--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What is past is past. You can do nothing…" description: "\"What is past is past. You can do nothing about yesterday and last month and the failures of last year, but you can do everything toward making tomorrow..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/630/og-mandino-1262_can-do_what-is-past-is-past-you-can-do-nothing_121267.jpg" --- # What is past is past. You can do nothing about yesterday… ![“What is past is past. You can do nothing about yesterday and last month and the failures of last year, but you can do everything toward making tomorrow and the rest of your life what you always dreamed it could be.” quote by Og Mandino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/630/og-mandino-1262_can-do_what-is-past-is-past-you-can-do-nothing_121267.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/630/og-mandino-1262_can-do_what-is-past-is-past-you-can-do-nothing_121267.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/630/og-mandino-1262_can-do_what-is-past-is-past-you-can-do-nothing_121267.jpg) > “What is past is past. You can do nothing about yesterday and last month and the failures of last year, but you can do everything toward making tomorrow and the rest of your life what you always dreamed it could be.” [Og Mandino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/og-mandino/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Past failures are immutable, but present actions shape future possibilities; focus on building the life you envision. **In simple terms:** Leave yesterday, build tomorrow. Key Takeaway Future is created by present effort. Themes resilience future‑orientation hope self‑determination Mood optimistic determined Type inspirational self‑help When to use this quote - career change - recovering from loss - personal reinvention Key Concepts temporal mindset goal setting Practical Applications - daily planning - visualize desired outcomes Questions to Reflect On - How can you transform regret into motivation? - What small steps today align with your long‑term vision? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Failure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failure/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Motivational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/motivational/) [Past](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/past/) [Past Is Past](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/past-is-past/) [Rest of your life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rest-of-your-life/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Tomorrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tomorrow/) [Yesterday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/yesterday/) ## Related quotes > [“What is done is done. What is past is past." "You call yesterday the past?" "What has the actual lapse of time got to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/what-is-done-is-done-what-is-past-is-past-you-call-yesterday-the-past/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [What is past is past. never go back. Not for excuses. Not for justification, not for happiness. You are what you are, the world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-puzo/what-is-past-is-past-never-go-back-not-for-excuses-not-for/) [Mario Puzo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-puzo/) > [“Past is past, and the future is ahead.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-jordan/past-is-past-and-the-future-is-ahead/) [Robert Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-jordan/) > [“The past is past. You tried to kill yourself. So what? I humped a couch in season twelve. We all have our skeletons.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heather-demetrios/the-past-is-past-you-tried-to-kill-yourself-so-what-i-humped-a-couch/) [Heather Demetrios](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heather-demetrios/) > [The past is past; what's gone on has gone on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-furnish/the-past-is-past-what-s-gone-on-has-gone-on/) [David Furnish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-furnish/) > [Past is past jst forget about it...yesterday was a history..tomorrow is a mystery...today is a gift that is why it is called present...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maclon-s-fernandes/past-is-past-jst-forget-about-it-yesterday-was-a-history-tomorrow-is/) [Maclon S Fernandes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maclon-s-fernandes/) > [“The past is past. And better it remain so.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenna-blum/the-past-is-past-and-better-it-remain-so/) [Jenna Blum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenna-blum/) > [Your Ex is happy with someone else. Move on and start a new life. Past is past. Show to your Ex that you also…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/your-ex-is-happy-with-someone-else-move-on-and-start-a-new-life-past/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Past is past.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-waterman/past-is-past/) [Pete Waterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-waterman/) > [The past is past .](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-past-is-past/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“There is a reason why past is past.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-francis-alfar/there-is-a-reason-why-past-is-past/) Dean Francis Alfar > [The Past is Past and only a better Future can change that...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-past-is-past-and-only-a-better-future-can-change-that/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“There ae things we cannot change so it's better not to talk about what happened. Past is past.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcia-weber-martins/there-ae-things-we-cannot-change-so-it-s-better-not-to-talk-about/) Marcia Weber Martins > [Maybe Rachel was right all along. Maybe the past is past, history is history, and you just push it aside and look for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-lyga/maybe-rachel-was-right-all-along-maybe-the-past-is-past-history-is/) [Barry Lyga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-lyga/) > [Past is past but you can't erase the past in your life.so,live with it and make it your reason to fight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyrala/past-is-past-but-you-can-t-erase-the-past-in-your-life-so-live-with/) [Joyrala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyrala/) ## More by Og Mandino > [Don't let your success of today lay you into complacency for tomorrow. For that is the worst form of failure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/og-mandino/don-t-let-your-success-of-today-lay-you-into-complacency-for-tomorrow/) [Og Mandino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/og-mandino/) > [Search for the seed of good in every adversity. Master that principle and you will own a precious shield that will guard you well…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/og-mandino/search-for-the-seed-of-good-in-every-adversity-master-that-principle/) [Og Mandino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/og-mandino/) > [I will love the light for it shows me the way, yet I will endure the darkness because it shows me the stars.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/og-mandino/i-will-love-the-light-for-it-shows-me-the-way-yet-i-will-endure-the/) [Og Mandino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/og-mandino/) > [Never settle for the crumbs of life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/og-mandino/never-settle-for-the-crumbs-of-life/) [Og Mandino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/og-mandino/) > [The smallest task, well done, becomes a miracle of achievement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/og-mandino/the-smallest-task-well-done-becomes-a-miracle-of-achievement/) [Og Mandino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/og-mandino/) > [Laugh at yourself for man is most comical when he takes himself too seriously.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/og-mandino/laugh-at-yourself-for-man-is-most-comical-when-he-takes-himself-too/) [Og Mandino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/og-mandino/) > [Obstacles are necessary for success because in selling, as in all careers of importance, victory comes only after many struggles and countless defeats. Yet…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/og-mandino/obstacles-are-necessary-for-success-because-in-selling-as-in-all/) [Og Mandino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/og-mandino/) > [I will persist. I will always take another step. If that is of no avail I will take another, and yet another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/og-mandino/i-will-persist-i-will-always-take-another-step-if-that-is-of-no-avail/) [Og Mandino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/og-mandino/) > [Do the very best that you can, in the things you do best, and you will know in thy soul, that you are the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/og-mandino/do-the-very-best-that-you-can-in-the-things-you-do-best-and-you-will/) [Og Mandino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/og-mandino/) > [I am indeed a fortunate man and today's hours are but a bonus, undeserved. Why have I been allowed to live this extra day…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/og-mandino/i-am-indeed-a-fortunate-man-and-today-s-hours-are-but-a-bonus/) [Og Mandino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/og-mandino/) > [The person who knows one thing and does it better than anyone else, even if it only be the art of raising lentils, receives…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/og-mandino/the-person-who-knows-one-thing-and-does-it-better-than-anyone-else/) [Og Mandino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/og-mandino/) > [Always do your best. What you plant now, you will harvest later.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/og-mandino/always-do-your-best-what-you-plant-now-you-will-harvest-later/) [Og Mandino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/og-mandino/) > [I will live this day as if it is my last. …I will waste not a moment mourning yesterday’s misfortunes, Yesterday’s defeats, yesterday’s aches…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/og-mandino/i-will-live-this-day-as-if-it-is-my-last-i-will-waste-not-a-moment/) [Og Mandino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/og-mandino/) > [To do anything truly worth doing, I must not stand back shivering and thinking of the cold and danger, but jump in with gusto…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/og-mandino/to-do-anything-truly-worth-doing-i-must-not-stand-back-shivering-and/) [Og Mandino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/og-mandino/) > [Deliver more than you are getting paid to do. The victory of success will be half won when you learn the secret of putting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/og-mandino/deliver-more-than-you-are-getting-paid-to-do-the-victory-of-success/) [Og Mandino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/og-mandino/) [Explore all 256 Og Mandino quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/og-mandino/) ## More Can do quotes > [Changes before your eyes, things you can do and things you can't. My attitude is always let it keep rolling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terrence-malick/changes-before-your-eyes-things-you-can-do-and-things-you-can-t-my/) [Terrence Malick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terrence-malick/) > [The happy medium is television. And if you find a good suitor, you can do it for years. With movies, you roll the dice.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-campbell/the-happy-medium-is-television-and-if-you-find-a-good-suitor-you-can/) [Bruce Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-campbell/) > [If I had a million dollars, I just wouldn't just completely set back. I'd have to get out there and show my face to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muddy-waters/if-i-had-a-million-dollars-i-just-wouldn-t-just-completely-set-back-i/) [Muddy Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muddy-waters/) > [Anybody can be Prince Charming one day a year, with the dinner and the flowers and all that. But you know what impresses me?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-howard/anybody-can-be-prince-charming-one-day-a-year-with-the-dinner-and-the/) [Ryan Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-howard/) > [And if the mind thinks with a believing attitude one can do amazing things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-vincent-peale/and-if-the-mind-thinks-with-a-believing-attitude-one-can-do-amazing/) [Norman Vincent Peale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-vincent-peale/) > [The amount of things you can do with a kettlebell is unsurpassed by any other training equipment - dumbbells, resistance machines, free weights.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laird-hamilton/the-amount-of-things-you-can-do-with-a-kettlebell-is-unsurpassed-by/) [Laird Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laird-hamilton/) > [It's nice when you've done enough movies that you can do your own anthology.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lithgow/it-s-nice-when-you-ve-done-enough-movies-that-you-can-do-your-own/) [John Lithgow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lithgow/) > [If people don't have their own vision, all they can do is 'sign-up' for someone else's.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-senge/if-people-don-t-have-their-own-vision-all-they-can-do-is-sign-up-for/) [Peter Senge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-senge/) > [The one thing that flies in the face of all human history and experience, is that the government can do a superior job than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-cook/the-one-thing-that-flies-in-the-face-of-all-human-history-and/) [James Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-cook/) > [...what I can do is offer myself, wholehearted and present, to walk with the people I love through the fear and the mess. That's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shauna-niequist/what-i-can-do-is-offer-myself-wholehearted-and-present-to-walk-with/) [Shauna Niequist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shauna-niequist/) > [Whether that's speaking up in your job or asking for a promotion or saying, 'I think I can do that.' Using your voice in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-shriver/whether-that-s-speaking-up-in-your-job-or-asking-for-a-promotion-or/) [Maria Shriver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-shriver/) > [The average ordinary citizen can do a lot of different things when it comes to the climate crisis.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-bender/the-average-ordinary-citizen-can-do-a-lot-of-different-things-when-it/) [Lawrence Bender](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-bender/) > [A professional is a man who can do his job when he doesn't feel like it. An amateur is a man who can't do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-agate/a-professional-is-a-man-who-can-do-his-job-when-he-doesn-t-feel-like/) [James Agate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-agate/) > [The Lord gives and the Lord takes away, as it pleases him, for he can do all things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/homer/the-lord-gives-and-the-lord-takes-away-as-it-pleases-him-for-he-can/) [Homer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/homer/) > [I'm not an educated man. I only know what I'm told, and I'm not told that much; I have no frame of reference for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maynard-james-keenan/i-m-not-an-educated-man-i-only-know-what-i-m-told-and-i-m-not-told/) [Maynard James Keenan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maynard-james-keenan/) Browse all 5,673 Can do quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "What is past is past. 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