I have but one lamp by which my feet are guided, and that is the lamp of experience. I know no way of judging of the future but by the past.
Attribution disputed; shown as originally published.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Henry argues that past experience is the only reliable guide for understanding the future.
- In plain terms
- We learn from what has happened before to know what might happen next.
- What can you take from it?
- Use past lessons to make future decisions.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- How much should history dictate our choices?
- What if the future differs radically from the past?
Another view
Past patterns do not guarantee future results in changing environments.
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