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In The Past Quotes

Holding on, or moving forward.

These lines pull in opposite directions — one insists the past offers nothing worth feeding on and refuses to get stuck there, another admits, almost mournfully, to existing only in it.

I exist only in the past.

Quotes by Wojciech Jaruzelski

There's no sustenance in the past.

Quotes by Violette Leduc

I'm not living in the past.

Quotes by Nick Foles

In the past, my voice was my enemy.

Quotes by Marcello Giordani

Emotion Quotes

In the past, I have been an immigration reformer, not a restrictionist.

Quotes by Lawrence Kudlow

In the past I've thrown my wicket away on certain occasions.

Quotes by Kevin Pietersen

I can't stay stuck in the past.

Quotes by Jorge Masvidal

I don't live in the past.

Quotes by Joe Montana

I have in the past acquired a reputation for concocting non-existent writers and unwritten volumes.

Quotes by Jim Crace

Identity Quotes

In the past, I bowled at players like Michael Atherton, Alec Stewart, Nasser Hussain, Michael Vaughan and Marcus Trescothick.

Quotes by Glenn McGrath

I'm not the type of person that lives in the past, quite honestly.

Quotes by Eric Bischoff

I have made good judgments in the past. I have made good judgments in the future.

Quotes by Dan Quayle

In the past, NASDAQ has defended flash orders.

Quotes by Charles Duhigg

I've owned mopeds in the past.

Quotes by Brett Dalton

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the range of attitudes toward the past in these quotes?
They split sharply — some reject dwelling on the past entirely, insisting there's no sustenance in it, while one admits to existing only in the past, a more melancholy view.
Why do people search for quotes about "the past"?
The past comes up constantly in reflections on regret, nostalgia, and moving forward, so short, quotable lines like these get used for captions, journaling, or general reflection.
Is there a quote here that leans nostalgic rather than forward-looking?
Yes — one line says simply that they exist only in the past, a stark admission that stands apart from the others, which all push toward letting go.
Do any of these quotes talk about actively moving on?
Yes, two do directly — one says they're not living in the past, and another adds they can't stay stuck there, both framing the past as something to consciously leave behind.
What related quote topics fit alongside this one?
Memory quotes cover the act of remembering itself, while Identity quotes dig into how the past shapes who someone becomes.

Read together, they work as a quick study in Reflection versus forward motion. For more on holding onto what's gone, see Memory quotes.