May you have the hindsight to know where you’ve been
The foresight to know where you are going
And the insight to know when you have gone too far.
—Irish Blessing
He robs present ills of their power who has perceived their coming beforehand.
—Seneca the Younger (Lucius Annaeus Seneca) (c.4 BCE–65 CE) Roman Stoic Philosopher, Statesman, Tragedian
You can only predict things after they’ve happened.
—Eugene Ionesco (1909–94) Romanian-born French Dramatist
Man has lost the capacity to foresee and to forestall. He will end by destroying the earth.
—Albert Schweitzer (1875–1965) French Theologian, Musician, Philosopher, Physician
We all live under the same sky, but we don’t all have the same horizon.
—Konrad Adenauer (1876–1967) German Statesman
In life, as in chess, forethought wins.
—Charles Buxton (1823–71) British Politician, Writer
Let us not seek the Republican answer or the Democratic answer, but the right answer. Let us not seek to fix the blame for the past. Let us accept our own responsibility for the future.
—John F. Kennedy (1917–63) American Head of State, Journalist
The only way to predict the future is to have power to shape the future.
—Eric Hoffer (1902–83) American Philosopher, Author
In a world that is constantly changing, there is no one subject or set of subjects that will serve you for the foreseeable future, let alone for the rest of your life. The most important skill to acquire now is learning how to learn.
—John Naisbitt American Trend Analyst
We must not, in trying to think about how we can make a big difference, ignore the small daily differences we can make which, over time, add up to big differences that we often cannot foresee.
—Marian Wright Edelman (b.1939) American Civil Regrets Advocate, Humanitarian, Lawyer
A feeble man can see the farms that are fenced and tilled, the houses that are built. The strong man sees the possible houses and farms. His eye makes estates as fast as the sun breeds clouds.
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–82) American Philosopher
Affairs are easier of entrance than of exit; and it is but common prudence to see our way out before we venture in.
—Aesop (620–564 BCE) Greek Fabulist
The king-times are fast finishing. There will be bloodshed like water, and tears like mist; but the peoples will conquer in the end. I shall not live to see it, but I foresee it.
—Lord Byron (George Gordon Byron) (1788–1824) English Romantic Poet
I do not want to foresee the future. I am concerned with taking care of the present. God has given me no control over the moment following.
—Mohandas K. Gandhi (1869–1948) Indian Hindu Political leader
When there is no vision, a people perish.
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–82) American Philosopher
He, who begins a conversation, does not foresee the end.
—African Proverb
The one characteristic more essential than any other is foresight… It should be the growing nation with a future which takes the long look ahead.
—Theodore Roosevelt (1858–1919) American Head of State, Political leader, Historian, Explorer
Neither gods nor men can foresee when an evil deed will bear its fruit.
—Unknown
The republic is a dream.
Nothing happens unless first a dream.
—Carl Sandburg (1878–1967) American Biographer, Novelist, Socialist
Only after the last tree has been cut down,
Only after the last river has been poisoned,
Only after the last fish has been caught,
Only then will you find that money cannot be eaten.
—American Indian Proverb
Look back over the past, with its changing empires that rose and fell, and you can foresee the future, too.
—Marcus Aurelius (121–180) Emperor of Rome, Stoic Philosopher
Man can only receive what he sees himself receiving.
—Florence Scovel Shinn (1871–1940) American Illustrator, Spiritual Writer
The artist doesn’t see things as they are, but as he is.
—Unknown
When it comes to the future, there are three kinds of people: those who let it happen, those who make it happen, and those who wonder what happened.
—John M. Richardson, Jr.
In fair Weather prepare for foul.
—Thomas Fuller (1608–61) English Cleric, Historian
You can vitally influence your life from within by auto-suggestion. The first thing each morning, and the last thing each night, suggest to yourself specific ideas that you wish to embody in your character and personality. Address such suggestions to yourself, silently or aloud, until they are deeply impressed upon your mind.
—Grenville Kleiser (1868–1935) Canadian Author
There is nothing certain except the unforeseen.
—James Anthony Froude (1818–94) British Historian, Novelist, Biographer, Editor
He who could foresee affairs three days in advance would be rich for thousands of years.
—Chinese Proverb
A fool sees not the same tree that a wise man sees.
—William Blake (1757–1827) English Poet, Painter, Printmaker
Nothing is so good as it seems beforehand.
—George Eliot (Mary Anne Evans) (1819–80) English Novelist
A couple of times a day I sit quietly and visualize my body fighting the AIDS virus. It’s the same as me sitting and seeing myself hit the perfect serve. I did that often when I was an athlete.
—Arthur Ashe (1943–93) American Tennis Player
It is far better to foresee even without certainty than not to foresee at all.
—Henri Poincare (1854–1912) French Mathematician
Fantasies are more than substitutes for unpleasant reality; they are also dress rehearsals, plans. All acts performed in the world begin in the imagination.
—Barbara Grizzuti Harrison (1934–2002) American Journalist, Essayist, Memoirist, Travel Writer
Just because a man lacks the use of his eyes doesn’t mean he lacks vision.
—Stevie Wonder (b.1950) American Singer, Songwriter, Musician, Activist
He, who foresees calamities, suffers them twice over.
—Beilby Porteus (1731–1809) Anglican Bishop of London
He who cherishes a beautiful vision, a lofty ideal in his heart, will one day realize it. Dream lofty dreams, and as you dream, so shall you become. Your Vision is the promise of what you shall one day be; your Ideal is the prophecy of what you shall at last unveil.
—James Allen (1864–1912) British Philosophical Writer
If you are planning for a year, sow rice; if you are planning for a decade, plant trees; if you are planning for a lifetime, educate people.
—Chinese Proverb
The mind cannot foresee its own advance.
—Friedrich Hayek (1899–1992) British Economist, Social Philosopher
It may be that those who do most, dream most.
—Stephen Leacock (1869–1944) Canadian Political Scientist, Humorist
Dreams
Hold fast to dreams
For if dreams die
Life is a broken-winged bird
That cannot fly.
Hold fast to dreams
For when dreams go
Life is a barren field
Frozen with snow.
—Langston Hughes (1902–67) American Poet, Fiction Writer, Dramatist
In conditions of great uncertainty people tend to predict the events that they want to happen actually will happen.
—Roberta Wohlstetter (1912–2007) American Military Policy Analyst
Where did you go to, if I may ask? said Thorin to Gandalf as they rode along. “To look ahead,” said he. “And what brought you back in the nick of time?” “Looking behind,” said he.
—J. R. R. Tolkien (1892–1973) British Scholar, Author
Whoever wishes to win in this game must have patience and money, since the values are so little constant and the rumors so little founded on truth.
—Jonathan Swift (1667–1745) Irish Satirist
In life so wretched? Isn’t it rather your hands which are too small, your vision which is muddied? You are the one who must grow up.
—Dag Hammarskjold (1905–61) Swedish Statesman, UN Diplomat
It is better to meet danger than to wait for it. He that is on a lee shore, and foresees a hurricane, stands out to sea and encounters a storm to avoid a shipwreck.
—Charles Caleb Colton (c.1780–1832) English Clergyman, Aphorist
We are ready for any unforeseen event that may or may not occur.
—Dan Quayle (b.1947) American Head of State, Politician, Elected Rep
Dearth foreseen never came.
—Italian Proverb
Could a man foresee events he would never be poor.
—French Proverb
Those who foresee the future and recognize it as tragic are often seized by a madness which forces them to commit the very acts which makes it certain that what they dread shall happen.
—Rebecca West (1892–1983) English Author, Journalist, Literary Critic
Be a little careful about your library. Do you foresee what you will do with it? Very little to be sure. But the real question is, what it will do with you? You will come here and get books that will open your eyes, and your ears, and your curiosity, and turn you inside out or outside in.
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–82) American Philosopher