--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Most of us spend very little time in the…" description: "\"“Most of us spend very little time in the present moment. We usually are either thinking about something that has not yet happened (and may never happe..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/32f/thomas-m-sterner-49515_little-time_most-of-us-spend-very-little-time-in-the_2067011.jpg" --- # Most of us spend very little time in the present moment… ![“Most of us spend very little time in the present moment. We usually are either thinking about something that has not yet happened (and may never happen) or reliving something that already has. We waste each moment’s opportunity to experience what” quote by Thomas M. Sterner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/32f/thomas-m-sterner-49515_little-time_most-of-us-spend-very-little-time-in-the_2067011.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/32f/thomas-m-sterner-49515_little-time_most-of-us-spend-very-little-time-in-the_2067011.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/32f/thomas-m-sterner-49515_little-time_most-of-us-spend-very-little-time-in-the_2067011.jpg) > ““Most of us spend very little time in the present moment. We usually are either thinking about something that has not yet happened (and may never happen) or reliving something that already has. We waste each moment’s opportunity to experience what”” [Thomas M. Sterner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-m-sterner/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People often miss the present by dwelling on past or future, wasting each moment. **In simple terms:** We lose the present by overthinking past or future. Key Takeaway Practice staying present. Themes mindfulness time presence Mood calm contemplative Type motivational philosophical When to use this quote - daily meditation - therapy sessions - stress management - creative work - education Key Concepts psychology temporal focus Questions to Reflect On - What habits keep you anchored in the now? - How can you balance future planning with present awareness? A Different Perspective Focusing solely on present can ignore valuable planning. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Little time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/little-time/) [Moment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moment/) [Present moment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/present-moment/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [How often are you worrying about the present moment? The present moment is usually all right. If you're worrying, you're either agonizing over the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peace-pilgrim/how-often-are-you-worrying-about-the-present-moment-the-present/) [Peace Pilgrim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peace-pilgrim/) > [We spend so little time in the present moment that it's anything but ordinary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/we-spend-so-little-time-in-the-present-moment-that-it-s-anything-but/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I think romance is something that you don't clock or keep track of... you don't manage it in that way. It's something that happens…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashton-kutcher/i-think-romance-is-something-that-you-don-t-clock-or-keep-track-of/) [Ashton Kutcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashton-kutcher/) > [I suppose it is a bit of a date that we're having at the moment. As is usually the case you don't get married…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aidy-boothroyd/i-suppose-it-is-a-bit-of-a-date-that-we-re-having-at-the-moment-as-is/) [Aidy Boothroyd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aidy-boothroyd/) > [One way of pointing to this realization is, when you think you have big problems, ask yourself, "What problem do I have at this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/one-way-of-pointing-to-this-realization-is-when-you-think-you-have/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [Very often a job will come along that speaks to the place you're in as a person at that very moment. And usually once…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-plimpton/very-often-a-job-will-come-along-that-speaks-to-the-place-you-re-in/) [Martha Plimpton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-plimpton/) > [There's much more in any given moment than we usually perceive, and that we ourselves are much more than we usually perceive. When you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ram-dass/there-s-much-more-in-any-given-moment-than-we-usually-perceive-and/) [Ram Dass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ram-dass/) > [“Why was it that her temper and her thinking never happened at the same time? Her temper behaved like a glutton sitting in an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-brashares/why-was-it-that-her-temper-and-her-thinking-never-happened-at-the/) [Ann Brashares](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-brashares/) > [“My biggest regret is being naive enough in thinking that what happened is a big enough reason to miss out on each other's live.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-warren/my-biggest-regret-is-being-naive-enough-in-thinking-that-what/) [Frank Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-warren/) > [I have to remind myself, Stop thinking about the future. Stop thinking about what happened at work today, or another choice you could have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-gunn/i-have-to-remind-myself-stop-thinking-about-the-future-stop-thinking/) [Anna Gunn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-gunn/) > [“My Name “I guess you are kind of curious as to who I am, but I am one of those who do not have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-brautigan/my-name-i-guess-you-are-kind-of-curious-as-to-who-i-am-but-i-am-one/) [Richard Brautigan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-brautigan/) > [Your mind and your thoughts could be stuck in the past, continually thinking about what has already happened. If that's the case, it's best…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-williams/your-mind-and-your-thoughts-could-be-stuck-in-the-past-continually/) [Craig Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-williams/) > [Life and study have persuaded me of the openness of history. There is no inevitability in history. Thinking about what might have happened, what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fritz-stern/life-and-study-have-persuaded-me-of-the-openness-of-history-there-is/) Fritz Stern > [If you are thinking about something that happened a long time ago: Somebody asked you a question and you did not know the answer.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-brautigan/if-you-are-thinking-about-something-that-happened-a-long-time-ago/) [Richard Brautigan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-brautigan/) > [A time of disarray is also a moment of opportunity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-ferre/a-time-of-disarray-is-also-a-moment-of-opportunity/) Frederick Ferre ## More by Thomas M. Sterner > [The problem with patience and discipline is that it requires both of them to develop each of them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-m-sterner/the-problem-with-patience-and-discipline-is-that-it-requires-both-of/) [Thomas M. Sterner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-m-sterner/) > [“So few people are really aware of their thoughts. Their minds run all over the place without their permission, and they go along for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-m-sterner/so-few-people-are-really-aware-of-their-thoughts-their-minds-run-all/) [Thomas M. Sterner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-m-sterner/) > [“The feeling "I'll be happy when X happens" will never bring you anything but discontentment.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-m-sterner/the-feeling-i-ll-be-happy-when-x-happens-will-never-bring-you/) [Thomas M. Sterner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-m-sterner/) > [“You are going to find that buying the car is much less satisfying than working for it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-m-sterner/you-are-going-to-find-that-buying-the-car-is-much-less-satisfying/) [Thomas M. Sterner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-m-sterner/) > [“So, as an adult, try to notice the carefree nature that comes naturally to a child, who lives for and in the present. Try…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-m-sterner/so-as-an-adult-try-to-notice-the-carefree-nature-that-comes-naturally/) [Thomas M. Sterner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-m-sterner/) > [“Progress is a natural result of staying focused on the process of doing anything.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-m-sterner/progress-is-a-natural-result-of-staying-focused-on-the-process-of/) [Thomas M. Sterner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-m-sterner/) [Explore all 7 Thomas M. Sterner quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-m-sterner/) ## More Little time quotes > [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/) > [In the off-season you like to take a little time for yourself, but I'd like to say that people say I live in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-cole/in-the-off-season-you-like-to-take-a-little-time-for-yourself-but-i-d/) [Justin Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-cole/) > [Not to be offensive, not to be capricious, not to be arbitrary, not to be neurotic, not to be an actor outer, you're just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hurt/not-to-be-offensive-not-to-be-capricious-not-to-be-arbitrary-not-to/) [William Hurt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hurt/) > [We wanted to enjoy what we were doing and we had business things we had to straighten out and personnel problems and it sort…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debbie-harry/we-wanted-to-enjoy-what-we-were-doing-and-we-had-business-things-we/) [Debbie Harry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debbie-harry/) > [When you're on the ice, you have very little time, you see very little, and everything happens really quick.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-yzerman/when-you-re-on-the-ice-you-have-very-little-time-you-see-very-little/) [Steve Yzerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-yzerman/) > [For the most part, if somebody approaches me and says, 'I'd like to interview you,' who am I to say no, when I spend…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-roach/for-the-most-part-if-somebody-approaches-me-and-says-i-d-like-to/) [Mary Roach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-roach/) > [Can you spend a little time, time is slipping away. Away from us so stay, stay with me I can make. Make you glad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-wanted/can-you-spend-a-little-time-time-is-slipping-away-away-from-us-so/) [The Wanted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/the-wanted/) > [“when my mother was pregnant with her second child i was four i pointed at her swollen belly confused at how my mother had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupi-kaur/when-my-mother-was-pregnant-with-her-second-child-i-was-four-i/) [Rupi Kaur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupi-kaur/) > [Nothing annoys academics more than pointing out how little time they actually spend teaching students.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-sykes/nothing-annoys-academics-more-than-pointing-out-how-little-time-they/) [Charlie Sykes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-sykes/) > [“The evangelical wing of the Church spends a lot of energy on being "born again" but little time on "growing up" again. There is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-stockman/the-evangelical-wing-of-the-church-spends-a-lot-of-energy-on-being/) [Steve Stockman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-stockman/) > [The world much too little time was given to me to wander a land so full of wonders.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mariana-fulger/the-world-much-too-little-time-was-given-to-me-to-wander-a-land-so/) [Mariana Fulger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mariana-fulger/) > [“I realized something tonight when you were in the arena doing your thing.” She took another deep breath of the roses’ scent. “What was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/genell-dellin/i-realized-something-tonight-when-you-were-in-the-arena-doing-your/) [Genell Dellin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/genell-dellin/) > [“He seemed to be drinking in her face, looking at her instead of into her. “Stop. Stop that. This isn’t goodbye.” Blake pulled her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debra-anastasia/he-seemed-to-be-drinking-in-her-face-looking-at-her-instead-of-into/) [Debra Anastasia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debra-anastasia/) > [I can rock out anything. I mean, I can rock out a little 'Time After Time'. I can do a little 'Grease Lightning'. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristen-bell/i-can-rock-out-anything-i-mean-i-can-rock-out-a-little-time-after/) [Kristen Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristen-bell/) > [The shock of any trauma, I think changes your life. It's more acute in the beginning and after a little time you settle back…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-lifeson/the-shock-of-any-trauma-i-think-changes-your-life-it-s-more-acute-in/) [Alex Lifeson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-lifeson/) [Browse all 665 Little time quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/little-time/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Most of us spend very little time in the present moment. We usually are either thinking about something that has not yet happened (and may never happen) or reliving something that already has. We waste each moment’s opportunity to experience what”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Thomas M. 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