--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The present is theirs; the future, for…" description: "\"The present is theirs; the future, for which I really worked, is mine.\" — Nikola Tesla" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/01b/nikola-tesla-1383_anger_the-present-is-theirs-the-future-for-whi_1854117.jpg" --- # The present is theirs; the future, for which I really… ![“The present is theirs; the future, for which I really worked, is mine.” quote by Nikola Tesla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/01b/nikola-tesla-1383_anger_the-present-is-theirs-the-future-for-whi_1854117.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/01b/nikola-tesla-1383_anger_the-present-is-theirs-the-future-for-whi_1854117.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/01b/nikola-tesla-1383_anger_the-present-is-theirs-the-future-for-whi_1854117.jpg) > “The present is theirs; the future, for which I really worked, is mine.” [Nikola Tesla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikola-tesla/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Tesla claims ownership of the future he lab for, emphasizing personal agency over destiny. **In simple terms:** He earned the future he worked for. Key Takeaway Take responsibility for shaping your future. Themes future work agency Mood determined optimistic Type motivational philosophical When to use this quote - career planning - long‑term projects - innovation Key Concepts visionary thinking personal responsibility Questions to Reflect On - What steps are you taking toward your future? - How does effort translate into ownership? A Different Perspective Future outcomes can be unpredictable. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Anger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anger/) [Creativity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creativity/) [Future](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/future/) [Motivational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/motivational/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [Let the future tell the truth and evaluate each one according to his work and accomplishments. The present is theirs; the future, for which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikola-tesla/let-the-future-tell-the-truth-and-evaluate-each-one-according-to-his/) [Nikola Tesla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikola-tesla/) > [Do not despair, my friend. Today is theirs, but the future is ours](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rodman-philbrick/do-not-despair-my-friend-today-is-theirs-but-the-future-is-ours/) [Rodman Philbrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rodman-philbrick/) > [You were the dead; theirs was the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/you-were-the-dead-theirs-was-the-future/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [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/) > [The present is the past biting into the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-land/the-present-is-the-past-biting-into-the-future/) [Edwin Land](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-land/) > [The past is the present, isn’t it? It’s the future too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-o-neill/the-past-is-the-present-isn-t-it-it-s-the-future-too/) [Eugene O'Neill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-o-neill/) > [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/) > [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/) > [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/) > [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 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/) ## More by Nikola Tesla > [From childhood I was compelled to concentrate attention upon myself. This caused me much suffering, but to my present view, it was a blessing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikola-tesla/from-childhood-i-was-compelled-to-concentrate-attention-upon-myself/) [Nikola Tesla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikola-tesla/) > [In a time not distant, it will be possible to flash any image formed in thought on a screen and render it visible at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikola-tesla/in-a-time-not-distant-it-will-be-possible-to-flash-any-image-formed/) [Nikola Tesla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikola-tesla/) > [Women will ignore precedent and startle civilization with their progress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikola-tesla/women-will-ignore-precedent-and-startle-civilization-with-their/) [Nikola Tesla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikola-tesla/) > [Great moments are born great opportunity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikola-tesla/great-moments-are-born-great-opportunity/) [Nikola Tesla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikola-tesla/) > [ If he \[Thomas Edison\] had a needle to find in a haystack, he would not stop to reason where it was most likely to… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikola-tesla/if-he-thomas-edison-had-a-needle-to-find-in-a-haystack-he-would-not/) [Nikola Tesla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikola-tesla/) > [Man, like the universe, is a machine. Nothing enters our minds or determines our actions which is not directly or indirectly a response to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikola-tesla/man-like-the-universe-is-a-machine-nothing-enters-our-minds-or/) [Nikola Tesla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikola-tesla/) > [The day science begins to study non-physical phenomena, it will make more progress in one decade than in all the previous centuries of its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikola-tesla/the-day-science-begins-to-study-non-physical-phenomena-it-will-make/) [Nikola Tesla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikola-tesla/) > [All knowledge or form conception is evoked through the medium of the eye, either in response to disturbances directly received on the retina or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikola-tesla/all-knowledge-or-form-conception-is-evoked-through-the-medium-of-the/) [Nikola Tesla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikola-tesla/) > [Every living being is an engine geared to the wheelwork of the universe. Though seemingly affected only by its immediate surrounding, the sphere of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikola-tesla/every-living-being-is-an-engine-geared-to-the-wheelwork-of-the-2/) [Nikola Tesla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikola-tesla/) > [Perhaps I failed, but I did my best, These masters of mine may do the rest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikola-tesla/perhaps-i-failed-but-i-did-my-best-these-masters-of-mine-may-do-the/) [Nikola Tesla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikola-tesla/) > [Religion is simply an ideal. It is an ideal force that tends to free the human being from material bonds. I do not believe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikola-tesla/religion-is-simply-an-ideal-it-is-an-ideal-force-that-tends-to-free/) [Nikola Tesla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikola-tesla/) > [What we now want is closer contact and better understanding between individuals and communities all over the earth, and the elimination of egoism and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikola-tesla/what-we-now-want-is-closer-contact-and-better-understanding-between/) [Nikola Tesla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikola-tesla/) > [When a coil is operated with currents of very high frequency, beautiful brush effects may be produced, even if the coil be of comparatively…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikola-tesla/when-a-coil-is-operated-with-currents-of-very-high-frequency/) [Nikola Tesla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikola-tesla/) > [Of all the frictional resistances, the one that most retards human movement is ignorance, what Buddha called 'the greatest evil in the world.' The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikola-tesla/of-all-the-frictional-resistances-the-one-that-most-retards-human/) [Nikola Tesla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikola-tesla/) > [I am even grateful to Einstein and others because through their erroneous theories they lead mankind away from that dangerous path I followed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikola-tesla/i-am-even-grateful-to-einstein-and-others-because-through-their/) [Nikola Tesla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikola-tesla/) [Explore all 248 Nikola Tesla quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikola-tesla/) ## More Anger quotes > [“If I let myself think of it the pain and anger were still fresh, adrenalin racing down my limbs to pool, hot and itchy,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kylie-ladd/if-i-let-myself-think-of-it-the-pain-and-anger-were-still-fresh/) [Kylie Ladd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kylie-ladd/) > [I receive something we might euphemistically call an 'inappropriately hostile' response - that is to say, more than fair criticism or even fair anger…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-beard/i-receive-something-we-might-euphemistically-call-an-inappropriately/) [Mary Beard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-beard/) > [The vision of the left, full of envy and resentment, takes its worst toll on those at the bottom - whether black or white…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/the-vision-of-the-left-full-of-envy-and-resentment-takes-its-worst/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [Anger is a rough water; if you can canalize it into a water mill, you can benefit from it. Anything bad can be transformed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/anger-is-a-rough-water-if-you-can-canalize-it-into-a-water-mill-you/) [Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [“Some say the Earth is angry Because he wants no company; I say the Earth is angry Because he lives alone.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-k-jemisin/some-say-the-earth-is-angry-because-he-wants-no-company-i-say-the/) [N.K. Jemisin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-k-jemisin/) > [“When you feel terribly angry, you're possessed by anger ghost.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toba-beta/when-you-feel-terribly-angry-you-re-possessed-by-anger-ghost/) [Toba Beta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toba-beta/) > [“Medical studies have shown that cursing reduces levels of stress and pain. Repressing your anger is not healthy. It's much better to verbalize it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-markus-malloy/medical-studies-have-shown-that-cursing-reduces-levels-of-stress-and/) [Oliver Markus Malloy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-markus-malloy/) > [My care will be in the heart n not in words My anger will be in Words n not in the Heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/my-care-will-be-in-the-heart-n-not-in-words-my-anger-will-be-in-words/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [You should be angry. You must not be bitter. Bitterness is like cancer. It eats upon the host. It doesn't do anything to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/you-should-be-angry-you-must-not-be-bitter-bitterness-is-like-cancer/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [To be a Negro in this country and to be relatively conscious is to be in a rage almost all the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/to-be-a-negro-in-this-country-and-to-be-relatively-conscious-is-to-be/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“God, you had enough time to have been through it three times. You've been through my stuff. I bet you over and let one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/god-you-had-enough-time-to-have-been-through-it-three-times-you-ve/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [The present contains nothing more than the past, and what is found in the effect was already in the cause.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-bergson/the-present-contains-nothing-more-than-the-past-and-what-is-found-in/) [Henri Bergson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-bergson/) > [Depression is merely anger without enthusiasm.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-wright/depression-is-merely-anger-without-enthusiasm/) [Steven Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-wright/) > [I always fight better when my opponent's angry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-haye/i-always-fight-better-when-my-opponent-s-angry/) [David Haye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-haye/) > [ “Where there are kashays (anger-pride-deceit-greed), there is worldly life. As long as anger-pride-deceit-greed exist; one is a sansaari \[living a worldly life\] regardless of… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/where-there-are-kashays-anger-pride-deceit-greed-there-is-worldly/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) [Browse all 7,469 Anger quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anger/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The present is theirs; the future, for which I really worked, is mine.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Nikola Tesla" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikola-tesla/the-present-is-theirs-the-future-for-which-i-really-worked-is-mine/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Anger" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikola-tesla/the-present-is-theirs-the-future-for-which-i-really-worked-is-mine/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/01b/nikola-tesla-1383_anger_the-present-is-theirs-the-future-for-whi_1854117.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/01b/nikola-tesla-1383_anger_the-present-is-theirs-the-future-for-whi_1854117.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/01b/nikola-tesla-1383_anger_the-present-is-theirs-the-future-for-whi_1854117.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The present is theirs; the future, for which I really worked, is mine.” — Nikola Tesla", "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": "Nikola Tesla", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikola-tesla/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The present is theirs; the future,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikola-tesla/the-present-is-theirs-the-future-for-which-i-really-worked-is-mine/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikola-tesla/the-present-is-theirs-the-future-for-which-i-really-worked-is-mine/#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 } } ] } ```