When you can do the common things of life in an uncommon way, you will command the attention of the world.
—George Washington Carver (1864–1943) American Scientist, Botanist, Educator, Inventor
In the successful organization, no detail is too small to escape close attention.
—Lou Holtz (1893–1980) American Stage Performer
I envy paranoids; they actually feel people are paying attention to them.
—Susan Sontag (1933–2004) American Writer, Philosopher
To pay attention, this is our endless and proper work.
—Mary Oliver (1935–2019) American Poet
Forget the pain. Learn to endure. Focus your attention elsewhere.
—Marlo Morgan (1937–98) American Novelist, Author
Criticism may not be agreeable, but it is necessary. It fulfils the same function as pain in the human body. It calls attention to an unhealthy state of things.
—Winston Churchill (1874–1965) British Head of State, Political leader, Historian, Journalist, Author
When things haven’t gone well for you, call in a secretary or a staff man and chew him out. You will sleep better and they will appreciate the attention.
—Lyndon B. Johnson (1908–73) American Head of State, Political leader
A good advertisement is one which sells the product without drawing attention to itself.
—David Ogilvy (1911–99) British-American Advertising Executive
Us sing and dance, make faces and give flower bouquets, trying to be loved. You ever notice that trees do everything to git attention we do, except walk?
—Alice Walker (b.1944) American Novelist, Activist
One of the fundamental differences between the Victim Orientation and this one [Creator] is where you put your focus of attention…For Victims, the focus is always on what they don’t want: the problems that seem constantly to multiply in their lives. They don’t want the person, condition, or circumstance they consider their Persecutor, and they don’t want the fear that leads to fight, flee or freeze reactions, either. Creators, on the other hand, place their focus on what they do want. Doing this, Creators still face and solve problems in the course of creating outcomes they want, but their focus remains fixed on their ultimate vision.
—David Emerald
Success in life is founded upon attention to the small things rather than to the large things; to the everyday things nearest to us rather than to the things that are remote and uncommon.
—Booker T. Washington (1856–1915) African-American Educationist
If I have made any valuable discoveries, it has been owing more to patient attention than to any other talent.
—Isaac Newton (1643–1727) English Physicist, Mathematician, Astronomer, Theologian
Never pay the slightest attention to what a company president ever says about his stock.
—Bernard M. Baruch (1870–1965) American Financier, Economic Consultant
Do not pay too much attention to the advice or suggestions of those around you.
—Wallace Wattles (1860–1911) American New Thought Author
I think the one lesson I have learned is that there is no substitute for paying attention.
—Diane Sawyer (b.1945) American Journalist, TV Personality
No man is lonely while eating spaghetti; it requires so much attention.
—Christopher Morley (1890–1957) American Novelist, Essayist
Those who are unhappy have no need for anything in this world but people capable of giving them their attention.
—Simone Weil (1909–1943) French Philosopher, Political Activist
The limitations of my endurance were expanded over and over. At times I felt that if I did not sit down I would collapse. Then something would happen to attract my attention…miraculously, the distraction always provided wings, carrying new strength, a second wind.
—Marlo Morgan (1937–98) American Novelist, Author
Thank you for leaving us alone but giving us enough attention to boost our egos.
—Mick Jagger (b.1943) English Rock Singer, Songwriter
I pay no attention whatever to anybody’s praise or blame. I simply follow my own feelings.
—Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756–1791) Austrian Composer
The relationship of the toastmaster to the speaker should be the same as that of the fan to the fan dancer. It should call attention to the subject without making any particular effort to cover it.
—Adlai Stevenson (1900–65) American Diplomat, Politician, Orator
Whatever we put our attention on will grow stronger in our life.
—Maharishi Mahesh Yogi (1914–2008) Indian Hindu Religious Leader
All that attention to the perfect lighting, the perfect this, the perfect that, I find terribly annoying.
—Meryl Streep (b.1949) American Actor
The ego is nothing other than the focus of conscious attention.
—Alan Watts (1915–73) British-American Philosopher, Author
Behold a worthy sight, to which the God, turning his attention to his own work, may direct his gaze. Behold an equal thing, worthy of a God, a brave man matched in conflict with evil fortune.
—Seneca the Younger (Lucius Annaeus Seneca) (c.4 BCE–65 CE) Roman Stoic Philosopher, Statesman, Tragedian
Where attention goes, energy flows and results show.
—T. Harv Eker (b.1954) American Motivational Speaker, Lecturer, Author
Humor is richly rewarding to the person who employs it. It has some value in gaining and holding attention, but it has no persuasive value at all.
—John Kenneth Galbraith (1908–2006) Canadian-Born American Economist
Remember the ladies, and be more generous and favorable to them than your ancestors. Do not put such unlimited power into the hands of the Husbands.
Remember all Men would be tyrants if they could. If particular care and attention is not paid to the Ladies we are determined to foment a Rebellion, and will not hold ourselves bound by any Laws in which we have no voice, or Representation.
—Abigail Adams (1744–1818) American First Lady
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 (1915–1998) American Singer
I was made a revolutionary in spite of myself… [A]ll creation presupposes as its origin a sort of appetite that is brought on by the foretaste of discovery. This foretaste of the creative art accompanies the intuitive grasp of an unknown entity that will not take definite shape except by the action of a constantly vigilant technique. This appetite that is aroused in me at the mere thought of putting in order musical elements that have attracted my attention is not at all a fortuitous thing like inspiration, but as habitual and periodic, if not constant, as a natural need… The very act of putting my work on paper, of, as we say, kneading the dough, is for me inseperable from the pleasure of creation. So far as I am concerned, I cannot seperate the spiritual effort from the psychological and physical effort; they confront me on the same level and do not present a hierarchy…What concerns us here is not imagination itself, but rather creative imagination: the facultyy that helps us to pass from the level of conception to the level of realization. In the course of my labors I suddenly stumble upon something unexpected. this unexpected element strikes me. I make note of it. At the proper time I put it to profitable use… The faculty of creating is never given to us all by itself. It always goes hand in hand with the gift of observation. And the true creator may be recognized by his ability always to find about him, in the commonest and humblest thing, items worthy of note… The least accident holds his interest and guides his operations. If his finger slips, he will notice it; on occasion, he may draw profit from something unforeseen that a momentary lapse reveals to him. One does not contrive an accident: one observes it to draw inspiration therefrom.
—Igor Stravinsky (1882–1971) Russian-born American Composer, Musician
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