---
title: The past is more unpredictable than the future
created: 2025-11-05T06:21:22
modified: 2025-11-05T06:30:05
---

Why? **Because meaning and understanding of the past are always changing — while the future, though uncertain / hasn’t happened yet, at least unfolds in one direction.**

1. We _think_ the past is fixed and the future is uncertain — but in reality, our **knowledge of the past is often incomplete, biased, or distorted**.

	* We constantly **reinterpret the past** as we gain new information or perspectives.
	* Historical records can be lost, manipulated, or recontextualized.
	* Even our **personal memories** change over time — studies show that memory is reconstructive, not photographic.

	In this sense, the _past_ can be more “unpredictable” than the future, because what we _believe_ about it can change radically.

2. The **meaning** of past events is not fixed; it shifts as the story of your life (or history) unfolds.

	* Something that once seemed like a failure may later be seen as a turning point.
	* A historical event’s significance may change based on later outcomes.

	So even though the _facts_ of the past don’t change, the _interpretation_ of those facts does — often unpredictably.

3. In society, the past is continuously **rewritten**:

	* New documents, testimonies, or discoveries reshape our understanding of history.
	* Cultural shifts change what parts of the past are emphasized or forgotten.

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What you have to remember about the past is that it literally _does not_ exist—it exists _only_ in your mind, in your memories, no more real than a daydream. And here’s the thing: **your memories are likely far less accurate than you think.** They’re shaped by your emotions, your state of mind at the time, and the way your brain processes and stores information. Your mind exaggerates some details, completely erases others, and distorts events without you even realizing it.

Someone who experienced the exact same event as you likely remembers it very differently. Memories are _not_ objective facts, and they _cannot_ be fully trusted. Yet, we build our sense of self from these flawed recollections—we construct a story of our lives based on memories that may not be true at all.

**But if the past no longer exists, and if what you remember isn’t necessarily what really happened, that means you have the power to [rewrite it](a-true-transformation-begins-with-a-mental-shift.md).** Change [the story you tell yourself about yourself.](be-careful-how-you-are-talking-to-yourself.md) Redefine your past, and in doing so, reshape who you are.

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See also:

* [The Seasons of Your Life \| The Curiosity Chronicle](https://www.sahilbloom.com/newsletter/the-seasons-of-your-life)
* [A Message From the Past (Thoughts on Nostalgia) · Collaborative Fund](https://collabfund.com/blog/a-message-from-the-past-thoughts-on-nostalgia/)