Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel offered President Barack Obama some advice on his upcoming State of the Union address Thursday during a panel discussion at the University of Chicago.

Emanuel, who served as Mr. Obama’s chief of staff before leaving the White House in 2010, said Tuesday’s State of the Union Address is the last time Obama will have to outline his plans for a second term. He said he wants to see his former boss do just that.

“Make it all about the future, because elections are all about tomorrow. They’re not about the past,” said Emanuel. “If you are going forward looking through the rear view mirror, they’ll catch you on that, and you’ll have an accident.”

Emanuel discouraged the president from using the State of the Union address to detail his accomplishments since taking office three years ago. Emanuel called Mr. Obama an inspirational leader, and said using that image will be one of Mr. Obama’s strengths in the upcoming speech.

“If he’s big and goes to his strengths as an inspirational leader, he plays to what I think are his more dominant strengths,” said Emanuel.

The State of the Union address is scheduled for 8 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 24.