--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The fact is that the future will not be a…" description: "\"“The fact is that the future will not be a continuation of the past. It will be a series of discontinuities. And only by accepting these discontinuitie..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f7b/rowan-gibson-57285_success_the-fact-is-that-the-future-will-not-be_1650115.jpg" --- # The fact is that the future will not be a continuation of… ![“The fact is that the future will not be a continuation of the past. It will be a series of discontinuities. And only by accepting these discontinuities and doing something about them will we stand any chance of success and survival in the twenty-first century.” quote by Rowan Gibson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f7b/rowan-gibson-57285_success_the-fact-is-that-the-future-will-not-be_1650115.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f7b/rowan-gibson-57285_success_the-fact-is-that-the-future-will-not-be_1650115.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f7b/rowan-gibson-57285_success_the-fact-is-that-the-future-will-not-be_1650115.jpg) > ““The fact is that the future will not be a continuation of the past. It will be a series of discontinuities. And only by accepting these discontinuities and doing something about them will we stand any chance of success and survival in the twenty-first century.”” [Rowan Gibson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rowan-gibson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The future will be marked by abrupt changes; embracing and acting on them is essential for survival. **In simple terms:** Change will be sudden; adapt to survive. Key Takeaway Embrace discontinuities, innovate. Themes change future adaptation Mood hopeful urgent Type strategic inspirational When to use this quote - business strategy - personal career - public policy Key Concepts disruptive innovation resilience Questions to Reflect On - How can you prepare for unexpected shifts? - What actions can you take today? A Different Perspective Ignoring change leads to obsolescence. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Future](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/future/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [The future is not a continuation of the past](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashaba/the-future-is-not-a-continuation-of-the-past/) [Ashaba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashaba/) > [The one fact about the future of which we can be certain is that it will be utterly fantastic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-c-clarke/the-one-fact-about-the-future-of-which-we-can-be-certain-is-that-it/) [Arthur C. Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-c-clarke/) > [“In the twenty-first century, the winners will be those who stay ahead of the change curve, constantly redefining their industries, creating new markets, blazing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rowan-gibson/in-the-twenty-first-century-the-winners-will-be-those-who-stay-ahead/) [Rowan Gibson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rowan-gibson/) > [Obligation is what's leading us to toward successful, and what keeps us moving towards the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wazim-shaw/obligation-is-what-s-leading-us-to-toward-successful-and-what-keeps/) [Wazim Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wazim-shaw/) > [We have to think about the future and what it is we want to accomplish from this party.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-bernice-johnson/we-have-to-think-about-the-future-and-what-it-is-we-want-to/) [Eddie Bernice Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-bernice-johnson/) > [“Some women walk towards a better future. Others have chauffeurs.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ljupka-cvetanova/some-women-walk-towards-a-better-future-others-have-chauffeurs/) [Ljupka Cvetanova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ljupka-cvetanova/) > [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/) > [“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/) > [“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/) > [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/) > [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/) > [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/) > [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/) > [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/) > [“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/) ## More by Rowan Gibson > [“In the twenty-first century, the winners will be those who stay ahead of the change curve, constantly redefining their industries, creating new markets, blazing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rowan-gibson/in-the-twenty-first-century-the-winners-will-be-those-who-stay-ahead/) [Rowan Gibson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rowan-gibson/) > [“If we are going to make any sense out of all this confusion around us, we have to find a way to organize it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rowan-gibson/if-we-are-going-to-make-any-sense-out-of-all-this-confusion-around-us/) [Rowan Gibson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rowan-gibson/) > [“The new leaders will not be content to sit back and let the cruise control do the driving. They will be looking forward, scanning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rowan-gibson/the-new-leaders-will-not-be-content-to-sit-back-and-let-the-cruise/) [Rowan Gibson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rowan-gibson/) > [“Life is like a seesaw, a game where the movement and the excitement come from a balance of opposites, because it will always inevitably…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rowan-gibson/life-is-like-a-seesaw-a-game-where-the-movement-and-the-excitement/) [Rowan Gibson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rowan-gibson/) > [“There is no golden route to glory and happiness in life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rowan-gibson/there-is-no-golden-route-to-glory-and-happiness-in-life/) [Rowan Gibson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rowan-gibson/) [Explore all 6 Rowan Gibson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rowan-gibson/) ## 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. 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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": "“The fact is that the future will not be a continuation of the past. It will be a series of discontinuities. 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