--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: ... always looking off to the side. But…" description: "\"“... always looking off to the side. But that's good too. It's good, to be seen past, as if you're not the only one, as if everything isn't happening j..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/709/ali-smith-1801_quote_always-looking-off-to-the-side-but-that_1850554.jpg" --- # ... always looking off to the side. But that's good too… ![“... always looking off to the side. But that's good too. It's good, to be seen past, as if you're not the only one, as if everything isn't happening just to you. Because you're not. And it isn't.” quote by Ali Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/709/ali-smith-1801_quote_always-looking-off-to-the-side-but-that_1850554.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/709/ali-smith-1801_quote_always-looking-off-to-the-side-but-that_1850554.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/709/ali-smith-1801_quote_always-looking-off-to-the-side-but-that_1850554.jpg) > ““... always looking off to the side. But that's good too. It's good, to be seen past, as if you're not the only one, as if everything isn't happening just to you. Because you're not. And it isn't.”” [Ali Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ali-smith/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Seeing beyond oneself reveals shared humanity, reducing self‑centered narratives. **In simple terms:** Look beyond yourself to see others. Key Takeaway Cultivate empathy and broader perspective. Themes empathy perspective humility Mood thoughtful hopeful Type literary inspirational When to use this quote - teamwork - conflict resolution - creative collaborations Key Concepts narrative theory psychology social connection Questions to Reflect On - How often do you notice others? - What does seeing past yourself enable? A Different Perspective Self‑absorption can still dominate thought. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet ## Related quotes > [“It's not enough to be good at what you do – you have to be seen to be good at what you do. That…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-fargo/it-s-not-enough-to-be-good-at-what-you-do-you-have-to-be-seen-to-be/) [Tim Fargo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-fargo/) > [It's not enough to do good. You have to be seen doing good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rene-balcer/it-s-not-enough-to-do-good-you-have-to-be-seen-doing-good/) [Rene Balcer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rene-balcer/) > [Our faults are not seen, But past us; neither felt, but only in The punishment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-donne/our-faults-are-not-seen-but-past-us-neither-felt-but-only-in-the/) [John Donne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-donne/) > [I've seen past fighters who don't seem all there anymore, can hardly walk around or look like the Tin Man, they've just been through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-j-dillashaw/i-ve-seen-past-fighters-who-don-t-seem-all-there-anymore-can-hardly/) [T.J. Dillashaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-j-dillashaw/) > [“I have seen things. I saw the great Mantis God of Africa fighting a creature from the primordial depths, a billion-year war until finally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-human/i-have-seen-things-i-saw-the-great-mantis-god-of-africa-fighting-a/) [Charlie Human](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-human/) > [From what I have seen, I am driven to the conclusion that religion is only good for good people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-mccarthy/from-what-i-have-seen-i-am-driven-to-the-conclusion-that-religion-is/) [Mary McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-mccarthy/) > [If you are good to this one and that one, this one and that one will say that you are good. If you are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonio-porchia/if-you-are-good-to-this-one-and-that-one-this-one-and-that-one-will/) [Antonio Porchia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonio-porchia/) > [“Be good, see good, receive good.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-bercier/be-good-see-good-receive-good/) Adam Bercier > [“Dylan stopped at an intersection and gave Chris a long look. 'Not you. You are original. Unique.' 'That good or bad?' 'Oh definitely good.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-fielding/dylan-stopped-at-an-intersection-and-gave-chris-a-long-look-not-you/) [Kim Fielding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-fielding/) > [“If old age is good for anything it's good for being generous.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-kuhn/if-old-age-is-good-for-anything-it-s-good-for-being-generous/) William Kuhn > [There is a difference between what looks good and what is good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anette-sandberg/there-is-a-difference-between-what-looks-good-and-what-is-good/) [Anette Sandberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anette-sandberg/) > [Good is not good enough. Better isn't your best. So always do your best because good isn't better than your best.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dj/good-is-not-good-enough-better-isn-t-your-best-so-always-do-your-best/) Dj > [With you, I never knew, loving you could be so fun It's true, I was such a good, good girl before you came along](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/treasure/with-you-i-never-knew-loving-you-could-be-so-fun-it-s-true-i-was-such/) Treasure > [You do what you know is good, because it's good, and then you have a certain peace of mind, saying, you've been an activist…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-mcgovern/you-do-what-you-know-is-good-because-it-s-good-and-then-you-have-a/) [Ray McGovern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-mcgovern/) > [We can do more good by being good, than in any other way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rowland-hill/we-can-do-more-good-by-being-good-than-in-any-other-way/) Rowland Hill ## More by Ali Smith > [As for Aliki - if you were to stand in the middle of Rome and say the name Sophia Loren, or Paris and say…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ali-smith/as-for-aliki-if-you-were-to-stand-in-the-middle-of-rome-and-say-the/) [Ali Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ali-smith/) > [“Elisabeth had been listening to the programme in the bath. She'd switched the radio off after it and wondered if she'd be able to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ali-smith/elisabeth-had-been-listening-to-the-programme-in-the-bath-she-d/) [Ali Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ali-smith/) > [There is a kind of poetry, bad and good, in evrything, everywhere we look.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ali-smith/there-is-a-kind-of-poetry-bad-and-good-in-evrything-everywhere-we-look/) [Ali Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ali-smith/) > [“human beings can’t be legends, being mortal,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ali-smith/human-beings-can-t-be-legends-being-mortal/) [Ali Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ali-smith/) > [“I could lick it off with my tongue, if I had a tongue again, if my tongue was wet, and I could taste it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ali-smith/i-could-lick-it-off-with-my-tongue-if-i-had-a-tongue-again-if-my/) [Ali Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ali-smith/) > [“How very disappointing truth is sometimes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ali-smith/how-very-disappointing-truth-is-sometimes/) [Ali Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ali-smith/) > [“...he had simply typed the words something beautiful into the Google images box. Up came a picture of some leaves against the sun. A…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ali-smith/he-had-simply-typed-the-words-something-beautiful-into-the-google/) [Ali Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ali-smith/) > [“Is there any escaping the junkshop of the self?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ali-smith/is-there-any-escaping-the-junkshop-of-the-self/) [Ali Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ali-smith/) > [What shop did this book come from? she asked. Her father was looking worried at the cooker. He always got rice wrong. I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ali-smith/what-shop-did-this-book-come-from-she-asked-her-father-was-looking/) [Ali Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ali-smith/) > [What's the point of art, of any art, if it doesn't let us see with a little bit of objectivity where we are?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ali-smith/what-s-the-point-of-art-of-any-art-if-it-doesn-t-let-us-see-with-a/) [Ali Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ali-smith/) > [If you can read the world as a construct, you can ask questions of the construct, and you can suggest ways to change the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ali-smith/if-you-can-read-the-world-as-a-construct-you-can-ask-questions-of-the/) [Ali Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ali-smith/) > [“I’m tired of the news. I’m tired of the way it makes things spectacular that aren’t, and deals so simplistically with what’s truly appalling.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ali-smith/i-m-tired-of-the-news-i-m-tired-of-the-way-it-makes-things/) [Ali Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ali-smith/) > [“(this is before we're living together, before we do the most faithful act of all, mix our separate books into one library)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ali-smith/this-is-before-we-re-living-together-before-we-do-the-most-faithful/) [Ali Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ali-smith/) > [“Believe me. Everything is meant.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ali-smith/believe-me-everything-is-meant/) [Ali Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ali-smith/) > [ \[Property\] is a brilliant, chillingly revelatory piece of fiction, a work of craft, economy and such good merciless observation-one of those rare, crucial novels… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ali-smith/property-is-a-brilliant-chillingly-revelatory-piece-of-fiction-a-work/) [Ali Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ali-smith/) [Explore all 199 Ali Smith quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ali-smith/) ## More Good quotes > [When I came to Chelsea, it was clear that, like many other players, I would first be loaned out. So I went to Belgium…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thorgan-hazard/when-i-came-to-chelsea-it-was-clear-that-like-many-other-players-i/) [Thorgan Hazard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thorgan-hazard/) > [Today I didn't even have to even use my A.K ! I got to say it was a good day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ice-cube/today-i-didn-t-even-have-to-even-use-my-a-k-i-got-to-say-it-was-a/) [Ice Cube](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ice-cube/) > [If you ask an introvert a question, wait until she thinks about it. Introverts think before speaking, not through speaking. If you want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-helgoe/if-you-ask-an-introvert-a-question-wait-until-she-thinks-about-it/) [Laurie Helgoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-helgoe/) > [If you want to edit your photos and make yourself look different, go for it. That is up to you, but in my opinion,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peyton-list/if-you-want-to-edit-your-photos-and-make-yourself-look-different-go/) [Peyton List](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peyton-list/) > [I met Rajini sir after 'Jigarthanda,' and he said he liked my film. He told me I could approach him whenever I had a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karthik-subbaraj/i-met-rajini-sir-after-jigarthanda-and-he-said-he-liked-my-film-he/) [Karthik Subbaraj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karthik-subbaraj/) > [I have really good lateral movement. I've always had quick lateral movement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-rivers/i-have-really-good-lateral-movement-i-ve-always-had-quick-lateral/) [Austin Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-rivers/) > [Sometimes I'm in a bad mood, sometimes I'm in a good mood. It's like everyone else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tricky/sometimes-i-m-in-a-bad-mood-sometimes-i-m-in-a-good-mood-it-s-like/) [Tricky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tricky/) > [Eric Clapton's scales - when he comes off a high note and it's time for a refrain or a little bit of a rest,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-rea/eric-clapton-s-scales-when-he-comes-off-a-high-note-and-it-s-time-for/) [Chris Rea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-rea/) > [I studied all kinds of dance, all types of music. I got good grades. I started hitting the recording studio around 13.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-derulo/i-studied-all-kinds-of-dance-all-types-of-music-i-got-good-grades-i/) [Jason Derulo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-derulo/) > [Everybody has their cliques, and I was very shy. I'm still very shy. Music opened up doors. I would get to my choir class,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luis-fonsi/everybody-has-their-cliques-and-i-was-very-shy-i-m-still-very-shy/) [Luis Fonsi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luis-fonsi/) > [My only close-to-game-plan is to follow good writing. If the writing is in TV or if it's in theater or in film, that's it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-driver/my-only-close-to-game-plan-is-to-follow-good-writing-if-the-writing/) [Adam Driver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-driver/) > [The Derby experience had not been good for me and the way it finished left a very bad taste in my mouth so I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nigel-pearson/the-derby-experience-had-not-been-good-for-me-and-the-way-it-finished/) [Nigel Pearson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nigel-pearson/) > [I think I am against stereotype. Generally, Asian guys are more quiet - they study and have a good work ethic. Generally, I have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-lee/i-think-i-am-against-stereotype-generally-asian-guys-are-more-quiet/) [Bobby Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-lee/) > [I ask for tips, for advice. What I have also learnt is that I need to do things that are good for me. In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthijs-de-ligt/i-ask-for-tips-for-advice-what-i-have-also-learnt-is-that-i-need-to/) [Matthijs de Ligt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthijs-de-ligt/) > [I thought I fought a really good Orlando Salido. I never let him get into his fight. I knew what I needed to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mikey-garcia/i-thought-i-fought-a-really-good-orlando-salido-i-never-let-him-get/) [Mikey Garcia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mikey-garcia/) Browse all 40,882 Good quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“... always looking off to the side. But that's good too. It's good, to be seen past, as if you're not the only one, as if everything isn't happening just to you. Because you're not. And it isn't.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ali Smith" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ali-smith/always-looking-off-to-the-side-but-that-s-good-too-it-s-good-to-be/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Good" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ali-smith/always-looking-off-to-the-side-but-that-s-good-too-it-s-good-to-be/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/709/ali-smith-1801_quote_always-looking-off-to-the-side-but-that_1850554.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/709/ali-smith-1801_quote_always-looking-off-to-the-side-but-that_1850554.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/709/ali-smith-1801_quote_always-looking-off-to-the-side-but-that_1850554.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“... always looking off to the side. But that's good too. It's good, to be seen past, as if you're not the…” — Ali Smith", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Ali Smith", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ali-smith/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“... always looking off to the...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ali-smith/always-looking-off-to-the-side-but-that-s-good-too-it-s-good-to-be/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ali-smith/always-looking-off-to-the-side-but-that-s-good-too-it-s-good-to-be/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```