Are you looking for a way to describe the best path of action in the future? Maybe you want to tell your friends that this is how it is from here on out? If that’s the case, you could use the phrase “way forward” to describe your future plans.
Meaning
If you’re using “The way forward,” it means that you’re recommending a course of action for the future. You could be using the saying in a social situation or in a professional setting to describe your plans for the future and the strategy you need to use to achieve your goals.
The way forward could be a positive or negative influence on your life. It may also refer to the plan to succeed and the only strategy capable of getting you there. When you’re telling people the way forward, you expect them to agree with you and go along with your decision.
Example Usage
“I’m certain that cryptocurrency is the way forward in alternative financial instruments designed to create wealth.”
“Man, I tell you, that pizza is so good. It’s the way forward from now on whenever we go out to eat before the game.”
“This new app is the way forward when it comes to personal organization; I find it so handy.”
“This exercise and diet plan is the way forward if you want to see the pounds melt away fast.”
“I love my new job; this career is the way forward for me.”
“My boss just called all the managers into a meeting to discuss the way forward for the company.”
“The way forward is through the use of innovative automated strategies to synchronize our business and improve both the customer and employee experience.”
“The way forward to growth is through cost-cutting strategies designed to lower the cost of doing business in this economy.”
Origin
Language experts are unsure about the origin of “way forward” in English. Some experts believe that it dates back to the days of the early American settlers who would plot the way forward as they expanded west across the United States.
Others believe the saying evolved from the corporate world and business language in the late 70s and early 80s. There is no conclusive evidence suggesting the expression's origin or the first time the phrase appeared in print.
However, several self-improvement “gurus” from the 60s and 70s claim to have coined the phrase. It’s a popular phrase in the corporate and personal development world, showing the capacity for planning and strategy in a person or team.
Phrases Similar to Way Forward
- Path ahead.
- Course ahead.
- Moving forward.
Phrases Opposite to Way Forward
- Complacency.
- Waiting.
- Doing nothing.
What is the Correct Saying?
- Way forward.
Ways People May Say Way Forward Incorrectly
Some people may confuse the use of the phrase with asking for directions. However, the term has nothing to do with the physical action of walking or running forward down a path. It's a way of expressing growth or progression in people or organizations.
Acceptable Ways to Phrase Way Forward
You can use the expression “way forward” when planning the future for yourself, your friends, a group, your company, or a community.
For instance, if you’re lost in the woods, you could say the way forward is to head south. If you’re with your friends, you could say that day drinking is the way forward.
If you’re leading a company, you could say the way forward to growth is in your new business strategy. The phrase suits occasions where you’re trying to tell people they should follow your ideas because it offers the best choice and best outcome for their future.