--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It isn't just the past we remember, it's…" description: "\"“It isn't just the past we remember, it's the future too. Fifty per cent of memory is devoted not to what has already happened, but to what will happen..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9f2/zen-44364_hopes-and-dreams_it-isn-t-just-the-past-we-remember-it-s_2397814.jpg" --- # It isn't just the past we remember, it's the future too… ![“It isn't just the past we remember, it's the future too. Fifty per cent of memory is devoted not to what has already happened, but to what will happen next. Appointments, anniversaries, meetings, all the rolling engagements and plans, all the hopes and dreams and ambitions which make up any human…” quote by ZEN](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9f2/zen-44364_hopes-and-dreams_it-isn-t-just-the-past-we-remember-it-s_2397814.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9f2/zen-44364_hopes-and-dreams_it-isn-t-just-the-past-we-remember-it-s_2397814.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9f2/zen-44364_hopes-and-dreams_it-isn-t-just-the-past-we-remember-it-s_2397814.jpg) > ““It isn't just the past we remember, it's the future too. Fifty per cent of memory is devoted not to what has already happened, but to what will happen next. Appointments, anniversaries, meetings, all the rolling engagements and plans, all the hopes and dreams and ambitions which make up any human life - we remember what we did and also what we will do. Only the knife edge of the present is 'hard' to any degree. Past and future are things of the mind,and a mind can be changed.”” [ZEN](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zen/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. We remember not only past events but also future expectations; the mind constantly balances both, shaping our present experience. **In simple terms:** Memory mixes past and future, influencing now. Key Takeaway Balance past lessons with future goals. Themes memory time mindfulness anticipation Mood contemplative calm Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - planning - goal setting - stress reduction - personal growth - decision making Key Concepts cognitive psychology temporal perception mind-body connection Questions to Reflect On - What future expectations guide your daily actions? - How do past experiences shape your expectations? A Different Perspective Focusing too much on future can cause anxiety about neglecting present moments. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Hopes and dreams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hopes-and-dreams/) [Human life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-life/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Memory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/memory/) [Past and future](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/past-and-future/) [Past Remember](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/past-remember/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [“…LondonLane: I’m sure I don’t remember everything. I remember the future the way you remember the past. You remember the really good and bad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cat-patrick/londonlane-i-m-sure-i-don-t-remember-everything-i-remember-the-future/) [Cat Patrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cat-patrick/) > [We invent the past and remember the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isak-dinesen/we-invent-the-past-and-remember-the-future/) [Isak Dinesen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isak-dinesen/) > [The past cannot remember the past. The future can't generate the future. The cutting edge of the instant right here and now is always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-pirsig/the-past-cannot-remember-the-past-the-future-can-t-generate-the/) [Robert M. Pirsig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-pirsig/) > [“The difference between past and future exists only when there is heat. The fundamental phenomenon that distinguishes the future from the past is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlo-rovelli/the-difference-between-past-and-future-exists-only-when-there-is-heat/) [Carlo Rovelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlo-rovelli/) > [The future is foretold from the past and the future is only possible because of the past. Without past and future, the present is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanette-winterson/the-future-is-foretold-from-the-past-and-the-future-is-only-possible/) [Jeanette Winterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanette-winterson/) > [Knowledge owns the past and future, as long as we've the information we've power over the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-limn/knowledge-owns-the-past-and-future-as-long-as-we-ve-the-information/) [Jeremy Limn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-limn/) > [i realize that the future, though invisible, has weight. We are in the gravitational pull of past and future. It takes huge energy -speed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanette-winterson/i-realize-that-the-future-though-invisible-has-weight-we-are-in-the/) [Jeanette Winterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanette-winterson/) > [“The past is gone and the future is still to happen. Only the present moment is real. I believe we all know this very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franco-santoro/the-past-is-gone-and-the-future-is-still-to-happen-only-the-present/) [Franco Santoro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franco-santoro/) > [“Although I am no longer caught in the past, the future seems like a ridiculous thing to me. Try to catch it, hold it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-hoffman/although-i-am-no-longer-caught-in-the-past-the-future-seems-like-a/) [Alice Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-hoffman/) > [“However vivid they might be, past images and future delights did not protect Sylvia from the present, which "rules despotic over pale shadows of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-winder/however-vivid-they-might-be-past-images-and-future-delights-did-not/) [Elizabeth Winder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-winder/) > [When you are in the present moment, you break the continuity of your story, of past and future. Then true intelligence arises, and also…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/when-you-are-in-the-present-moment-you-break-the-continuity-of-your/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [I have realized that the past and future are real illusions, that they exist in the present, which is what there is and all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-watts/i-have-realized-that-the-past-and-future-are-real-illusions-that-they/) [Alan Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-watts/) > [Past and future monopolize the poet’s sensory and intellectual faculties, detached from the immediate spectacle. These two philtres become utterly clear the moment one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andr-breton/past-and-future-monopolize-the-poet-s-sensory-and-intellectual/) [Andre Breton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andr-breton/) > [“As in other tests it was now the moment of decision; she was given a final chance to reverse the inevitable course of destiny—ever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-bradley/as-in-other-tests-it-was-now-the-moment-of-decision-she-was-given-a/) [Don Bradley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-bradley/) > [The normal present connects the past and the future through limitation. Contiguity results, crystallization by means of solidification. There also exists, however, a spiritual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/novalis/the-normal-present-connects-the-past-and-the-future-through/) [Novalis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/novalis/) ## More by ZEN > [“The priviledge Of making the wrong choice”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zen/the-priviledge-of-making-the-wrong-choice/) [Zen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zen/) > [Pain is inevitable while suffering is optional](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zen/pain-is-inevitable-while-suffering-is-optional/) [Zen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zen/) > [“No snowflake ever lands in the wrong place.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zen/no-snowflake-ever-lands-in-the-wrong-place/) [Zen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zen/) > [“- No seed ever sees the flower.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zen/no-seed-ever-sees-the-flower/) [Zen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zen/) > [“May we exist like a lotus, / At home in the muddy water. / Thus we bow to life as it is.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zen/may-we-exist-like-a-lotus-at-home-in-the-muddy-water-thus-we-bow-to/) [Zen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zen/) > [“There is nothing to learn, nothing to attain, nothing to explain, nothing to do, and no place to go”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zen/there-is-nothing-to-learn-nothing-to-attain-nothing-to-explain/) [Zen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zen/) > [“No snow flake ever falls in the wrong place”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zen/no-snow-flake-ever-falls-in-the-wrong-place/) [zen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zen/) > [“It is the silence between the notes that makes the music; it is the space between the bars that cages the tiger.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zen/it-is-the-silence-between-the-notes-that-makes-the-music-it-is-the/) [Zen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zen/) [Explore all 9 ZEN quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zen/) ## More Hopes and dreams quotes > [Let us think of education as the means of developing our greatest abilities, because in each of us there is a private hope and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/let-us-think-of-education-as-the-means-of-developing-our-greatest/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Here is the world of imagination, hopes, and dreams. In this timeless land of enchantment, the age of chivalry, magic and make-believe are reborn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-disney/here-is-the-world-of-imagination-hopes-and-dreams-in-this-timeless/) [Walt Disney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-disney/) > [“…and suddenly I love you beyond all measure is not just words but a heart, a soul bursting open, a stripping raw of all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linnea-sinclair/and-suddenly-i-love-you-beyond-all-measure-is-not-just-words-but-a/) [Linnea Sinclair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linnea-sinclair/) > [“I close my eyes and I let my body shut itself down and I let my mind wander. It wanders to a familiar place.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-frey/i-close-my-eyes-and-i-let-my-body-shut-itself-down-and-i-let-my-mind/) [James Frey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-frey/) > [A tragic car accident put me in a wheelchair and dashed my hopes and dreams for the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madison-cawthorn/a-tragic-car-accident-put-me-in-a-wheelchair-and-dashed-my-hopes-and/) [Madison Cawthorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madison-cawthorn/) > [Everyone, both big and small, can pull their weight, and ensure that the hopes and dreams of every child become realities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alma-powell/everyone-both-big-and-small-can-pull-their-weight-and-ensure-that-the/) Alma Powell > [“But what a feeling can come over a man just from seeing the things he believes in and hopes for symbolized in the concrete…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-ellison/but-what-a-feeling-can-come-over-a-man-just-from-seeing-the-things-he/) [Ralph Ellison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-ellison/) > [Your life is made up of little moments, little efforts, little changes, big smiles, and all your hopes and dreams. Don't think any problem…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/your-life-is-made-up-of-little-moments-little-efforts-little-changes/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [I'm just tired of everything…even of the echoes. There is nothing in my life but echoes…echoes of lost hopes and dreams and joys. They're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-m-just-tired-of-everything-even-of-the-echoes-there-is-nothing-in/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Never Give Up On Your Hopes And Dreams. If Somebody Tells You That Your Not Going To Make It In Life,Your Not Going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/out-spoken/never-give-up-on-your-hopes-and-dreams-if-somebody-tells-you-that/) Out Spoken > [“Emma smiled. “Hope is a beautiful and fragile thing.” Unless your hope is in something so much bigger than your plans. Tears gathered into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-holman/emma-smiled-hope-is-a-beautiful-and-fragile-thing-unless-your-hope-is/) [Sarah Holman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-holman/) > [You can't snort a line of coke off a womans ass and not wonder about her hopes and dreams, it's not gentlemanly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hank-moody/you-can-t-snort-a-line-of-coke-off-a-womans-ass-and-not-wonder-about/) [Hank Moody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hank-moody/) > [My parents taught me by example what it means to be American: to hope and to dream, and to work hard for those hopes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karine-jean-pierre/my-parents-taught-me-by-example-what-it-means-to-be-american-to-hope/) [Karine Jean-Pierre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karine-jean-pierre/) > [“Nearly every writer writes a book with a great amount of attention and intention and hopes and dreams. And it's important to take that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeline-sharples/nearly-every-writer-writes-a-book-with-a-great-amount-of-attention/) Madeline Sharples > [“They have hopes and dreams that may echo or overlap your own. And there's no reason why you can't make room for them. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-j-fox/they-have-hopes-and-dreams-that-may-echo-or-overlap-your-own-and/) [Michael J. Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-j-fox/) [Browse all 336 Hopes and dreams quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hopes-and-dreams/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“It isn't just the past we remember, it's the future too. Fifty per cent of memory is devoted not to what has already happened, but to what will happen next. 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