Stop acting as if life is a rehearsal. Live this day as if it were your last. The past is over and gone. The future is not guaranteed.
—Wayne Dyer (1940–2015) American Self-Help Author
Those who live to the future must always appear selfish to those who live to the present.
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–82) American Philosopher
Today’s egg is better than tomorrow’s hen.
—Turkish Proverb
We convince by our presence.
—Walt Whitman (1819–92) American Poet, Essayist, Journalist, American, Poet, Essayist, Journalist
I always say to myself, what is the most important thing we can think about at this extraordinary moment.
—Francois de La Rochefoucauld (1613–80) French Writer
There’s no present. There’s only the immediate future and the recent past.
—George Carlin (1937–2008) American Stand-up Comedian
There is no present or future, only the past, happening over and over again, now.
—Eugene O’Neill (1888–1953) American Playwright
If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue, or walk with kings—nor lose the common touch, if neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you, if all men count with you, but none too much: if you can fill the unforgiving minute with sixty seconds’ worth of distance run, yours is the earth and everything that’s in it, and—which is more—you’ll be a man, my son.
—Rudyard Kipling (1865–1936) British Children’s Books Writer, Short story, Novelist, Poet, Journalist
In the nineteenth century the problem was that God is dead. In the twentieth century the problem is that man is dead.
—Erich Fromm (1900–80) German-American Psychoanalyst, Social Philosopher
Every moment that I am centered in the future, I suffer a temporary loss of this life.
—Hugh Prather (b.1938) American Christian Author, Minister, Counselor
Every day is just one day.
—Anonymous
I try to learn from the past, but I plan for the future by focusing exclusively on the present. That’s where the fun is.
—Donald Trump (b.1946) American Businessperson, Head of State
Present-moment living, getting in touch with your “now,” is at the heart of effective living. When you think about it, there really is no other moment you can live. Now is all there is, and the future is just another present moment to live when it arrives. One thing is certain, you cannot live it until it does appear.
—Wayne Dyer (1940–2015) American Self-Help Author
The flesh endures the storms of the present alone, the mind those of the past and future as well.
—Epicurus (c.341–270 BCE) Greek Philosopher
One of the most tragic things I know about human nature is that all of us tend to put off living. We are all dreaming of some magical rose garden over the horizon—instead of enjoying the roses that are blooming outside our windows today.
—Dale Carnegie (1888–1955) American Self-Help Author
To those leaning on the sustaining infinite, today is big with blessings.
—Mary Baker Eddy (1821–1910) American Christian Science Religious Leader, Humanitarian, Writer
Having spent the better part of my life trying either to relive the past or experience the future before it arrives, I have come to believe that in between these two extremes is peace.
—Unknown
Forget past mistakes. Forget failures. Forget everything except what you’re going to do now and do it. Today is your lucky day.
—William C. Durant (1861–1947) American Industrialist
It’s not that “today is the first day of the rest of my life,” but that now is all there is of my life.
—Hugh Prather (b.1938) American Christian Author, Minister, Counselor
Banish the future. Live only for the hour and its allotted work. Think not of the amount to be accomplished, the difficulties to be overcome, or the end to be attained, but set earnestly at the little task at your elbow, letting that be sufficient for the day.
—William Osler (1849–1919) Canadian Physician
The best preparation for good work tomorrow is to do good work today.
—Elbert Hubbard (1856–1915) American Writer, Publisher, Artist, Philosopher
The past and present are only our means; the future is always our end. Thus we never really live, but only hope to live.
—Blaise Pascal (1623–62) French Mathematician, Physicist, Theologian
And now, Lord, what wait I for?
—The Holy Bible Scripture in the Christian Faith
Today is yesterday’s pupil.
—Common Proverb
Today must not borrow from tomorrow.
—German Proverb
Enjoy yourself, drink, call the life you live today your own—but only that; the rest belongs to chance.
—Euripides (480–406 BCE) Ancient Greek Dramatist
Be always resolute with the present hour. Every moment is of infinite value.
—Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749–1832) German Poet
The habit of looking into the future and thinking that the whole meaning of the present lies in what it will bring forth is a pernicious one. There can be no value in the whole unless there is value in the parts.
—Bertrand A. Russell (1872–1970) British Philosopher, Mathematician, Social Critic
Where were you… when the morning stars sang together, and all the sons (and daughters) of God shouted for joy?
—The Holy Bible Scripture in the Christian Faith
Be satisfied, and pleased with what thou art, Act cheerfully and well thy allotted part; Enjoy the present hour, be thankful for the past, And neither fear, nor wish, the approaches of the last.
—Martial (40–104) Ancient Roman Latin Poet