He, who foresees calamities, suffers them twice over.
—Beilby Porteus (1731–1809) Anglican Bishop of London
It takes little talent to see clearly what lies under one’s nose, a good deal of it to know in which direction to point that organ.
—W. H. Auden (1907–73) British-born American Poet, Dramatist
We are ready for any unforeseen event that may or may not occur.
—Dan Quayle (b.1947) American Head of State, Politician, Elected Rep
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
The moment of enlightenment is when a person’s dreams of possibilities become images of probabilities.
—Vic Braden (b.1929) American Sportsperson, Author
It is a mistake to look too far ahead. Only one link in the chain of destiny can be handled at a time.
—Winston Churchill (1874–1965) British Head of State, Political leader, Historian, Journalist, Author
The most reliable way to anticipate the future is by understanding the present.
—John Naisbitt American Trend Analyst
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
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
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
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
When we can’t dream any longer, we die.
—Emma Goldman (1869–1940) Lithuanian-American Anarchist, Feminist
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 republic is a dream.
Nothing happens unless first a dream.
—Carl Sandburg (1878–1967) American Biographer, Novelist, Socialist
Could a man foresee events he would never be poor.
—French Proverb
What we look for does not come to pass;
God finds a way for what none foresaw.
—Euripides (480–406 BCE) Ancient Greek Dramatist
Expecting is the greatest impediment to living. In anticipation of tomorrow, it loses today.
—Seneca the Younger (Lucius Annaeus Seneca) (c.4 BCE–65 CE) Roman Stoic Philosopher, Statesman, Tragedian
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
As we become purer channels for God’s light, we develop an appetite for the sweetness that is possible in this world. A miracle worker is not geared toward fighting the world that is, but toward creating the world that could be.
—Marianne Williamson (b.1952) American Activist, Author, Lecturer
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
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
My grandfather once told me that there are two kinds of people: those who do the work and those who take the credit. He told me to try to be in the first group; there was less competition there.
—Indira Gandhi (1917–84) Indian Head of State
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
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
The only way to predict the future is to have power to shape the future.
—Eric Hoffer (1902–83) American Philosopher, Author
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
There is nothing certain except the unforeseen.
—James Anthony Froude (1818–94) British Historian, Novelist, Biographer, Editor
Man can only receive what he sees himself receiving.
—Florence Scovel Shinn (1871–1940) American Illustrator, Spiritual Writer
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
A genius is one who shoots at something no one else can see—and hits it.
—Unknown
Reach high, for stars lie hidden in your soul. Dream deep, for every dream precedes the goal.
—Ralph Vaull Starr
Pain and fear and hunger are effects of causes which can be foreseen and known: but sorrow is a debt which someone else makes for us.
—Freya Stark (1893–1993) British Explorer, Writer
We all live under the same sky, but we don’t all have the same horizon.
—Konrad Adenauer (1876–1967) German Statesman
It may be that those who do most, dream most.
—Stephen Leacock (1869–1944) Canadian Political Scientist, Humorist
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
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
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
Neither gods nor men can foresee when an evil deed will bear its fruit.
—Unknown
The mind cannot foresee its own advance.
—Friedrich Hayek (1899–1992) British Economist, Social Philosopher
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
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
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.
The superior person gathers his weapons together in order to provide against the unforeseen.
—Confucius (551–479 BCE) Chinese Philosopher
Nothing is so good as it seems beforehand.
—George Eliot (Mary Anne Evans) (1819–80) English Novelist
When there is no vision, a people perish.
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–82) American Philosopher
He who could foresee affairs three days in advance would be rich for thousands of years.
—Chinese Proverb
He, who begins a conversation, does not foresee the end.
—African Proverb
A fool sees not the same tree that a wise man sees.
—William Blake (1757–1827) English Poet, Painter, Printmaker
Dearth foreseen never came.
—Italian Proverb
If men could foresee the future, they would still behave as they do now.
—Russian Proverb