weaknesses-we-don-t-want-to-talk/) [Matthew Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-kelly/) > [“Withholding love is a bit like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-kelly/withholding-love-is-a-bit-like-drinking-poison-and-expecting-the/) [Matthew Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-kelly/) > [If we will walk humbly with our God, He will lead us by the hand to exactly who and what we need, to those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-kelly/if-we-will-walk-humbly-with-our-god-he-will-lead-us-by-the-hand-to/) [Matthew Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-kelly/) > [On the one hand, we all want to be happy. On the other hand, we all know the things that make us happy. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-kelly/on-the-one-hand-we-all-want-to-be-happy-on-the-other-hand-we-all-know/) [Matthew Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-kelly/) [Explore all 130 Matthew Kelly quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-kelly/) ## More Leader quotes > [I genuinely did not expect more than half our nation to choose to walk away from our long-term allies into the arms of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-reade/i-genuinely-did-not-expect-more-than-half-our-nation-to-choose-to/) Brian Reade > [If the media is sending girls the message that their value lies in their bodies, this can only leave them feeling disempowered and distract…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-siebel-newsom/if-the-media-is-sending-girls-the-message-that-their-value-lies-in/) Jennifer Siebel Newsom > [I don't look at myself as a basketball coach. I look at myself as a leader who happens to coach basketball.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-krzyzewski/i-don-t-look-at-myself-as-a-basketball-coach-i-look-at-myself-as-a/) [Mike Krzyzewski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-krzyzewski/) > [No judge can stop us from praying for our country and I pray that on May 6, millions of Americans will join me in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-graham/no-judge-can-stop-us-from-praying-for-our-country-and-i-pray-that-on/) [Franklin Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-graham/) > [“A man who saw has turned blind, A hearer deaf, A leader now leads astray!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miriam-lichtheim/a-man-who-saw-has-turned-blind-a-hearer-deaf-a-leader-now-leads-astray/) [Miriam Lichtheim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miriam-lichtheim/) > [We're going to create factory jobs for recent immigrants, and Donald Trump is going to take care of them. That's why his numbers, even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-sessions/we-re-going-to-create-factory-jobs-for-recent-immigrants-and-donald/) [Jeff Sessions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-sessions/) > [I always wanted someone looking up to me and trying to understand where I'm coming from as a leader. I'm ready for that. I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dillon-brooks/i-always-wanted-someone-looking-up-to-me-and-trying-to-understand/) [Dillon Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dillon-brooks/) > [I really don't think you need a letter on your jersey to be a leader on a hockey club.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carey-price/i-really-don-t-think-you-need-a-letter-on-your-jersey-to-be-a-leader/) [Carey Price](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carey-price/) > [I think leading by example is important, as I know the next generation is watching us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-skolnik/i-think-leading-by-example-is-important-as-i-know-the-next-generation/) [Michael Skolnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-skolnik/) > [Leadership is made for service.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-hyles/leadership-is-made-for-service/) [Jack Hyles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-hyles/) > [“All to often, on the long road up, young leaders become servants of what is rather than shapers of what might be.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-gardner/all-to-often-on-the-long-road-up-young-leaders-become-servants-of/) [John Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-gardner/) > [However, however, if the goal is to abandon America's free enterprise economy, if the goal is to convert America into a submissive member of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-rubio/however-however-if-the-goal-is-to-abandon-america-s-free-enterprise/) [Marco Rubio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-rubio/) > [Notoriously outspoken, his sentences always punctuated with profanities, General George S. Patton was the epitome of what a leader should be like - or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-sinek/notoriously-outspoken-his-sentences-always-punctuated-with/) [Simon Sinek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-sinek/) > [I was born in Cuba. At the age of 14 years of age I was involved in a revolution. We were suffering from a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-cruz/i-was-born-in-cuba-at-the-age-of-14-years-of-age-i-was-involved-in-a/) [Ted Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-cruz/) > [Effective leaders are made, not born. They learn from trial and error, and from experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/effective-leaders-are-made-not-born-they-learn-from-trial-and-error/) [Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/) [Browse all 10,680 Leader quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leader/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Fully engaged people believe the future can be bigger than the past, and they believe they can directly influence that bigger future. That’s our No. 1 job as leaders, to convince people of those two things.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Matthew Kelly" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-kelly/fully-engaged-people-believe-the-future-can-be-bigger-than-the-past/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Leader" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-kelly/fully-engaged-people-believe-the-future-can-be-bigger-than-the-past/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/86c/matthew-kelly-3453_leader_fully-engaged-people-believe-the-future_2391062.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/86c/matthew-kelly-3453_leader_fully-engaged-people-believe-the-future_2391062.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/86c/matthew-kelly-3453_leader_fully-engaged-people-believe-the-future_2391062.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Fully engaged people believe the future can be bigger than the past, and they believe they can directly…” — Matthew Kelly", "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": "Matthew Kelly", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-kelly/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Fully engaged people believe the future...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-kelly/fully-engaged-people-believe-the-future-can-be-bigger-than-the-past/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-kelly/fully-engaged-people-believe-the-future-can-be-bigger-than-the-past/#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 } } ] } ```