The future is the most expensive luxury in the world.
—Thornton Wilder (1897–1975) American Novelist, Playwright
To the being of fully alive, the future is not ominous but a promise; it surrounds the present like a halo.
—John Dewey (1859–1952) American Philosopher, Psychologist, Educator
He who lives in the future lives in a featureless blank; he lives in impersonality; he lives in Nirvana. The past is democratic, because it is a people. The future is despotic, because it is a caprice. Every man is alone in his prediction, just as each man is alone in a dream.
—G. K. Chesterton (1874–1936) English Journalist, Novelist, Essayist, Poet
Light tomorrow with today.
—Elizabeth Barrett Browning (1806–61) English Poet, Translator
Up to a point a man’s life is shaped by environment, heredity, and the movements and changes in the world around him. Then there comes a time when it lies within his grasp to shape the clay of his life into the sort of thing he wishes to be. Only the weak blame parents, their race, their times, lack of good fortune, or the quirks of fate. Everyone has it within his power to say, ‘This I am today; that I will be tomorrow.’ The wish, however, must be implemented by deeds.
—Louis L’Amour
He who foresees calamities suffers them twice over.
—Beilby Porteus (1731–1809) English Anglican Reformer, Abolitionist
If you wait for tomorrow, tomorrow comes. If you don’t wait for tomorrow, tomorrow comes.
—African Proverb
By and by never comes.
—Augustine of Hippo (354–430) Roman-African Christian Philosopher
When all else is lost, the future still remains.
—Christian Nestell Bovee (1820–1904) American Writer, Aphorist
Tomorrow is another day.
—Common Proverb
My interest is in the future because I’m going to spend the rest of my life there.
—Charles F. Kettering (1876–1958) American Inventor, Entrepreneur, Businessperson
Tomorrow is the mysterious, unknown guest.
—Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807–82) American Poet, Educator, Academic
The future is an unknown, but a somewhat predictable unknown. To look to the future we must first look back upon the past. That is where the seeds of the future were planted. I never think of the future. It comes soon enough.
—Albert Einstein (1879–1955) German-born Physicist
Every tomorrow has two handles. We can take hold of it with the handle of anxiety or the handle of faith. We should live for the future, and yet should find our life in the fidelities of the present; the last is only the method of the first.
—Henry Ward Beecher (1813–87) American Protestant Clergyman, Social Reformer, Abolitionist
The only limit to our realization of tomorrow will be our doubts of today. Let us move forward with strong and active faith.
—Franklin D. Roosevelt (1882–1945) American Head of State, Lawyer
Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow. The important thing is not to stop questioning.
—Albert Einstein (1879–1955) German-born Physicist
I believe the future is only the past again, entered through another gate.
—Arthur Wing Pinero (1855–1934) English Actor, Dramatist, Theater Personality
Every man, through fear, mugs his aspirations a dozen times a day.
—Brendan Behan (1923–64) Irish Poet, Novelist, Playwright
To relinquish a present good through apprehension of a future evil is in most instances unwise … from a fear which may afterwards turn out groundless, you lost the good that lay within your grasp.
—Francesco Guicciardini (1483–1540) Italian Historian, Political leader
Salvation of the Dawn
Look to this day,
For it is life,
The very life of life.
In its brief course lie all the truths
And realities of your existence;
The bliss of growth
The glory of action, and
The splendor of beauty;
For yesterday is but a dream
And tomorrow is only a vision,
But today well lived makes
Every yesterday a dream of happiness
And every tomorrow a vision of hope.
Look well, therefore, to this day.
Such is the salvation of the dawn.
—The Bhagavad Gita Hindu Scripture
I am not afraid of tomorrow, for I have seen yesterday and I love today.
—William Allen White (1868–1944) American Editor, Politician, Author
Look not mournfully into the Past. It comes not back again. Wisely improve the Present. It is thine. Go forth to meet the shadowy Future, without fear, and with a manly heart.
—Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807–82) American Poet, Educator, Academic
I got the blues thinking of the future, so I left off and made some marmalade. It’s amazing how it cheers one up to shred oranges and scrub the floor.
—D. H. Lawrence (1885–1930) English Novelist, Playwright, Poet, Essayist, Literary Critic
The crisis of yesterday is the joke of tomorrow.
—H. G. Wells (1866–1946) English Novelist, Historian, Social Thinker
Tomorrow is the day when idlers work, and fools reform, and mortal men lay hold on heaven.
—Edward Young (1683–1765) English Poet,
Tomorrow never comes.
—Common Proverb
For you and me, today is all we have; tomorrow is a mirage that may never become reality.
—Louis L’Amour
Diligence is the mother of good luck, and God gives all things to industry. Work while it is called today, for you know not how much you may be hindered tomorrow. One today is worth two tomorrows; never leave that till tomorrow which you can do today.
—Benjamin Franklin (1706–90) American Political Leader, Inventor, Diplomat
The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.
—Eleanor Roosevelt (1884–1962) American First Lady, Diplomat, Humanitarian
To-morrow, every fault is to be amended; but that To-morrow never comes.
—Benjamin Franklin (1706–90) American Political Leader, Inventor, Diplomat
The future is hidden even from those who make it.
—Anatole France (1844–1924) French Novelist
It has been well said that no man ever sank under the burden of the day. It is when to-morrow’s burden is added to the burden of to-day that the weight is more than a man can bear.
—George MacDonald (1824–1905) Scottish Christian Author, Poet, Minister
Never let a day pass that you will have cause to say, I will do better tomorrow.
—Brigham Young (1801–77) American Mormon Leader