--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Let the past be what it was, the present…" description: "\"Let the past be what it was, the present what it is, the future the best it can be.\" — R.J. Ellory" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b80/r-j-ellory-36725_future_let-the-past-be-what-it-was-the-present_1615024.png" --- # Let the past be what it was, the present what it is, the… ![“Let the past be what it was, the present what it is, the future the best it can be.” quote by R.J. Ellory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b80/r-j-ellory-36725_future_let-the-past-be-what-it-was-the-present_1615024.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b80/r-j-ellory-36725_future_let-the-past-be-what-it-was-the-present_1615024.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b80/r-j-ellory-36725_future_let-the-past-be-what-it-was-the-present_1615024.png) > “Let the past be what it was, the present what it is, the future the best it can be.” [R.J. Ellory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-j-ellory/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Accept the past, live in the present, and shape a better future. **In simple terms:** Live now, improve tomorrow. Key Takeaway Focus on present actions to improve future. Themes acceptance present future optimism Mood reflective hopeful Type motivational inspirational When to use this quote - daily planning - career development - relationship building Key Concepts mindfulness goal setting resilience Questions to Reflect On - What steps can you take today for a better future? - How do you let go of past regrets? A Different Perspective Past cannot be changed, limiting control. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Future](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/future/) [Past](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/past/) [Past present](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/past-present/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [We may make our future by the best use of the present. There is no moment like the present.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-edgeworth/we-may-make-our-future-by-the-best-use-of-the-present-there-is-no/) [Maria Edgeworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-edgeworth/) > [The more you let your past hunt you...the hurter you become Lacking focus on your present,While the future is at stake.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/old-roger/the-more-you-let-your-past-hunt-you-the-hurter-you-become-lacking/) Old Roger > [The past is the past. They call it that for a reason. Dont let the past get in the way of you or your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-past-is-the-past-they-call-it-that-for-a-reason-dont-let-the-past/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Not letting your past go will not drive your present into the future with you. But simply make him/her another piece of your near…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradley-johnson/not-letting-your-past-go-will-not-drive-your-present-into-the-future/) Bradley Johnson > [“I would wonder if you could be a hero or heroine if you did not live in deep time, that is, Past, present, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-rohr/i-would-wonder-if-you-could-be-a-hero-or-heroine-if-you-did-not-live/) [Richard Rohr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-rohr/) > [You been with me in my past, your with me in my present, and I see you and I in the future...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pmc/you-been-with-me-in-my-past-your-with-me-in-my-present-and-i-see-you/) PMC > [“When the past is always with you, it may as well be present; and if it is present, it will be future as well.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-womack/when-the-past-is-always-with-you-it-may-as-well-be-present-and-if-it/) [Jack Womack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-womack/) > [If Past Present and Future make the moment we call NOW can the word N.O.W. stand for New Omnipresent World?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-victor-paskavich/if-past-present-and-future-make-the-moment-we-call-now-can-the-word-n/) [Stanley Victor Paskavich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-victor-paskavich/) > [One of the most tragic things I know about human nature is that all of us tend to put off living.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-carnegie/one-of-the-most-tragic-things-i-know-about-human-nature-is-that-all-2/) [Dale Carnegie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-carnegie/) > [Do not be afraid of the past. If people tell you that it is irrevocable, do not believe them. The past, the present and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/do-not-be-afraid-of-the-past-if-people-tell-you-that-it-is/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [The WWE universe finally demanded that the girls get the attention that they deserve. I think women past, present, future, should forever be grateful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-mccool/the-wwe-universe-finally-demanded-that-the-girls-get-the-attention/) [Michelle McCool](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-mccool/) > [The paintings are kind of set in the past, present, and future all at once.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nigel-cooke/the-paintings-are-kind-of-set-in-the-past-present-and-future-all-at/) [Nigel Cooke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nigel-cooke/) > [“Mappo frowned. 'I have not heard that phrase before. Lost Elementals?' 'Scholars tend to acknowledge but four, generally: water, fire, earth and air; yet…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-erikson/mappo-frowned-i-have-not-heard-that-phrase-before-lost-elementals/) [Steven Erikson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-erikson/) > [“You are my best Past,present & future”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiran-joshi/you-are-my-best-past-present-future/) [Kiran Joshi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiran-joshi/) > [“We are all of our past, present and future lives, as well as the younger and older versions of ourselves. We are also every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-anthony-gibbs/we-are-all-of-our-past-present-and-future-lives-as-well-as-the/) [Russell Anthony Gibbs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-anthony-gibbs/) ## More by R.J. Ellory > [Loneliness is a drug, a narcotic; it grows through veins, through nerves and muscles; it assumes some right of possession over your body and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-j-ellory/loneliness-is-a-drug-a-narcotic-it-grows-through-veins-through-nerves/) [R.J. Ellory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-j-ellory/) > [“Love was the breaking and healing of hearts. Love was the misunderstood. Love was faith; love was the promise of now that became hope…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-j-ellory/love-was-the-breaking-and-healing-of-hearts-love-was-the/) [R.J. Ellory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-j-ellory/) > [“Some of us, I imagine, write out of anger; some out of pain; some write out of prejudice or loss, some out of passion,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-j-ellory/some-of-us-i-imagine-write-out-of-anger-some-out-of-pain-some-write/) [R.J. Ellory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-j-ellory/) > [“The city went on about its business. A new day would soon begin, and nothing so inconsequential as a death possessed the power to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-j-ellory/the-city-went-on-about-its-business-a-new-day-would-soon-begin-and/) [R.J. Ellory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-j-ellory/) > [“I looked down at my hands. They were folded neatly together on the table like they belonged to someone else, as if someone had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-j-ellory/i-looked-down-at-my-hands-they-were-folded-neatly-together-on-the/) [R.J. Ellory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-j-ellory/) > [Sorry is for the things you've done that you shouldn't have not for things you believe in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-j-ellory/sorry-is-for-the-things-you-ve-done-that-you-shouldn-t-have-not-for/) [R.J. Ellory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-j-ellory/) > [“And love seemed now such a tortuous path, such an unknown territory. Navigating the arterial pathways of the heart. And even how it sounded.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-j-ellory/and-love-seemed-now-such-a-tortuous-path-such-an-unknown-territory/) [R.J. Ellory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-j-ellory/) > [“Perhaps some of us will have learned enough to make a difference, to influence things for the better, to wait until the moment is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-j-ellory/perhaps-some-of-us-will-have-learned-enough-to-make-a-difference-to/) [R.J. Ellory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-j-ellory/) > [A life to hold, or to see slip through uncaring and inattentive hands, but always a life. And given one, we wish for two,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-j-ellory/a-life-to-hold-or-to-see-slip-through-uncaring-and-inattentive-hands/) [R.J. Ellory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-j-ellory/) > [“Hij is niet bang in het donker, want hij draagt genoeg van het donker in zich.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-j-ellory/hij-is-niet-bang-in-het-donker-want-hij-draagt-genoeg-van-het-donker/) [R.J. Ellory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-j-ellory/) > [Blame is a bitter and indigestible thing, even when the blame is a coat you cut for yourself, even when you stood right there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-j-ellory/blame-is-a-bitter-and-indigestible-thing-even-when-the-blame-is-a/) [R.J. Ellory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-j-ellory/) [Explore all 12 R.J. Ellory quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-j-ellory/) ## More Future quotes > [“The future is only an indifferent void no one cares about, but the past is filled with life, and its countenance is irritating, repellent,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/the-future-is-only-an-indifferent-void-no-one-cares-about-but-the/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) > [Getting on the cover of TIME guarantees the existence of opposition in the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kenneth-galbraith/getting-on-the-cover-of-time-guarantees-the-existence-of-opposition/) [John Kenneth Galbraith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kenneth-galbraith/) > [In the future, I would like to do more films with contemporary themes. Perhaps comedy, which is something I have done in theater but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luke-evans/in-the-future-i-would-like-to-do-more-films-with-contemporary-themes/) [Luke Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luke-evans/) > [You practice mindfulness, on the one hand, to be calm and peaceful. On the other hand, as you practice mindfulness and live a life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-practice-mindfulness-on-the-one-hand-to-be-calm-and-peaceful-on/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If you can connect people, you can create the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-heiferman/if-you-can-connect-people-you-can-create-the-future/) [Scott Heiferman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-heiferman/) > [A strong, durable Puerto Rican economy will leave the island better prepared to handle future natural disasters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-campos-duffy/a-strong-durable-puerto-rican-economy-will-leave-the-island-better/) [Rachel Campos-Duffy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-campos-duffy/) > [“We have no idea, now, of who or what the inhabitants of our future might be. In that sense, we have no future. Not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-gibson/we-have-no-idea-now-of-who-or-what-the-inhabitants-of-our-future/) [William Gibson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-gibson/) > [“You are destiny for greatness. Your future is in the hands of the Lord.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/you-are-destiny-for-greatness-your-future-is-in-the-hands-of-the-lord/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [I'm just always looking forwards. I spend very little time, looking backwards.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-vaynerchuk/i-m-just-always-looking-forwards-i-spend-very-little-time-looking/) [Gary Vaynerchuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-vaynerchuk/) > [Football is my passion, and who knows where I will play in the future - you cannot foresee that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edinson-cavani/football-is-my-passion-and-who-knows-where-i-will-play-in-the-future/) [Edinson Cavani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edinson-cavani/) > [When I was 17, I broke up with my future wife.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kris-allen/when-i-was-17-i-broke-up-with-my-future-wife/) [Kris Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kris-allen/) > [I think everybody in the future has stopped talking to each other and we all just use emojis.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scarlett-moffatt/i-think-everybody-in-the-future-has-stopped-talking-to-each-other-and/) [Scarlett Moffatt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scarlett-moffatt/) > [When you continue to dwell on the past, there's no chance for a future. History repeats itself, thus, it's ok to LOOK back at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-you-continue-to-dwell-on-the-past-there-s-no-chance-for-a-future/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I am no different from a lot of people. I am concerned for the future of my children and concerned for the future of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-barnes/i-am-no-different-from-a-lot-of-people-i-am-concerned-for-the-future/) [John Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-barnes/) > [Starting a new job can be nerve-racking , but it's also exciting. You're embarking on a new future, positioning yourself to write a fresh…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adena-friedman/starting-a-new-job-can-be-nerve-racking-but-it-s-also-exciting-you-re/) [Adena Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adena-friedman/) [Browse all 12,349 Future quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/future/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Let the past be what it was, the present what it is, the future the best it can be.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "R.J. Ellory" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-j-ellory/let-the-past-be-what-it-was-the-present-what-it-is-the-future-the/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Future" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-j-ellory/let-the-past-be-what-it-was-the-present-what-it-is-the-future-the/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b80/r-j-ellory-36725_future_let-the-past-be-what-it-was-the-present_1615024.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b80/r-j-ellory-36725_future_let-the-past-be-what-it-was-the-present_1615024.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b80/r-j-ellory-36725_future_let-the-past-be-what-it-was-the-present_1615024.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Let the past be what it was, the present what it is, the future the best it can be.” — R.J. Ellory", "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": "R.J. Ellory", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-j-ellory/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Let the past be what it...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-j-ellory/let-the-past-be-what-it-was-the-present-what-it-is-the-future-the/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-j-ellory/let-the-past-be-what-it-was-the-present-what-it-is-the-future-the/#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 } } ] } ```