--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I don't want to look back-I want to keep…" description: "\"I don't want to look back-I want to keep looking ahead. I'd hate for my defining moment to be my past.\" — Scott Hamilton" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b16/scott-hamilton-14448_defining_i-don-t-want-to-look-back-i-want-to-keep_1393038.jpg" --- # I don't want to look back-I want to keep looking ahead… ![“I don't want to look back-I want to keep looking ahead. I'd hate for my defining moment to be my past.” quote by Scott Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b16/scott-hamilton-14448_defining_i-don-t-want-to-look-back-i-want-to-keep_1393038.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b16/scott-hamilton-14448_defining_i-don-t-want-to-look-back-i-want-to-keep_1393038.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b16/scott-hamilton-14448_defining_i-don-t-want-to-look-back-i-want-to-keep_1393038.jpg) > “I don't want to look back-I want to keep looking ahead. I'd hate for my defining moment to be my past.” [Scott Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-hamilton/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Focusing on future goals prevents being trapped by past identity, encouraging continual growth. **In simple terms:** Look forward, not back. Key Takeaway Prioritize future over past. Themes growth future identity resilience Mood determined optimistic Type motivational inspirational When to use this quote - career planning - personal development - creative projects - overcoming regret Key Concepts self-determination mindset Questions to Reflect On - What future vision drives you today? - How can past lessons inform forward motion? A Different Perspective Past experiences can still shape present decisions; ignoring them may repeat mistakes. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ahead Hate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ahead-hate-1694662/) [Defining](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/defining/) [Defining moment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/defining-moment/) [Defining moments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/defining-moments/) [Future](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/future/) [Hate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hate/) [Hate Defining](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hate-defining-4860763/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Looking ahead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/looking-ahead/) [Looks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/looks/) [Moment Past](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moment-past-865126/) [Moments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moments/) [My past](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/my-past/) [Past](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/past/) [Past life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/past-life/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want/) ## Related quotes > [“There are no defining moments. There are only your moments to define.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-b-dowd/there-are-no-defining-moments-there-are-only-your-moments-to-define/) [Thomas B Dowd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-b-dowd/) > [“my career in public life, I have had the rare privilege of being a participant in many of the defining moments of our country’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pranab-mukherjee/my-career-in-public-life-i-have-had-the-rare-privilege-of-being-a/) [Pranab Mukherjee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pranab-mukherjee/) > [I did it through our ministries. We had ordination and basically understanding there ought - to be ordained that God has set apart, for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-white/i-did-it-through-our-ministries-we-had-ordination-and-basically/) [Paula White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-white/) > [“I think that perhaps there are no such defining moments at all. Beginnings and ends are fluid, long chains of events where some links…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-olsson/i-think-that-perhaps-there-are-no-such-defining-moments-at-all/) [Linda Olsson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-olsson/) > [There was a race that I was running in Mexico City and I was the only high school athlete running against grown women. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allyson-felix/there-was-a-race-that-i-was-running-in-mexico-city-and-i-was-the-only/) [Allyson Felix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allyson-felix/) > [The men I idolized built their bodies and became somebody - like Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger - and I thought, 'That can be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwayne-johnson/the-men-i-idolized-built-their-bodies-and-became-somebody-like/) [Dwayne Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwayne-johnson/) > [I think that for many of us, the years of the Civil Rights movements - Martin Luther King, Bobby Kennedy running for president in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kerry/i-think-that-for-many-of-us-the-years-of-the-civil-rights-movements/) [John F. Kerry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kerry/) > [Abraham is trying to obey God, but not to kill. I feel that moment is one of the defining moments of Jewish faith.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elie-wiesel/abraham-is-trying-to-obey-god-but-not-to-kill-i-feel-that-moment-is/) [Elie Wiesel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elie-wiesel/) > [Our lives will be full of defining moments, but those moments don't have to define us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/our-lives-will-be-full-of-defining-moments-but-those-moments-don-t/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Our lives a series of defining moments, strung together by passing time. Surrender fully to this moment, because it is not the moment...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/our-lives-a-series-of-defining-moments-strung-together-by-passing/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“These are defining moments, while the pain maybe great, the joy maybe greater.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/these-are-defining-moments-while-the-pain-maybe-great-the-joy-maybe/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [ Grads need to remember that it's \[showcases\] just a jumping off point for their career, not the defining moment. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-hoffman/grads-need-to-remember-that-it-s-showcases-just-a-jumping-off-point/) [Rachel Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-hoffman/) > [Hold'em - like life itself - has its defining moment. It's the flop. When you see the flop, you're looking at 71 percent of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-krieger/hold-em-like-life-itself-has-its-defining-moment-it-s-the-flop-when/) [Lou Krieger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-krieger/) > [I think this is really a defining moment for the Arab world. The problem is, it is all going to be about blood, sweat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-think-this-is-really-a-defining-moment-for-the-arab-world-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [There are defining moments in your life where the road ahead of you takes questionable turns but if GOD is your GPS you will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/there-are-defining-moments-in-your-life-where-the-road-ahead-of-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Scott Hamilton > [“The only handicap in life is a bad attitude.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-hamilton/the-only-handicap-in-life-is-a-bad-attitude/) [Scott Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-hamilton/) > [“What's the point of doing anything if it's easy? It's so much more valuable when a challenge has to be overcome.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-hamilton/what-s-the-point-of-doing-anything-if-it-s-easy-it-s-so-much-more/) [Scott Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-hamilton/) > [“Focus on building up others, and your own sense of self-worth will improve. Some call these random acts of human kindness. But the truth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-hamilton/focus-on-building-up-others-and-your-own-sense-of-self-worth-will/) [Scott Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-hamilton/) > [But I never really thought that I would be extraordinarily successful at skating, it's just something that happened, you know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-hamilton/but-i-never-really-thought-that-i-would-be-extraordinarily-successful/) [Scott Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-hamilton/) > [“I learned that once you take advantage of the opportunity to learn and experience and open yourself to a new way of living, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-hamilton/i-learned-that-once-you-take-advantage-of-the-opportunity-to-learn/) [Scott Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-hamilton/) > [Most other competitions are individual achievements, but the Olympic Games is something that belongs to everybody.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-hamilton/most-other-competitions-are-individual-achievements-but-the-olympic/) [Scott Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-hamilton/) > [That's what makes the Ryder Cup in golf so much better than the Masters or the U.S. Open. To be a part of something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-hamilton/that-s-what-makes-the-ryder-cup-in-golf-so-much-better-than-the/) [Scott Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-hamilton/) > [“it doesn't matter what the challenge is -athletics, business, romance, health, academics, the arts- the rule for getting up is the same. you just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-hamilton/it-doesn-t-matter-what-the-challenge-is-athletics-business-romance/) [Scott Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-hamilton/) > [Always try to maintain complete tolerance and always make an effort to give people more than they expect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-hamilton/always-try-to-maintain-complete-tolerance-and-always-make-an-effort/) [Scott Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-hamilton/) > [From the fall of October, 1980 to March, 1984 I never lost a competition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-hamilton/from-the-fall-of-october-1980-to-march-1984-i-never-lost-a-competition/) [Scott Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-hamilton/) > [“The only disability in life is a bad attitude. -Scott Hamilton”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-hamilton/the-only-disability-in-life-is-a-bad-attitude-scott-hamilton/) [Scott Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-hamilton/) > [When you're expected to win and you have the press saying that you are going to win the Olympic gold medal, and you're the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-hamilton/when-you-re-expected-to-win-and-you-have-the-press-saying-that-you/) [Scott Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-hamilton/) > [Male figure skating is different than female figure skating; we're not America's sweetheart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-hamilton/male-figure-skating-is-different-than-female-figure-skating-we-re-not/) [Scott Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-hamilton/) > [Always try to maintain complete tolerance and always make an effort to give people more then they expect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-hamilton/always-try-to-maintain-complete-tolerance-and-always-make-an-effort-2/) [Scott Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-hamilton/) > [Half of figure skating is opinion, convincing judges.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-hamilton/half-of-figure-skating-is-opinion-convincing-judges/) [Scott Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-hamilton/) [Explore all 46 Scott Hamilton quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-hamilton/) ## More Defining quotes > [One defining symptom of decadence is a fondness for vast and nonsensical extravagance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-silverberg/one-defining-symptom-of-decadence-is-a-fondness-for-vast-and/) [Robert Silverberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-silverberg/) > [Good history is a question of survival. Without any past, we will deprive ourselves of the defining impression of our being.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-burns/good-history-is-a-question-of-survival-without-any-past-we-will/) [Ken Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-burns/) > [ I never left my roots. You can identify me as someone that didn't become high and mighty. Humility is a defining \[trait\] all of… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/serena-williams/i-never-left-my-roots-you-can-identify-me-as-someone-that-didn-t/) [Serena Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/serena-williams/) > [I think the word 'soul' - it depends on what you define by 'soul.' If you're defining it as a mystical aura that is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-nicolelis/i-think-the-word-soul-it-depends-on-what-you-define-by-soul-if-you-re/) [Miguel Nicolelis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-nicolelis/) > [“There are no defining moments. There are only your moments to define.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-b-dowd/there-are-no-defining-moments-there-are-only-your-moments-to-define/) [Thomas B Dowd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-b-dowd/) > [My journey has been a long one and has still got a long way to go. I think we are so used to defining…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-corrin/my-journey-has-been-a-long-one-and-has-still-got-a-long-way-to-go-i/) [Emma Corrin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-corrin/) > [“Defining the Renaissance Man “A man can do all that he will.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-griffiths-and-eric-elfman/defining-the-renaissance-man-a-man-can-do-all-that-he-will/) [Scott Griffiths and Eric Elfman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-griffiths-and-eric-elfman/) > [The defining aspects of westerns are still pretty much in place - namely landscape and conflict. In other books the conflict can be internal,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-crook/the-defining-aspects-of-westerns-are-still-pretty-much-in-place/) [Elizabeth Crook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-crook/) > [Our concepts structure what we perceive, how we get around in the world and how we relate to other people. Our conceptual system thus…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-lakoff/our-concepts-structure-what-we-perceive-how-we-get-around-in-the/) [George Lakoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-lakoff/) > [It's imprecise and insufficient, defining the homosexual as a person whose gender expression is at odds with his or her sex.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-bechdel/it-s-imprecise-and-insufficient-defining-the-homosexual-as-a-person/) [Alison Bechdel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-bechdel/) > [Modern societies accepted the treasures and the power offered them by science. But they have not accepted - they have scarcely even heard -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-monod/modern-societies-accepted-the-treasures-and-the-power-offered-them-by/) [Jacques Monod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-monod/) > [I met people on college campuses who were defining themselves as genderqueer to express revolutionary feelings, or to communicate their individuality; they were gender…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-solomon/i-met-people-on-college-campuses-who-were-defining-themselves-as/) [Andrew Solomon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-solomon/) > [Using less of the Earth’s resources more efficiently and productively in a circular economy and making the transition from carbon-based fuels to renewable energies…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-rifkin/using-less-of-the-earth-s-resources-more-efficiently-and-productively/) [Jeremy Rifkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-rifkin/) > [Autonomy means women defining themselves and the values by which they will live, and beginning to think of institutional arrangements which will order their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerda-lerner/autonomy-means-women-defining-themselves-and-the-values-by-which-they/) [Gerda Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerda-lerner/) > [I think TARP was the most defining vote since I've been in Congress. It was wrong. You don't nationalize private - it was wrong.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louie-gohmert/i-think-tarp-was-the-most-defining-vote-since-i-ve-been-in-congress/) [Louie Gohmert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louie-gohmert/) [Browse all 544 Defining quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/defining/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I don't want to look back-I want to keep looking ahead. 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