--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: To live in the past or in the future may…" description: "\"To live in the past or in the future may be less satisfying than to live in the present, but it can never be as disillusioning.\" — R. D. Laing" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f2a/r-d-laing-4861_live-in-the-present_to-live-in-the-past-or-in-the-future-may_22546.jpg" --- # To live in the past or in the future may be less… ![“To live in the past or in the future may be less satisfying than to live in the present, but it can never be as disillusioning.” quote by R. D. Laing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f2a/r-d-laing-4861_live-in-the-present_to-live-in-the-past-or-in-the-future-may_22546.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f2a/r-d-laing-4861_live-in-the-present_to-live-in-the-past-or-in-the-future-may_22546.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f2a/r-d-laing-4861_live-in-the-present_to-live-in-the-past-or-in-the-future-may_22546.jpg) > “To live in the past or in the future may be less satisfying than to live in the present, but it can never be as disillusioning.” [R. D. Laing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-d-laing/) ## 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 present‑moment awareness offers greater fulfillment than dwelling on memories or anxieties, while also acknowledging that confronting reality can be unsettling. **In simple terms:** Presence beats nostalgia or anxiety. Key Takeaway Live now, accept discomfort. Themes mindfulness existentialism psychology temporal perception acceptance self‑awareness Mood reflective thoughtful calm Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - meditation practice - therapy sessions - stressful decision‑making - creative work - daily routine Key Concepts present‑moment awareness illusion vs reality emotional resilience temporal focus Practical Applications - mindfulness training - psychological counseling Questions to Reflect On - How does focusing on the present change your emotional landscape? - What fears arise when you stop escaping into past or future? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Disillusioning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disillusioning-401769/) [Future Satisfying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/future-satisfying-401768/) [Live in the present](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/live-in-the-present/) [Live Past](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/live-past/) [May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/may/) [Past](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/past/) [Past future](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/past-future/) [Present Disillusioning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/present-disillusioning-401767/) [Satisfying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/satisfying/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [Throw away all ambition beyond that of doing the day's work well. The travelers on the road to success live in the present, heedless…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-osler/throw-away-all-ambition-beyond-that-of-doing-the-day-s-work-well-the/) [William Osler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-osler/) > [“That philosopher and poet of ancient China, Lao Tzu was right when he said, “If you are depressed, you live in the past. If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-c-ryan/that-philosopher-and-poet-of-ancient-china-lao-tzu-was-right-when-he/) [J.C. Ryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-c-ryan/) > [We all live in the past, because there is nothing else to live in. To live in the present is like proposing to sit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-k-chesterton/we-all-live-in-the-past-because-there-is-nothing-else-to-live-in-to/) [Gilbert K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-k-chesterton/) > [I do not like to live in the past, I live in the present. I think that is very important as a player, as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-laudrup/i-do-not-like-to-live-in-the-past-i-live-in-the-present-i-think-that/) [Michael Laudrup](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-laudrup/) > [You don't live in the past. You live in the present and look toward the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trevor-ariza/you-don-t-live-in-the-past-you-live-in-the-present-and-look-toward/) [Trevor Ariza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trevor-ariza/) > [It is impossible to live in the past, difficult to live in the present and a waste to live in the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-herbert/it-is-impossible-to-live-in-the-past-difficult-to-live-in-the-present/) [Frank Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-herbert/) > [“Don’t live in the past, Eli. Live in the present. Get it? Present. It’s a gift. And every day you unwrap it, and you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ceecee-james/don-t-live-in-the-past-eli-live-in-the-present-get-it-present-it-s-a/) [CeeCee James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ceecee-james/) > [I don't live in the past, I live in the present and that's it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manny-ramirez/i-don-t-live-in-the-past-i-live-in-the-present-and-that-s-it/) [Manny Ramirez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manny-ramirez/) > [It is difficult to live in the present, ridiculous to live in the future, and impossible to live in the past. Nothing is as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-bishop/it-is-difficult-to-live-in-the-present-ridiculous-to-live-in-the/) [Jim Bishop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-bishop/) > [Don't live for the past, it already happened. neither the future, it will soon happened. live in the present it is just happening.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deity/don-t-live-for-the-past-it-already-happened-neither-the-future-it/) [deity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deity/) > [I'm not someone who lives in the past; I find other people live in my past. I live in the present and the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marisa-berenson/i-m-not-someone-who-lives-in-the-past-i-find-other-people-live-in-my/) [Marisa Berenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marisa-berenson/) > [Don't live in the past, don't think of the future, live in the present and be happy, even though it's a new day coming.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/don-t-live-in-the-past-don-t-think-of-the-future-live-in-the-present/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [People who live in the past generally are afraid to compete in the present. I've got my faults, but living in the past is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sparky-anderson/people-who-live-in-the-past-generally-are-afraid-to-compete-in-the/) [Sparky Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sparky-anderson/) > [You live in the past the future will be your past.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-limn/you-live-in-the-past-the-future-will-be-your-past/) [Jeremy Limn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-limn/) > [Nobody can live in the past or the future without being something of a nut.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evelyn-nesbit/nobody-can-live-in-the-past-or-the-future-without-being-something-of/) [Evelyn Nesbit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evelyn-nesbit/) ## More by R. D. Laing > [We must remember that we are living in an age in which the ground is shifting and the foundations are shaking. I cannot answer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-d-laing/we-must-remember-that-we-are-living-in-an-age-in-which-the-ground-is/) [R. D. Laing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-d-laing/) > [We live in a moment of history where change is so speeded up that we begin to see the present only when it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-d-laing/we-live-in-a-moment-of-history-where-change-is-so-speeded-up-that-we/) [R. D. Laing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-d-laing/) > [Our behavior is a function of our experience. We act according to the way we see things. If our experience is destroyed, our behavior…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-d-laing/our-behavior-is-a-function-of-our-experience-we-act-according-to-the/) [R. D. Laing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-d-laing/) > [How do we define, how do we describe, how do we explain and/or understand ourselves? What sort of creatures do we take ourselves to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-d-laing/how-do-we-define-how-do-we-describe-how-do-we-explain-and-or/) [R. D. 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Our social realities are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-d-laing/in-the-society-of-men-the-truth-resides-now-less-in-what-things-are/) [R. D. Laing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-d-laing/) > [The schizophrenic may indeed be mad. He is mad. He is not ill. I have been told by people who have been through the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-d-laing/the-schizophrenic-may-indeed-be-mad-he-is-mad-he-is-not-ill-i-have/) [R. D. Laing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-d-laing/) > [What is to be done? We who are still half alive, living in the often fibrillating heartland of a senescent capitalism -- can we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-d-laing/what-is-to-be-done-we-who-are-still-half-alive-living-in-the-often/) [R. D. Laing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-d-laing/) > [From the alienated starting point of our pseudo-sanity, everything is equivocal. Our sanity is not "true" sanity. Their madness is not "true" madness. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-d-laing/from-the-alienated-starting-point-of-our-pseudo-sanity-everything-is/) [R. D. Laing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-d-laing/) > [In describing one way of going mad, I shall try to show that there is a comprehensible transition from the sane schizoid way of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-d-laing/in-describing-one-way-of-going-mad-i-shall-try-to-show-that-there-is/) [R. D. Laing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-d-laing/) > [Doctors have throughout time made fortunes on killing their patients with their cures. The difference in psychiatry is that it is the death of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-d-laing/doctors-have-throughout-time-made-fortunes-on-killing-their-patients/) [R. D. Laing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-d-laing/) > [A psychiatrist who professes to be a healer of souls, but who keeps people asleep, treats them for waking up, and drugs them asleep…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-d-laing/a-psychiatrist-who-professes-to-be-a-healer-of-souls-but-who-keeps/) [R. D. Laing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-d-laing/) > [The truth brings with it a great measure of absolution, always.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-d-laing/the-truth-brings-with-it-a-great-measure-of-absolution-always/) [R. D. Laing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-d-laing/) [Explore all 105 R. D. Laing quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-d-laing/) ## More Live in the present quotes > [Never worry about anything. Live in the present. Live now. Be happy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marsilio-ficino/never-worry-about-anything-live-in-the-present-live-now-be-happy/) [Marsilio Ficino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marsilio-ficino/) > [You must live in the present, launch yourself on every wave, find your eternity in each moment. Fools stand on their island opportunities and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/you-must-live-in-the-present-launch-yourself-on-every-wave-find-your/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Life is a great and wondrous mystery, and the only thing we know that we have for sure is what is right here right…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-buscaglia/life-is-a-great-and-wondrous-mystery-and-the-only-thing-we-know-that/) [Leo Buscaglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-buscaglia/) > [Each moment is magical, precious and complete and will never exist again. We forget that now is the moment we are in, that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-l-taylor/each-moment-is-magical-precious-and-complete-and-will-never-exist/) [Susan L. Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-l-taylor/) > [But you have to live in the present. You have to take the old and make it new -- that's my point.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-myracle/but-you-have-to-live-in-the-present-you-have-to-take-the-old-and-make/) [Lauren Myracle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-myracle/) > [Only one person in a thousand knows the trick of really living in the present.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/storm-jameson/only-one-person-in-a-thousand-knows-the-trick-of-really-living-in-the/) [Storm Jameson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/storm-jameson/) > [“The United States is a conceited nation with shallow roots, and what happened before living memory doesn't seem to interest most people I know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katharine-weber/the-united-states-is-a-conceited-nation-with-shallow-roots-and-what/) [Katharine Weber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katharine-weber/) > [“Here’s what I was learning: secrets are poison. 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Because he sacrifices his health in order to make money.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-dalai-lama-when-asked-what-surprised-him-most-about-humanity-he/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If I am incapable of washing dishes joyfully, if I want to finish them quickly so I can go and have dessert, I will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nhat-hanh/if-i-am-incapable-of-washing-dishes-joyfully-if-i-want-to-finish-them/) [Nhat Hanh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nhat-hanh/) > [“live in the present not the past , because is not worth going to the same path of the ugliness past”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/xena-viera/live-in-the-present-not-the-past-because-is-not-worth-going-to-the/) [Xena Viera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/xena-viera/) > [The living moment is everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-h-lawrence/the-living-moment-is-everything/) [D. H. Lawrence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-h-lawrence/) > [“Food and eating often mask our pain, our inner longing for God, for acceptance. It is key to know our motivation for eating as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-deturris-poust/food-and-eating-often-mask-our-pain-our-inner-longing-for-god-for/) [Mary DeTurris Poust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-deturris-poust/) > [“That’s the thing about death that makes it useful. Death was always a reminder to the living to live—to live in the present and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-l-armentrout/that-s-the-thing-about-death-that-makes-it-useful-death-was-always-a/) [Jennifer L. Armentrout](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-l-armentrout/) [Browse all 417 Live in the present quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/live-in-the-present/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "To live in the past or in the future may be less satisfying than to live in the present, but it can never be as disillusioning.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "R. D. 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