--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You cannot change the past but you can…" description: "\"You cannot change the past but you can start now and lay the foundation for the future.\" — Sharon Gannon" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/04a/sharon-gannon-2432_change_you-cannot-change-the-past-but-you-can-s_857380.png" --- # You cannot change the past but you can start now and lay… ![“You cannot change the past but you can start now and lay the foundation for the future.” quote by Sharon Gannon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/04a/sharon-gannon-2432_change_you-cannot-change-the-past-but-you-can-s_857380.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/04a/sharon-gannon-2432_change_you-cannot-change-the-past-but-you-can-s_857380.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/04a/sharon-gannon-2432_change_you-cannot-change-the-past-but-you-can-s_857380.png) > “You cannot change the past but you can start now and lay the foundation for the future.” [Sharon Gannon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-gannon/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The past cannot be altered, but we can act now to shape future outcomes by building solid foundations today. **In simple terms:** We can’t change yesterday, but we can start building tomorrow today. Key Takeaway Begin building your future now. Themes growth action future‑orientation mindfulness Mood motivational determined Type practical inspirational When to use this quote - career planning - health habits - financial budgeting - skill learning - relationship building Key Concepts present‑focused action goal setting personal development Questions to Reflect On - What foundation can you lay today? - How will you measure progress toward your future? A Different Perspective Future outcomes depend on consistent effort, not a single act. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) [Change Past](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change-past/) [Foundation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/foundation/) [Foundation Future](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/foundation-future-814088/) [Future](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/future/) [Lays](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lays/) [Past](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/past/) [Past Start](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/past-start-449875/) [Start now](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/start-now/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [Don't let past regrets define your life. You can't change your past, but you can start today and build a better future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anmol-andore/don-t-let-past-regrets-define-your-life-you-can-t-change-your-past/) [Anmol Andore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anmol-andore/) > [You cant change your past but you can start here and make a new beginning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishan-panwar/you-cant-change-your-past-but-you-can-start-here-and-make-a-new/) [Nishan Panwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishan-panwar/) > [No one can go back in time to change the past, but anyone can start a new today and have a new ending](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rayshawn07/no-one-can-go-back-in-time-to-change-the-past-but-anyone-can-start-a/) [Rayshawn07](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rayshawn07/) > [The foundation for future prosperity is built on the bedrock of good jobs and great schools. We are building a strong foundation one job…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-perry/the-foundation-for-future-prosperity-is-built-on-the-bedrock-of-good/) [Rick Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-perry/) > [“what you do today is the foundation upon which your future will stand”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/topsy-gift/what-you-do-today-is-the-foundation-upon-which-your-future-will-stand/) [Topsy Gift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/topsy-gift/) > [Our children are the cement of life, its up to us to make the foundation of the future!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steph-cook/our-children-are-the-cement-of-life-its-up-to-us-to-make-the/) [Steph Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steph-cook/) > [A relationship is based on the foundation you build together...not the amount of time you spend together. No foundation = No future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tiffany-alvord/a-relationship-is-based-on-the-foundation-you-build-together-not-the/) [Tiffany Alvord](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tiffany-alvord/) > [I believe education is the foundation of the future of every young man and young woman out there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francisco-lindor/i-believe-education-is-the-foundation-of-the-future-of-every-young/) [Francisco Lindor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francisco-lindor/) > [Don't wait for a better world. Start now to create a world of harmony and peace. It is up to you, and it always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-gannon/don-t-wait-for-a-better-world-start-now-to-create-a-world-of-harmony/) [Sharon Gannon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-gannon/) > [Just let the past be, and start over](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaay/just-let-the-past-be-and-start-over/) [Jaay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaay/) > [You don't have to forget the past to start enjoying the present.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kentaro-yabuki/you-don-t-have-to-forget-the-past-to-start-enjoying-the-present/) [Kentaro Yabuki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kentaro-yabuki/) > [The past is weary and is long gone. Let go of the past and start grasping the opportunities that come your way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-past-is-weary-and-is-long-gone-let-go-of-the-past-and-start/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Forget everything about your past, start a fresh life and allow the lessons learnt to guide your present which you have total control over…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kemmy-nola/forget-everything-about-your-past-start-a-fresh-life-and-allow-the/) [Kemmy Nola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kemmy-nola/) > [Stop Thinking about the past and start living in the present ¥](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/stop-thinking-about-the-past-and-start-living-in-the-present/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Stop judging people by their past and start looking at who they are now.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajat-dogra/stop-judging-people-by-their-past-and-start-looking-at-who-they-are/) [Rajat Dogra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajat-dogra/) ## More by Sharon Gannon > [Communication implies communing, having a shared experience with another, not "talking at" or "talking down to" someone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-gannon/communication-implies-communing-having-a-shared-experience-with/) [Sharon Gannon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-gannon/) > [Human overconsumption is a greater problem than human population growth, and meat eating is a big part of that problem.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-gannon/human-overconsumption-is-a-greater-problem-than-human-population/) [Sharon Gannon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-gannon/) > [Some well-to-do parents may say, "I have a right to have as many children as I want because I can take care of them."…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-gannon/some-well-to-do-parents-may-say-i-have-a-right-to-have-as-many/) [Sharon Gannon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-gannon/) > [In fact, studies show that vegans tend to get more iron than meat eaters. Vitamin C from fruits and vegetables increases iron absorption. Meanwhile,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-gannon/in-fact-studies-show-that-vegans-tend-to-get-more-iron-than-meat/) [Sharon Gannon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-gannon/) > [Animals are not ours to eat, wear, experiment on, use for entertainment or for any exploitative purpose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-gannon/animals-are-not-ours-to-eat-wear-experiment-on-use-for-entertainment/) [Sharon Gannon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-gannon/) > [When we have a choice it is always best to choose kindness. Veganism is simply the kinder choice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-gannon/when-we-have-a-choice-it-is-always-best-to-choose-kindness-veganism/) [Sharon Gannon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-gannon/) > [Don't try to do this by yourself: to become a good yogi you need a teacher. Find a teacher you can bow to, who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-gannon/don-t-try-to-do-this-by-yourself-to-become-a-good-yogi-you-need-a/) [Sharon Gannon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-gannon/) > [It is true that every being is enjoying life or suffering as a direct result of his or her own past actions. The animals…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-gannon/it-is-true-that-every-being-is-enjoying-life-or-suffering-as-a-direct/) [Sharon Gannon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-gannon/) > [Lions and other carnivorous animals do a lot of things besides eat meat. They live outdoors, not in houses; they don't wear clothes or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-gannon/lions-and-other-carnivorous-animals-do-a-lot-of-things-besides-eat/) [Sharon Gannon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-gannon/) > [Yoga may have originated in India, where the cow has been revered as sacred for thousands of years, but times have changed since Lord…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-gannon/yoga-may-have-originated-in-india-where-the-cow-has-been-revered-as/) [Sharon Gannon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-gannon/) > [It may take sixteen pounds of grain to make one pound of beef, but it also takes one hundred pounds of fish to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-gannon/it-may-take-sixteen-pounds-of-grain-to-make-one-pound-of-beef-but-it/) [Sharon Gannon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-gannon/) > [Yes, all of life is sacred, including plants; and yes, there is research that demonstrates that plants have feelings - they feel it when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-gannon/yes-all-of-life-is-sacred-including-plants-and-yes-there-is-research/) [Sharon Gannon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-gannon/) > [Live with the anticipation that something incredible might happen at any time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-gannon/live-with-the-anticipation-that-something-incredible-might-happen-at/) [Sharon Gannon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-gannon/) > [Yoga teaches us that we can have whatever we may want in life if we are willing to provide it for others first.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-gannon/yoga-teaches-us-that-we-can-have-whatever-we-may-want-in-life-if-we/) [Sharon Gannon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-gannon/) > [Welfarists are concerned with the quality of the animals' lives before or even during their slaughter and want animals to be treated, and slaughtered,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-gannon/welfarists-are-concerned-with-the-quality-of-the-animals-lives-before/) [Sharon Gannon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-gannon/) [Explore all 166 Sharon Gannon quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-gannon/) ## More Change quotes > [Only within yourself exists the other reality for which you long. I can give you nothing that has not already its being within yourself.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/only-within-yourself-exists-the-other-reality-for-which-you-long-i/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [Life is full of change. That's how we learn and grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-full-of-change-that-s-how-we-learn-and-grow/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I can't believe that I'm sitting in meetings with Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, and Annette Bening. I want to take on that responsibility to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-can-t-believe-that-i-m-sitting-in-meetings-with-steven-spielberg/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [“…progress isn't necessarily about change but about things turning out as we want them to”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-hogan/progress-isn-t-necessarily-about-change-but-about-things-turning-out/) [Phil Hogan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-hogan/) > [Nobody can tell me that no changes are necessary in Washington.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-weld/nobody-can-tell-me-that-no-changes-are-necessary-in-washington/) [William Weld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-weld/) > [If my campaign is not in the debate, we will not be talking about how we really fix this problem of endless and expanding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/if-my-campaign-is-not-in-the-debate-we-will-not-be-talking-about-how/) [Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/) > [When you walk down the street of Kabul your values for life changes, they do change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-pierre-white/when-you-walk-down-the-street-of-kabul-your-values-for-life-changes/) [Marco Pierre White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-pierre-white/) > [Your world will change whether or not you choose to change, but you have the power to choose it's direction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/your-world-will-change-whether-or-not-you-choose-to-change-but-you/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [I hope I continue to evolve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-flair/i-hope-i-continue-to-evolve/) [Charlotte Flair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-flair/) > [“Stay focused on bringing people together and more on positive messaging so that you can be the change you wish to see in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germany-kent/stay-focused-on-bringing-people-together-and-more-on-positive/) [Germany Kent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germany-kent/) > [The biggest change for me as a mom was realizing I needed to put someone else before me. Now the hardest part about the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-alexis/the-biggest-change-for-me-as-a-mom-was-realizing-i-needed-to-put/) [Kim Alexis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-alexis/) > [“After the funeral, my life changed. I felt as if time were suddenly precious, water going down an open drain, and I could not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/after-the-funeral-my-life-changed-i-felt-as-if-time-were-suddenly/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) > [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/) > [Irish research will contribute to global progress and have the potential to help all countries realise the potential of their land sectors in addressing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enda-kenny/irish-research-will-contribute-to-global-progress-and-have-the/) [Enda Kenny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enda-kenny/) > [No man can change himself into anything from sheer reason; he can only change into what he potentially is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-jung/no-man-can-change-himself-into-anything-from-sheer-reason-he-can-only/) [Carl Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-jung/) [Browse all 33,920 Change quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "You cannot change the past but you can start now and lay the foundation for the future.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Sharon Gannon" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-gannon/you-cannot-change-the-past-but-you-can-start-now-and-lay-the/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Change" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-gannon/you-cannot-change-the-past-but-you-can-start-now-and-lay-the/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/04a/sharon-gannon-2432_change_you-cannot-change-the-past-but-you-can-s_857380.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/04a/sharon-gannon-2432_change_you-cannot-change-the-past-but-you-can-s_857380.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/04a/sharon-gannon-2432_change_you-cannot-change-the-past-but-you-can-s_857380.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“You cannot change the past but you can start now and lay the foundation for the future.” — Sharon Gannon", "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": "Sharon Gannon", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-gannon/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "You cannot change the past but...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-gannon/you-cannot-change-the-past-but-you-can-start-now-and-lay-the/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-gannon/you-cannot-change-the-past-but-you-can-start-now-and-lay-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 } } ] } ```