--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The future is much like the past; it is…" description: "\"“The future is much like the past; it is mostly set, but can always be altered—”\" — Stephanie Garber" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b8d/stephanie-garber-8804_future_the-future-is-much-like-the-past-it-is-m_2766667.jpg" --- # The future is much like the past; it is mostly set, but… ![“The future is much like the past; it is mostly set, but can always be altered—” quote by Stephanie Garber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b8d/stephanie-garber-8804_future_the-future-is-much-like-the-past-it-is-m_2766667.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b8d/stephanie-garber-8804_future_the-future-is-much-like-the-past-it-is-m_2766667.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b8d/stephanie-garber-8804_future_the-future-is-much-like-the-past-it-is-m_2766667.jpg) > ““The future is much like the past; it is mostly set, but can always be altered—”” [Stephanie Garber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-garber/) ## 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 resembles the past, largely predetermined yet still open to change. **In simple terms:** Past shapes future but change is possible. Key Takeaway Recognize patterns, stay adaptable. Themes change determinism possibility Mood thoughtful optimistic Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - career planning - personal growth - policy making - creative projects Key Concepts philosophy future studies Questions to Reflect On - How can you prepare for inevitable change? - What habits keep you flexible? A Different Perspective Even if trends exist, unexpected events can shift outcomes. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Future](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/future/) [Future Like](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/future-like-885938/) [Like Past](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/like-past-574611/) [Past](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/past/) [Past Set](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/past-set-2893969/) [Set Altered](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/set-altered-3212018/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [“But for now, the future, like the past, means nothing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-oliver/but-for-now-the-future-like-the-past-means-nothing/) [Lauren Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-oliver/) > [But for now, the future, like the past, means nothing. For now, there is only a homestead built of trash and scraps, at the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-oliver/but-for-now-the-future-like-the-past-means-nothing-for-now-there-is/) [Lauren Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-oliver/) > [The future will be like the past, in the sense that, no matter how amazing or technologically advanced a society becomes, the basic human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-gopnik/the-future-will-be-like-the-past-in-the-sense-that-no-matter-how/) [Adam Gopnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-gopnik/) > [The present no matter what I brought couldn’t change the past. The Past was set and sealed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-brashares/the-present-no-matter-what-i-brought-couldn-t-change-the-past-the/) [Ann Brashares](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-brashares/) > [Talking about the future, like we had a clue. Never plans that one day, I'd be losing you](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katy-perry/talking-about-the-future-like-we-had-a-clue-never-plans-that-one-day/) [Katy Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katy-perry/) > [Some will say I don't sound like past mayors or look like them or think like them, and I say yes, I don't -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-wiley/some-will-say-i-don-t-sound-like-past-mayors-or-look-like-them-or/) [Maya Wiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-wiley/) > [I'm not a tart. I feel like I've been treated like one in the past.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-atack/i-m-not-a-tart-i-feel-like-i-ve-been-treated-like-one-in-the-past/) [Emily Atack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-atack/) > [It is hard to say what the future holds, but this is probable - it won't be just like the past.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-campolo/it-is-hard-to-say-what-the-future-holds-but-this-is-probable-it-won-t/) [Tony Campolo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-campolo/) > [If you do not like the past, change it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-do-not-like-the-past-change-it/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [In a funny way, I like the past, I'm a very nostalgic person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elle-fanning/in-a-funny-way-i-like-the-past-i-m-a-very-nostalgic-person/) [Elle Fanning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elle-fanning/) > [“Where you come from, what you look like, and what your past holds do not define you as an individual--you are what you make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kat-von-d/where-you-come-from-what-you-look-like-and-what-your-past-holds-do/) [Kat Von D](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kat-von-d/) > [“When you meet the right person, it’s like nothing else—nobody else. No one in your past ever mattered.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-de-la-cruz/when-you-meet-the-right-person-it-s-like-nothing-else-nobody-else-no/) [Melissa de la Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-de-la-cruz/) > [The future, according to some scientists, will be exactly like the past, only far more expensive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-future-according-to-some-scientists-will-be-exactly-like-the-past/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If possible I'd like to be always in the past](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mak-786/if-possible-i-d-like-to-be-always-in-the-past/) [Mak\_786](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mak-786/) > [You can't run from feelings, Charity. You have to face them. Otherwise your future will look just like your past.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-jane-howard/you-can-t-run-from-feelings-charity-you-have-to-face-them-otherwise/) [Elizabeth Jane Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-jane-howard/) ## More by Stephanie Garber > [“Every person has the power to change their fate if they are brave enough to fight for what they desire more than anything.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-garber/every-person-has-the-power-to-change-their-fate-if-they-are-brave/) [Stephanie Garber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-garber/) > [“She tried to pull away, but Jacks held tight, knotting her hair in his fist and keeping his forehead pressed to hers. 'Please, Little…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-garber/she-tried-to-pull-away-but-jacks-held-tight-knotting-her-hair-in-his/) [Stephanie Garber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-garber/) > [“He was the perfect picture of a gentleman in a top hat and tails, fully sane and dreadfully victorious.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-garber/he-was-the-perfect-picture-of-a-gentleman-in-a-top-hat-and-tails/) [Stephanie Garber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-garber/) > [“Then very soft from LaLa: “I hope you brought enough apples.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-garber/then-very-soft-from-lala-i-hope-you-brought-enough-apples/) [Stephanie Garber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-garber/) > [“I love you, Tella." "I know you do." Tella looked up with an indescribably tender expression. "I wouldn't be here if you didn't.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-garber/i-love-you-tella-i-know-you-do-tella-looked-up-with-an-indescribably/) [Stephanie Garber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-garber/) > [“I love you, Jacks. I used to wonder if fate was real. I used to fear it meant that I had no real choices.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-garber/i-love-you-jacks-i-used-to-wonder-if-fate-was-real-i-used-to-fear-it/) [Stephanie Garber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-garber/) > [“Heroes don't get happy endings. They give them to other people.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-garber/heroes-don-t-get-happy-endings-they-give-them-to-other-people/) [Stephanie Garber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-garber/) > [“Remember, it’s only a game…”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-garber/remember-it-s-only-a-game/) [Stephanie Garber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-garber/) > [“The gowns all came in shades of frost white, pearl pink, romantic blue, and fresh cream. Some were simple sheaths. Others had elaborate trains…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-garber/the-gowns-all-came-in-shades-of-frost-white-pearl-pink-romantic-blue/) [Stephanie Garber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-garber/) > [“She no longer wanted to quietly sit at the end of a story. She wanted to keep stepping into new ones. She wanted to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-garber/she-no-longer-wanted-to-quietly-sit-at-the-end-of-a-story-she-wanted/) [Stephanie Garber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-garber/) > [“So,’ she said cautiously, 'is all this your way of telling me you’re the villain?’ His chuckle was dark. 'I’m definitely not the hero.’…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-garber/so-she-said-cautiously-is-all-this-your-way-of-telling-me-you-re-the/) [Stephanie Garber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-garber/) > [“I imagine the game wouldn’t be the same in the light,” Scarlett answered. “People think no one sees all the nasty things they do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-garber/i-imagine-the-game-wouldn-t-be-the-same-in-the-light-scarlett/) [Stephanie Garber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-garber/) > [“He seemed uncharacteristically nervous as he reached toward her cheek. He slowly took an errant pink strand of hair between his fingers and tucked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-garber/he-seemed-uncharacteristically-nervous-as-he-reached-toward-her-cheek/) [Stephanie Garber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-garber/) > [“Our futures are only predictable because as creatures of this world we are predictable.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-garber/our-futures-are-only-predictable-because-as-creatures-of-this-world/) [Stephanie Garber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-garber/) > [“But you have to have a working heart for it to break.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-garber/but-you-have-to-have-a-working-heart-for-it-to-break/) [Stephanie Garber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-garber/) [Explore all 77 Stephanie Garber quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-garber/) ## 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": "“The future is much like the past; it is mostly set, but can always be altered—”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Stephanie Garber" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-garber/the-future-is-much-like-the-past-it-is-mostly-set-but-can-always-be/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Future" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-garber/the-future-is-much-like-the-past-it-is-mostly-set-but-can-always-be/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b8d/stephanie-garber-8804_future_the-future-is-much-like-the-past-it-is-m_2766667.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b8d/stephanie-garber-8804_future_the-future-is-much-like-the-past-it-is-m_2766667.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b8d/stephanie-garber-8804_future_the-future-is-much-like-the-past-it-is-m_2766667.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The future is much like the past; it is mostly set, but can always be altered—” — Stephanie Garber", "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": "Stephanie Garber", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-garber/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“The future is much like the...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-garber/the-future-is-much-like-the-past-it-is-mostly-set-but-can-always-be/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-garber/the-future-is-much-like-the-past-it-is-mostly-set-but-can-always-be/#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 } } ] } ```