I’ve learned ruthless concentration. I can write under any circumstances … street noises, loud talk, music, you name it.
—Sylvia Porter (1913–91) American Economist, Journalist
Don’t dissipate your powers; strive to concentrate them. Genius thinks it can do whatever it sees others doing, but it will surely repent of every ill-judged outlay.
—Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749–1832) German Poet
Presence is more than just being there.
—Malcolm S. Forbes (1919–1990) American Publisher, Businessperson
The ability to concentrate and to use time well is everything.
—Lee Iacocca (1924–2019) American Businessperson
The jack-of-all-trades seldom is good at any. Concentrate all of your efforts on one definite chief aim.
—Napoleon Hill (1883–1970) American Author, Journalist, Attorney, Lecturer
If there is anything that can be called genius, it consists chiefly in the ability to give that attention to a subject which keeps it steadily in the mind, till we have surveyed it accurately on all sides.
—Thomas Reid (1710–96) Scottish Philosopher, Clergyman
To do two things at once is to do neither.
—Publilius Syrus (fl.85–43 BCE) Syrian-born Roman Latin Writer
Those who set out to serve both God and Mammon soon discover that there isn’t a God.
—Logan Pearsall Smith (1865–1946) American-British Essayist, Bibliophile
I go at what I am about a if there was nothing else in the world for the time being.
—Charles Kingsley (1819–75) English Clergyman, Academic, Historian, Novelist
One reason so few of us achieve what we truly want is that we never direct our focus; we never concentrate our power. Most people dabble their way through life, never deciding to master anything in particular.
—Tony Robbins (b.1960) American Self-Help Author, Entrepreneur
Depend upon it, Sir, when a man knows he is to be hanged in a fortnight, it concentrates his mind wonderfully.
—Samuel Johnson (1709–84) British Essayist
Extended empires are like expanded gold, exchanging solid strength for feeble splendor.
—Samuel Johnson (1709–84) British Essayist
Before water generates steam, it must register 212 of heat; 200 will not do it. The water must boil to generate enough steam to move an engine. Lukewarm water will not run anything. Lukewarmness will not generate life’s work.
—Unknown
While the work or play is on … don’t constantly feel you ought to be doing the other.
—Franklin P. Adams (1881–1960) American Columnist, Radio Personality, Author
It’s shocking how little there is to do with tennis when you’re just thinking about nothing except winning every point.
—Andre Agassi (b.1970) American Tennis Player
It is better to excel in any single art than to arrive only at mediocrity in several, so moderate skill in several is to be preferred where one cannot attain to perfection in any.
—Pliny the Younger (c.61–c.112 CE) Roman Senator, Writer
To me, the definition of focus is knowing exactly where you want to be today, next week, next month, next year, then never deviating from your plan. Once you can see, touch and feel your objective, all you have to do is pull back and put all your strength behind it, and you’ll hit your target every time.
—Bruce Jenner (b.1949) American Sportsperson
You must remain focused on your journey to greatness.
—Les Brown
Success is focusing the full power of all you are on what you have a burning desire to achieve.
—Wilferd Arlan Peterson (1900–95) American Author
Do whatever you do intensely.
—Robert Henri (1865–1929) American Painter, Teacher
Other people’s interruptions of your work are relatively insignificant compared with the countless times you interrupt yourself.
—Brendan Behan (1923–64) Irish Poet, Novelist, Playwright
It is not the straining for great things that is most effective; it is the doing the little things, the common duties, a little better and better.
—Elizabeth Stuart Phelps Ward
Concentrate on the essentials. We will then be accomplishing the greatest possible results with the effort expended.
—Ted Engstrom (1916–2006) American Christian Religious Leader
When you walk on a court, clear your mind of everything unrelated to the goal of playing the match as well as you can.
—Stan Smith (b.1946) American Sportsperson
What do I mean by concentration? I mean focusing totally on the business at hand and commanding your body to do exactly what you want it to do.
—Arnold Palmer (b.1929) American Sportsperson
It seems essential, in relationships and all tasks, that we concentrate only on what is most significant and important
—Soren Kierkegaard (1813–55) Danish Philosopher, Theologian
When walking, walk. When eating, eat.
—Zen Proverb Japanese School of Mahayana Buddhism
A man may be so much of every thing, that he is nothing of any thing.
—Samuel Johnson (1709–84) British Essayist
You can’t ring the bells and, at the same time, walk in the procession.
—Spanish Proverb
In trying to defend everything he defended nothing.
—Frederick II of Prussia (1712–86) Prussian Monarch