I love this quote.

It belongs in that exclusive category of “hit you between the eyes and make you think” quotes.

In two short sentences, no less.

More profound than 99.99 percent of tweets, decades before tweeting was a thing.

According to Wikipedia, “Leslie Poles (LP) Hartley CBE (1895 – 1972) was a British novelist and short story writer. He was known for writing about social codes, moral responsibility and family relationships. In total, Hartley published 17 novels, 6 volumes of short stories and a book of criticism.”

A prolific writer by any right, L.P. Hartley wasn’t shy about sharing his ideas with others. If he were living today, people would say L.P. “showed up” and “shipped.” I suspect he would have a blog, along with several books on Amazon. Maybe a podcast or a YouTube channel -- or both. Most likely a TEDx talk with several thousand views. Twitter might be his social media channel of choice, but he might also shun tweeting for its overall lack of depth and substance, choosing a platform like LinkedIn instead where he could mingle with people of his intellectual stature.

The Past Is a Foreign Country

Showing up and shipping is the name of the game today for anyone who has chosen to build a 21st century business or practice. Solopreneurs, small business owners, entrepreneurs, even employees inside Fortune 500 companies are required to participate through their words and ideas in one of the numerous collective conversations going on at any given time.

The degree at which you choose to participate in one or more of these conversations has more to do with your goals and less to do with what’s in vogue.

What’s important is intentional participation.

Some people are prolific participants, like Seth Godin who has been writing a blog post every day for more than twenty years. Others don’t show up as often, but when they do, the people who appreciate their point of view notice and engage with what was shared.

The ease of sharing our thoughts, observations, and criticisms of today’s social codes, moral responsibility, and family relationships is almost laughable. Anyone with a wi-fi connection and laptop or smartphone can post what they’re thinking about, no matter how banal or profound.

This is a relatively new phenomenon. Not everyone has embraced this change. Some are openly critical of it. But, like it or not, this change is now part of the economic landscape. It has worked its way into our daily lives.

If you’re in business, social sharing plays a role.

So does looking at the past for clues and lessons about how to live in the present while preparing for the future.

Which brings me back to the quote that inspired this post today.

“The past is a foreign country. They do things differently there.”

Here’s how I interpret this quote.

While learning from the past can be useful, living in the past is not. We can visit it now and again, and marvel at what we see, but the past is gone for good.

We can’t get it back. We can’t go back. Life moves in one direction -- forward. Growth (aka change) is the natural order of things.

My awareness of this truth is heightened every time I visit my hometown where many of the houses -- including the one my parents still live in -- were built in the 19th century.

Most of the houses have been renovated to meet 21st century standards and aesthetics. Fresh paint, replacement gingerbread, and updated front porches show the owners’ desire for longevity. Inside, new crown molding, hi speed internet ports, renovated coffered ceilings, granite countertops, and smart refrigerators reflect today’s needs and tastes.

Old mixes with new. The past is brought into the present and prepared for the future. Bob Vila has made a fortune with that formula on his long-running show This Old House.

When I hear people longing for a return to a pre-Facebook world, I wonder how useful all that nostalgia is? Sure, those days were wonderful and yes, those days are over.

Wishing for a time that has ended blocks forward progress. It keeps people stuck, sometimes stubbornly so.

What’s in front of you right now is all you’ve got.

Do things as you can, with what you know.

Imagine a better future and take action today toward it.

That’s what people who update their houses are doing.

That’s what people who show up and share their point of view are doing.

That’s what people who embrace and use new technology are doing.

That’s what L.P. Hartley was doing.

The past is a foreign country.

It can be a fun place to visit, but would you really want to live there?