"A year from now you will wish you had started…

“A year from now you will wish you had started today” is a motivational saying that has been printed on many images. The saying has been credited to American author Karen Lamb since at least 1994, but it’s not known when she first wrote it.

Google Groups: alt.quotations
Weekly Quotes 20
Jeff Shepherd
5/16/94
(...)
BONUS QUOTE:
A year from now you may wish you had started today.
—Karen Lamb

Google Groups: aus.org.efa
ABA discovers Usenet (fwd from online@aba)
Irene Graham
4/4/96
(...)
“A year from now you may wish you had started today.” Karen Lamb.

11 September 1998, Aberdeen (SD) American News, pg. 4A masthead:
“A year from now you may wish you had started today.”
Karen Lamb

Google Groups: alt.recovery.clutter
new slob on the block
Connie Verbeck
9/1/00
(...)
One of my favorite motivational quotes pertaining to clutter is:

This may be the day a year from now you will wish you had started decluttering!!!

Google Books
I could have quit $10,000,000.00 ago: proof—nice guys do finish first!
How Dayle Maloney and friends climbed to success in network marketing
By Lori Prokopa and Dayle Maloney
Williams & Wilson International Press
2001
Pg. 137:
PART 1 A Year From Now You May Wish You Had Started Today
People say to me, “Dayle, I wish I had started when you did back in 1985. Dayle, if I could only start where you are now.”

I didn’t start here. I started at the beginning.

Google Books
String Of Pearls:
Recipes For Living Well In The Real World
By JoAnna M. Lund and Barbara Alpert
New York, NY: Penguin Books
2002
Pg. ?:
I think it was in one of your newsletters that I read about a lady who kept putting off making the healthy lifestyle changes she needed to—until someone said, ‘A year from now you will wish that you had started today.’

25 June 2004, National Dragster, “Sponsorship Marketing” by Ernie Saxton, pg. 96:
First, borrowing from author Karen Lamb, a little something for those wondering when to begin sponsorship efforts for 2005: “A year from now you may wish you had started today.”

Google Books
Beyond Belief:
Agnostic Musings for 12 Step Life
By Joe C.
Toronto, ON: Rebellion Dogs Publishing
2013
Pg. 31:
“A year from now you may wish you had started today.”
Karen Lamb (born 1960)

Twitter
Evan Kirstel
‏@evankirstel
Do not delay in taking the first step. “A year from now you will wish you had started today.” Karen Lamb #positive
2:40 PM - 16 Mar 2016