Attention Quotes | Beyond Motive

top of page

Attention Quotes

"I feel very sorry for the one or two North Korean defectors who were caught by Chinese police while entering South Korean or foreign embassies in Beijing, but their arrest drew the whole attention of the world."

"I feel very sorry for the one or two North Korean defectors who were caught by Chinese police while entering South Korean or foreign embassies in Beijing, but their arrest drew the whole attention of the world."

Kim Y. Sam, South Korean President

Attention, Police, World

51

"I honestly didn't expect this much attention, but it just keeps happening so I must be doing something right."

"I honestly didn't expect this much attention, but it just keeps happening so I must be doing something right."

Freddy Adu, Ghanaian Athlete

Attention, Right

44

"I cannot stand public attention, I just can't. Of course, if I may I might write something instead."

"I cannot stand public attention, I just can't. Of course, if I may I might write something instead."

Elfriede Jelinek, American Playwright

Attention, May, Public

34

"The focus and the concentration and the attention to detail that flying takes is a kind of meditation. I find it restful and engaging, and other things slip away."

"The focus and the concentration and the attention to detail that flying takes is a kind of meditation. I find it restful and engaging, and other things slip away."

Harrison Ford, American Actor

Attention, Detail, Flying, Focus

31

"I have a short attention span."

"I have a short attention span."

Tony Scott, British Director

29

"The ego is nothing other than the focus of conscious attention."

"The ego is nothing other than the focus of conscious attention."

Alan Watts, English Philosopher

Attention, Ego, Focus, Nothing

26

"A good advertisement is one which sells the product without drawing attention to itself."

"A good advertisement is one which sells the product without drawing attention to itself."

David Ogilvy, English Businessman

25

"Constant attention by a good nurse may be just as important as a major operation by a surgeon."

"Constant attention by a good nurse may be just as important as a major operation by a surgeon."

Dag Hammarskjold, Swedish Diplomat

25

"I felt like calling attention to AIDS. I had the AIDS ribbon colored into my hair during the playoffs in '95."

"I felt like calling attention to AIDS. I had the AIDS ribbon colored into my hair during the playoffs in '95."

Dennis Rodman, American Athlete

Attention, Hair

25

"Once I had all the attention, all I had to do was deliver."

"Once I had all the attention, all I had to do was deliver."

Ethel Merman, American Musician

24

"Tell me to what you pay attention and I will tell you who you are."

"Tell me to what you pay attention and I will tell you who you are."

Jose Ortega y Gasset, Spanish Philosopher

Attention, Will

22

"The capacity for delight is the gift of paying attention."

"The capacity for delight is the gift of paying attention."

Julia Margaret Cameron, British Photographer

Attention, Delight

21

"Pay no attention to what the critics say; no statue has ever been put up to a critic."

"Pay no attention to what the critics say; no statue has ever been put up to a critic."

Jean Sibelius, Finnish Composer

21

"Do just once what others say you can't do, and you will never pay attention to their limitations again."

"Do just once what others say you can't do, and you will never pay attention to their limitations again."

James Cook, British Explorer

Attention, Limitations, Will

21

"You have got to pay attention, you have got to study and you have to do your homework. You have to score higher than everybody else. Otherwise, there is always somebody there waiting to take your place."

"You have got to pay attention, you have got to study and you have to do your homework. You have to score higher than everybody else. Otherwise, there is always somebody there waiting to take your place."

Daisy Fuentes, Cuban Actress

Attention, Study, Waiting

19

"Painters have always needed a sort of veil upon which they can focus their attention. It's as though the more fully the consciousness is absorbed, the greater the freedom of the spirit behind."

"Painters have always needed a sort of veil upon which they can focus their attention. It's as though the more fully the consciousness is absorbed, the greater the freedom of the spirit behind."

Bridget Riley, British Artist

Attention, Consciousness, Focus, Freedom

19

"The magician and the politician have much in common: they both have to draw our attention away from what they are really doing."

"The magician and the politician have much in common: they both have to draw our attention away from what they are really doing."

Ben Okri, Nigerian Poet

17

"When exercising, be sure to focus your attention on what you are doing."

"When exercising, be sure to focus your attention on what you are doing."

Lee Haney, American Athlete

Attention, Focus

17

"If you're not confused, you're not paying attention."

"If you're not confused, you're not paying attention."

Tom Peters, American Businessman

17

"If you call attention to yourself at the expense of the song, that's the cardinal sin."

"If you call attention to yourself at the expense of the song, that's the cardinal sin."

Benmont Tench, American Musician

Attention, Sin, Song

17

"An expert is someone who has succeeded in making decisions and judgements simpler through knowing what to pay attention to and what to ignore."

"An expert is someone who has succeeded in making decisions and judgements simpler through knowing what to pay attention to and what to ignore."

Edward de Bono, English Psychologist

Attention, Decisions

16

"If you direct your attention to the position of a bird with regard to the wave surface, it will speedily be noticed to be nearly always on the rising side or face of the wave and moving apparently at right angles to the wave's course, but really diagonal to it."

"If you direct your attention to the position of a bird with regard to the wave surface, it will speedily be noticed to be nearly always on the rising side or face of the wave and moving apparently at right angles to the wave's course, but really diagonal to it."

Lawrence Hargrave, Australian Scientist

Attention, Right, Will

16

"The person upon whom the schoolboys' attention centred was, of course, the Headmaster."

"The person upon whom the schoolboys' attention centred was, of course, the Headmaster."

Georg Brandes, Danish Critic

16

"Throughout my career, if I have done anything, I have paid attention to every note and every word I sing - if I respect the song. If I cannot project this to a listener, I fail."

"Throughout my career, if I have done anything, I have paid attention to every note and every word I sing - if I respect the song. If I cannot project this to a listener, I fail."

Frank Sinatra, American Musician

Attention, Career, Project, Respect

15

"Their scrambled attention spans struck me as a metaphor for the way we get our doses of reality these days."

"Their scrambled attention spans struck me as a metaphor for the way we get our doses of reality these days."

Bill Griffith, American Cartoonist

Attention, Metaphor, Reality

15

"In our show you have to pay attention and know what happened before. I think it's very intelligent entertainment. It makes demands of viewers that a lot of shows don't."

"In our show you have to pay attention and know what happened before. I think it's very intelligent entertainment. It makes demands of viewers that a lot of shows don't."

Victor Garber, Canadian Actor

Attention, Entertainment

15

"To confine our attention to terrestrial matters would be to limit the human spirit."

"To confine our attention to terrestrial matters would be to limit the human spirit."

Stephen Hawking, English Physicist

Attention, Spirit

15

"The difference between something good and something great is attention to detail."

"The difference between something good and something great is attention to detail."

Charles R. Swindoll, American Clergyman

Attention, Detail, Difference

15

"Don't pay any attention to the critics - don't even ignore them."

"Don't pay any attention to the critics - don't even ignore them."

Samuel Goldwyn, American Producer

14

"No man is lonely eating spaghetti; it requires so much attention."

"No man is lonely eating spaghetti; it requires so much attention."

Christopher Morley, American Author

Attention, Eating, Lonely, Man

14

"The audience only pays attention as long as you know where you are going."

"The audience only pays attention as long as you know where you are going."

Phil Crosby, American Author

14

"The great corrupter of public man is the ego. Looking at the mirror distracts one's attention from the problem."

"The great corrupter of public man is the ego. Looking at the mirror distracts one's attention from the problem."

Dean Acheson, American Statesman

Attention, Ego, Man, Public

14

"Genuine beginnings begin within us, even when they are brought to our attention by external opportunities."

"Genuine beginnings begin within us, even when they are brought to our attention by external opportunities."

William Throsby Bridges, Australian Soldier

Attention, Beginnings

14

"Obviously, a skirt does present certain problems that I had to be aware of. But when it came to the shoot and we were rolling, I didn't really pay it any attention. It wasn't too bad."

"Obviously, a skirt does present certain problems that I had to be aware of. But when it came to the shoot and we were rolling, I didn't really pay it any attention. It wasn't too bad."

Chiaki Kuriyama, Japanese Actress

Attention, Present, Problems

14

"I worked very hard and I earned all the attention I'm getting."

"I worked very hard and I earned all the attention I'm getting."

Anna Kournikova, Russian Athlete

13

"Most TV shows don't reward you for paying attention."

"Most TV shows don't reward you for paying attention."

Matt Groening, American Cartoonist

Attention, Reward

13

"Commercials capture your attention, that's all."

"Commercials capture your attention, that's all."

Calvin Klein, American Designer

13

"Obviously any group that has to have funding also needs to get attention to their issues."

"Obviously any group that has to have funding also needs to get attention to their issues."

Bjorn Lomborg, Danish Scientist

Attention, Needs

13

"The book salesman should be honored because he brings to our attention, as a rule, the very books we need most and neglect most."

"The book salesman should be honored because he brings to our attention, as a rule, the very books we need most and neglect most."

Confucius, Chinese Philosopher

Attention, Books, Neglect

13

"The constant attention is what is so difficult."

"The constant attention is what is so difficult."

Natalie Wood, American Actress

13

"I believe we are going to move into a situation where the more effective conferences will be smaller, more specialized, more focused, with occasional large gatherings to get the attention of the larger world."

"I believe we are going to move into a situation where the more effective conferences will be smaller, more specialized, more focused, with occasional large gatherings to get the attention of the larger world."

Maurice Strong, Canadian Businessman

Attention, Will, World

12

"Desperation is like stealing from the Mafia: you stand a good chance of attracting the wrong attention."

"Desperation is like stealing from the Mafia: you stand a good chance of attracting the wrong attention."

Douglas Horton, American Clergyman

Attention, Chance, Desperation, Wrong

12

"When you think about advertisements, it makes sense that they want to hold and retain our attention."

"When you think about advertisements, it makes sense that they want to hold and retain our attention."

Allen Klein, American Businessman

Attention, Sense, Want

12

"Each pursues his own theory, little solicitous to correct or improve it by an attention to what is advanced by his opponents."

"Each pursues his own theory, little solicitous to correct or improve it by an attention to what is advanced by his opponents."

Thomas Malthus, English Economist

Attention, Opponents, Theory

12

"I never really paid attention to sales until the second record."

"I never really paid attention to sales until the second record."

Daniel Johns, Australian Musician

Attention, Sales

12

"Opera is given so little attention in the national press."

"Opera is given so little attention in the national press."

Carlisle Floyd, American Composer

Attention, Opera, Press

12

"My only real claim to anyone's attention lies in my writing."

"My only real claim to anyone's attention lies in my writing."

Philip Pullman, British Writer

Attention, Lies, Writing

12

"That's very nice if they want to publish you, but don't pay too much attention to it. It will toss you away. Just continue to write."

"That's very nice if they want to publish you, but don't pay too much attention to it. It will toss you away. Just continue to write."

Natalie Goldberg, American Author

Attention, Want, Will

12

"They pay little attention to what we say and prefer to read tea leaves."

"They pay little attention to what we say and prefer to read tea leaves."

Nikita Khrushchev, Russian Statesman

12

"They cannot count on the press and they cannot count on Congressional committees to bring the problems of the scientific community to their own attention, or to police the scientific community."

"They cannot count on the press and they cannot count on Congressional committees to bring the problems of the scientific community to their own attention, or to police the scientific community."

Serge Lang, American Mathematician

Attention, Community, Police, Press

12

bottom of page