--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: This does not matter. This is not…" description: "\"This does not matter. This is not anything yet. It all depends on what you do with it, afterward.\" — William Faulkner" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a5f/william-faulkner-306_afterward_this-does-not-matter-this-is-not-anythin_2590552.png" --- # This does not matter. This is not anything yet. It all… ![“This does not matter. This is not anything yet. It all depends on what you do with it, afterward.” quote by William Faulkner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a5f/william-faulkner-306_afterward_this-does-not-matter-this-is-not-anythin_2590552.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a5f/william-faulkner-306_afterward_this-does-not-matter-this-is-not-anythin_2590552.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a5f/william-faulkner-306_afterward_this-does-not-matter-this-is-not-anythin_2590552.png) > “This does not matter. This is not anything yet. It all depends on what you do with it, afterward.” [William Faulkner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-faulkner/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote stresses that current significance is determined by future actions taken with it. **In simple terms:** Future actions give meaning to present things. Key Takeaway Act purposefully to shape outcomes. Themes purpose future agency Mood reflective thoughtful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - project planning - personal goals - creative work - decision making Key Concepts meaning-making intentionality Questions to Reflect On - How will you choose to act on this? - What outcomes do you envision? A Different Perspective It may overlook external constraints that limit outcomes. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Afterward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/afterward/) [Depends](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/depends/) [Depends Afterward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/depends-afterward-1857264/) [Doe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doe/) [Does Matter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/does-matter/) [Matter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/matter/) [Matter Depends](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/matter-depends-1857265/) ## Related quotes > [Cheerfulness, it would appear, is a matter which depends fully as much on the state of things within, as on the state of things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-bronte/cheerfulness-it-would-appear-is-a-matter-which-depends-fully-as-much/) [Charlotte Bronte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-bronte/) > [. . . we should be men first, and subjects afterward.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/we-should-be-men-first-and-subjects-afterward/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“A thorn is a pain, but the flower is a beauty if it vanishes it will leave hundreds of seeds afterward.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kamaran-ihsan-salih/a-thorn-is-a-pain-but-the-flower-is-a-beauty-if-it-vanishes-it-will/) [Kamaran Ihsan Salih](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kamaran-ihsan-salih/) > [There's a part of all of us whose impulse is to say, "Let's keep everything the same until I die and then you can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-mckibben/there-s-a-part-of-all-of-us-whose-impulse-is-to-say-let-s-keep/) [Bill McKibben](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-mckibben/) > [Here's a thing about the death of your mother, or anyone else you love: You can't anticipate how you'll feel afterward. People will tell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-schmich/here-s-a-thing-about-the-death-of-your-mother-or-anyone-else-you-love/) [Mary Schmich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-schmich/) > [History does not usually make real sense until long afterward.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-catton/history-does-not-usually-make-real-sense-until-long-afterward/) [Bruce Catton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-catton/) > [It's okay to screw up. It's what we do afterward that defines us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-mallery/it-s-okay-to-screw-up-it-s-what-we-do-afterward-that-defines-us/) [Susan Mallery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-mallery/) > [Don't think about what you’ll tell people afterward. The time is here and now. Make the most of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/don-t-think-about-what-you-ll-tell-people-afterward-the-time-is-here/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [Once a decision was made, I didn't worry about it afterward...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman/once-a-decision-was-made-i-didn-t-worry-about-it-afterward/) [Harry S. Truman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-s-truman/) > [As a matter of fact I had a terribly traumatic childhood. But afterward I sort of reraised myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-gruber/as-a-matter-of-fact-i-had-a-terribly-traumatic-childhood-but/) [Michael Gruber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-gruber/) > [Apologies don't mean anything if you're going to act the same way afterward.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/apologies-don-t-mean-anything-if-you-re-going-to-act-the-same-way/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“And in everything that came afterward, I could never stop thinking that maybe she loved mysteries so much that she became one”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/and-in-everything-that-came-afterward-i-could-never-stop-thinking/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [“Stories are invented as you go along...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/stories-are-invented-as-you-go-along/) [Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/) > [When that shutter clicks, anything else that can be done afterward is not worth consideration.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-steichen/when-that-shutter-clicks-anything-else-that-can-be-done-afterward-is/) [Edward Steichen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-steichen/) > [We can do all we wish while we live; afterward, we are less than the meanest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-xiv/we-can-do-all-we-wish-while-we-live-afterward-we-are-less-than-the/) [Louis XIV](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-xiv/) ## More by William Faulkner > [“The river itself is not a hundred yards across, and pa and Vernon and Vardaman and Dewey Dell are the only things in sight…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-faulkner/the-river-itself-is-not-a-hundred-yards-across-and-pa-and-vernon-and/) [William Faulkner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-faulkner/) > [The quality an artist must have is objectivity in judging his work, plus the honesty and courage not to kid himself about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-faulkner/the-quality-an-artist-must-have-is-objectivity-in-judging-his-work/) [William Faulkner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-faulkner/) > [“Luster returned, wearing a stiff new straw hat with a colored band and carrying a cloth cap. The hat seemed to isolate Luster's skull,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-faulkner/luster-returned-wearing-a-stiff-new-straw-hat-with-a-colored-band-and/) [William Faulkner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-faulkner/) > [It is easy enough to say that man is immortal simply because he will endure: that when the last ding-dong of doom has clanged…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-faulkner/it-is-easy-enough-to-say-that-man-is-immortal-simply-because-he-will/) [William Faulkner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-faulkner/) > [“What matters is at the end of life, when you're about to pass into oblivion, that you've at least scratched 'Kilroy was here,' on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-faulkner/what-matters-is-at-the-end-of-life-when-you-re-about-to-pass-into/) [William Faulkner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-faulkner/) > [I've got to feel the pencil and see the words at the end of the pencil,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-faulkner/i-ve-got-to-feel-the-pencil-and-see-the-words-at-the-end-of-the-pencil/) [William Faulkner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-faulkner/) > [And sure enough, even waiting will end...if you can just wait long enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-faulkner/and-sure-enough-even-waiting-will-end-if-you-can-just-wait-long-enough/) [William Faulkner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-faulkner/) > [“I believe that man will not merely endure: he will prevail. He is immortal, not because he alone among creatures has an inexhaustible voice,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-faulkner/i-believe-that-man-will-not-merely-endure-he-will-prevail-he-is/) [William Faulkner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-faulkner/) > [Never be afraid to raise your voice for honesty and truth and compassion against injustice and lying and greed. If people all over the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-faulkner/never-be-afraid-to-raise-your-voice-for-honesty-and-truth-and/) [William Faulkner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-faulkner/) > [To understand the world, you must first understand a place like Mississippi.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-faulkner/to-understand-the-world-you-must-first-understand-a-place-like/) [William Faulkner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-faulkner/) > [“What modren ideas?” pap said. “I didn’t know there was but one idea about work—until it is done, it ain’t done, and when it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-faulkner/what-modren-ideas-pap-said-i-didn-t-know-there-was-but-one-idea-about/) [William Faulkner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-faulkner/) > [“It was only as he put his hand on the door that he became aware of complete silence beyond it, a silence which he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-faulkner/it-was-only-as-he-put-his-hand-on-the-door-that-he-became-aware-of/) [William Faulkner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-faulkner/) > [“She has no mother because fatherblood hates with love and pride, but motherblood with hate loves and cohabits.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-faulkner/she-has-no-mother-because-fatherblood-hates-with-love-and-pride-but/) [William Faulkner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-faulkner/) > [“Byron listened quietly, thinking to himself how people everywhere are about the same, but that it did seem that in a small town, where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-faulkner/byron-listened-quietly-thinking-to-himself-how-people-everywhere-are/) [William Faulkner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-faulkner/) > [“It was too late. Maybe yesterday, while I was still a child, but not now. I knew too much, had seen too much, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-faulkner/it-was-too-late-maybe-yesterday-while-i-was-still-a-child-but-not-now/) [William Faulkner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-faulkner/) [Explore all 673 William Faulkner quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-faulkner/) ## More Afterward quotes > [Don't think about what you’ll tell people afterward. The time is here and now. Make the most of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/don-t-think-about-what-you-ll-tell-people-afterward-the-time-is-here/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [When that shutter clicks, anything else that can be done afterward is not worth consideration.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-steichen/when-that-shutter-clicks-anything-else-that-can-be-done-afterward-is/) [Edward Steichen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-steichen/) > [“Stories are invented as you go along...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/stories-are-invented-as-you-go-along/) [Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/) > [“And in everything that came afterward, I could never stop thinking that maybe she loved mysteries so much that she became one”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/and-in-everything-that-came-afterward-i-could-never-stop-thinking/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [Apologies don't mean anything if you're going to act the same way afterward.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/apologies-don-t-mean-anything-if-you-re-going-to-act-the-same-way/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [As a matter of fact I had a terribly traumatic childhood. But afterward I sort of reraised myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-gruber/as-a-matter-of-fact-i-had-a-terribly-traumatic-childhood-but/) [Michael Gruber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-gruber/) > [Once a decision was made, I didn't worry about it afterward...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman/once-a-decision-was-made-i-didn-t-worry-about-it-afterward/) [Harry S. Truman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-s-truman/) > [It's okay to screw up. It's what we do afterward that defines us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-mallery/it-s-okay-to-screw-up-it-s-what-we-do-afterward-that-defines-us/) [Susan Mallery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-mallery/) > [History does not usually make real sense until long afterward.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-catton/history-does-not-usually-make-real-sense-until-long-afterward/) [Bruce Catton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-catton/) > [Here's a thing about the death of your mother, or anyone else you love: You can't anticipate how you'll feel afterward. People will tell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-schmich/here-s-a-thing-about-the-death-of-your-mother-or-anyone-else-you-love/) [Mary Schmich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-schmich/) > [There's a part of all of us whose impulse is to say, "Let's keep everything the same until I die and then you can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-mckibben/there-s-a-part-of-all-of-us-whose-impulse-is-to-say-let-s-keep/) [Bill McKibben](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-mckibben/) > [“A thorn is a pain, but the flower is a beauty if it vanishes it will leave hundreds of seeds afterward.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kamaran-ihsan-salih/a-thorn-is-a-pain-but-the-flower-is-a-beauty-if-it-vanishes-it-will/) [Kamaran Ihsan Salih](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kamaran-ihsan-salih/) > [. . . we should be men first, and subjects afterward.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/we-should-be-men-first-and-subjects-afterward/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [We can do all we wish while we live; afterward, we are less than the meanest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-xiv/we-can-do-all-we-wish-while-we-live-afterward-we-are-less-than-the/) [Louis XIV](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-xiv/) > [The real question in life isn't whether you'll be loved, it's whether you can take the hurt afterward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-real-question-in-life-isn-t-whether-you-ll-be-loved-it-s-whether/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 21 Afterward quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/afterward/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "This does not matter. 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