--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Soon after, you learn that most of the…" description: "\"“Soon after, you learn that most of the world doesn't necessarily care about what you think. It sounds harsh, but it's true. As the writer Steven Press..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1a4/austin-kleon-1835_attention_soon-after-you-learn-that-most-of-the-wo_479410.png" --- # Soon after, you learn that most of the world doesn't… ![“Soon after, you learn that most of the world doesn't necessarily care about what you think. It sounds harsh, but it's true. As the writer Steven Pressfield says, "It's not that people are mean or cruel, they're just busy." This is actually a good thing, because you want attention only after you're…” quote by Austin Kleon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1a4/austin-kleon-1835_attention_soon-after-you-learn-that-most-of-the-wo_479410.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1a4/austin-kleon-1835_attention_soon-after-you-learn-that-most-of-the-wo_479410.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1a4/austin-kleon-1835_attention_soon-after-you-learn-that-most-of-the-wo_479410.png) > ““Soon after, you learn that most of the world doesn't necessarily care about what you think. It sounds harsh, but it's true. As the writer Steven Pressfield says, "It's not that people are mean or cruel, they're just busy." This is actually a good thing, because you want attention only after you're doing really good work. There's no pressure when you're unknown. You can do what you want. Experiment. Do things just for the fun of it. When you're unknown, there's nothing to distract you from getting better. No public image to manage. No huge paycheck on the line. No stock-holders. No e-mails from your agent. No hangers-on. You'll never get that freedom back again once people start paying you attention, and especially not once they start paying you money. Enjoy your obscurity while it lasts. Use it.”” [Austin Kleon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-kleon/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. When you are unknown, you can work without external expectations, allowing pure experimentation and growth before fame brings constraints. **In simple terms:** Obscurity lets you experiment freely before fame limits you. Key Takeaway Use anonymity to focus on craft. Themes creativity freedom growth Mood reflective motivational Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - early career - artistic development - startup phase - personal projects - learning new skills Key Concepts psychology economics attention Questions to Reflect On - How can you preserve creative freedom as you gain recognition? - What habits keep you focused on work over attention? A Different Perspective Fame can later impose pressures that stifle creativity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Attention](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attention/) [Getting better](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/getting-better/) [Public image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/public-image/) ## Related quotes > [“you want attention only after you’re doing really good work. There’s no pressure when you’re unknown. You can do what you want. Experiment. Do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-kleon/you-want-attention-only-after-you-re-doing-really-good-work-there-s/) [Austin Kleon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-kleon/) > [“You’ll never get that freedom back again once people start paying you attention, and especially not once they start paying you money.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-kleon/you-ll-never-get-that-freedom-back-again-once-people-start-paying-you/) [Austin Kleon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-kleon/) > [In London it's easy not to be the focus of attention, especially when Sting lives in the house just behind you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-wood/in-london-it-s-easy-not-to-be-the-focus-of-attention-especially-when/) [Victoria Wood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-wood/) > [“The amateur believes he must first overcome his fear; then he can do his work. The professional knows that fear can never be overcome.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-furtick/the-amateur-believes-he-must-first-overcome-his-fear-then-he-can-do-3/) [Steven Furtick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-furtick/) > [“The Self wishes to create, to evolve. The Ego likes things just the way they are. —Steven Pressfield”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-kadavy/the-self-wishes-to-create-to-evolve-the-ego-likes-things-just-the-way/) David Kadavy > [No one writes better historical fiction than Steven Pressfield. The Afghan War that was waged by Alexander the Great 2000 years ago is eerily…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vince-flynn/no-one-writes-better-historical-fiction-than-steven-pressfield-the/) [Vince Flynn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vince-flynn/) > [“Steven Pressfield, author of The War of Art, identifies this reluctance. He calls it resistance. He writes, “There is a force resisting the beautiful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-maxwell/steven-pressfield-author-of-the-war-of-art-identifies-this-reluctance/) [John C. Maxwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-maxwell/) > [“What is the book (or books) you’ve given most as a gift, and why? Or what are one to three books that have greatly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-ferriss/what-is-the-book-or-books-you-ve-given-most-as-a-gift-and-why-or-what-6/) [Timothy Ferriss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-ferriss/) > [“When inspiration touches talent, she gives birth to truth and beauty. And when Steven Pressfield was writing The War of Art, she had her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pressfield/when-inspiration-touches-talent-she-gives-birth-to-truth-and-beauty/) [Steven Pressfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pressfield/) > [“Steven Pressfield writes in his bestselling book The War of Art, “Self-doubt can be an ally. This is because it serves as an indicator…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-p-freeman/steven-pressfield-writes-in-his-bestselling-book-the-war-of-art-self/) [Emily P. Freeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-p-freeman/) > [I take a very unselfish approach to my job and what I do because people spend their hard-earned money to enjoy what we do.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cena/i-take-a-very-unselfish-approach-to-my-job-and-what-i-do-because/) [John Cena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cena/) > [You want to make as much money as you can and enjoy playing this game as much as you can, but it has a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-rozier/you-want-to-make-as-much-money-as-you-can-and-enjoy-playing-this-game/) [Terry Rozier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-rozier/) > [“Who were these people with money, and what had they done that they should enjoy so much luxury, where others as good seemingly as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-dreiser/who-were-these-people-with-money-and-what-had-they-done-that-they/) [Theodore Dreiser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-dreiser/) > [We used to have a lot of fun. We got cheated out of a lot of money, but we seemed to enjoy ourselves anyway.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilson-pickett/we-used-to-have-a-lot-of-fun-we-got-cheated-out-of-a-lot-of-money-but/) [Wilson Pickett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilson-pickett/) > [“Let us keep enough money to enjoy each breath we take, but definitely not too much, if we don’t want to spoil the fragrance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-pevernagie/let-us-keep-enough-money-to-enjoy-each-breath-we-take-but-definitely/) [Erik Pevernagie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-pevernagie/) ## More by Austin Kleon > [“The thing is, you can cut off a couple passions and only focus on one, but after a while, you’ll start to feel phantom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-kleon/the-thing-is-you-can-cut-off-a-couple-passions-and-only-focus-on-one/) [Austin Kleon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-kleon/) > [Don't think of your website as a self-promotion machine, think of it as a self-invention machine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-kleon/don-t-think-of-your-website-as-a-self-promotion-machine-think-of-it/) [Austin Kleon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-kleon/) > [“We want you to take from us. We want you, at first, to steal from us, because you can’t steal. You will take what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-kleon/we-want-you-to-take-from-us-we-want-you-at-first-to-steal-from-us/) [austin kleon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-kleon/) > [“Validation is for parking.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-kleon/validation-is-for-parking/) [Austin Kleon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-kleon/) > [“If you want fans, you have to be a fan first. If you want to be accepted by a community, you have to first…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-kleon/if-you-want-fans-you-have-to-be-a-fan-first-if-you-want-to-be/) [Austin Kleon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-kleon/) > [“Social media sites are the perfect place to share daily updates. Don’t worry about being on every platform; pick and choose based on what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-kleon/social-media-sites-are-the-perfect-place-to-share-daily-updates-don-t/) [Austin Kleon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-kleon/) > [“Writing a page a day doesn't seem like much, but do it for 365 days and you have enough to fill a novel.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-kleon/writing-a-page-a-day-doesn-t-seem-like-much-but-do-it-for-365-days/) [Austin Kleon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-kleon/) > [Be boring. (It’s the only way to get work done.)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-kleon/be-boring-it-s-the-only-way-to-get-work-done/) [Austin Kleon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-kleon/) > [It sounds a little extreme, but in this day and age, if your work isn't online, it doesn't exist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-kleon/it-sounds-a-little-extreme-but-in-this-day-and-age-if-your-work-isn-t/) [Austin Kleon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-kleon/) > [“Don't wait until you know who you are to get started. If I'd waited to know who I was or what I was about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-kleon/don-t-wait-until-you-know-who-you-are-to-get-started-if-i-d-waited-to/) [Austin Kleon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-kleon/) > [Your brain gets too comfortable in your everyday surroundings. You need to make it uncomfortable. You need to spend some time in another land,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-kleon/your-brain-gets-too-comfortable-in-your-everyday-surroundings-you/) [Austin Kleon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-kleon/) > [Nothing is more paralyzing than the idea of limitless possibilities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-kleon/nothing-is-more-paralyzing-than-the-idea-of-limitless-possibilities/) [Austin Kleon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-kleon/) > [“Whenever Picasso learned how to do something, he abandoned it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-kleon/whenever-picasso-learned-how-to-do-something-he-abandoned-it/) [Austin Kleon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-kleon/) > [“The writer Jonathan Lethem has said that when people call something “original,” nine out of ten times they just don’t know the references or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-kleon/the-writer-jonathan-lethem-has-said-that-when-people-call-something/) [Austin Kleon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-kleon/) > [“Stock and flow” is an economic concept that writer Robin Sloan has adapted into a metaphor for media: “Flow is the feed. It’s the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-kleon/stock-and-flow-is-an-economic-concept-that-writer-robin-sloan-has/) [Austin Kleon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-kleon/) [Explore all 204 Austin Kleon quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-kleon/) ## More Attention quotes > [It appears to me that one great cause of our difference in opinion on subjects which we often discuss is that you have always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ricardo/it-appears-to-me-that-one-great-cause-of-our-difference-in-opinion-on/) [David Ricardo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ricardo/) > [People pay far too much attention to the television and they're quite literal in some ways. At the beginning, when I was playing very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ardal-o-hanlon/people-pay-far-too-much-attention-to-the-television-and-they-re-quite/) [Ardal O'Hanlon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ardal-o-hanlon/) > [Television, radio, social media. The 24/7 news cycle plows forward mercilessly on our desks, in our cars and in our pockets. Thousands and thousands…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-prince/television-radio-social-media-the-24-7-news-cycle-plows-forward/) [Joseph Prince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-prince/) > [By making conscious choices in our behavior and where we focus our attention, we can transform our experience of our body, decrease our biological…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/by-making-conscious-choices-in-our-behavior-and-where-we-focus-our/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [Our inventions are wont to be pretty toys, which distract our attention from serious things. They are but improved means to an unimproved end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/our-inventions-are-wont-to-be-pretty-toys-which-distract-our/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [What people don't normally know about us is the hustle is very real, and it's sorely driven a lot by how we consider ourselves.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lzzy-hale/what-people-don-t-normally-know-about-us-is-the-hustle-is-very-real/) [Lzzy Hale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lzzy-hale/) > [For me, the term "psychotherapy" is limiting. It implies that we work with mind and emotions, but excludes the body and pays scant attention…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jed-diamond/for-me-the-term-psychotherapy-is-limiting-it-implies-that-we-work/) [Jed Diamond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jed-diamond/) > [When you approach something to photograph it, first be still with yourself until the object of your attention affirms your presence. Then don't leave…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/minor-white/when-you-approach-something-to-photograph-it-first-be-still-with/) [Minor White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/minor-white/) > [I'm writing about real things. Real people. Real characters. You have to believe what I write about is true or you wouldn't pay any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-reed/i-m-writing-about-real-things-real-people-real-characters-you-have-to/) [Lou Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-reed/) > [ I went to a mosque in Philadelphia with \[my wife\] in December 24, 1999. And we we went to this mosque in Philly, and… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahershala-ali/i-went-to-a-mosque-in-philadelphia-with-my-wife-in-december-24-1999/) [Mahershala Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahershala-ali/) > [The Harvard Business Review recently had an article called 'The Human Moment,' about how to make real contact with a person at work: ...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-goleman/the-harvard-business-review-recently-had-an-article-called-the-human/) [Daniel Goleman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-goleman/) > [Let us thank God heartily as often as we pray that we have His Spirit in us to teach us to pray. Thanksgiving will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-murray/let-us-thank-god-heartily-as-often-as-we-pray-that-we-have-his-spirit/) [Andy Murray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-murray/) > [Enlightened people live in very charged states of attention, with a tremendous power circuiting through them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/enlightened-people-live-in-very-charged-states-of-attention-with-a/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [We must have a welfare system that we can afford, which will mean giving greater attention to directing the welfare program toward its primary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-portillo/we-must-have-a-welfare-system-that-we-can-afford-which-will-mean/) [Michael Portillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-portillo/) > [The director's job should give you a sense of music without drawing attention to itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-hackford/the-director-s-job-should-give-you-a-sense-of-music-without-drawing/) [Taylor Hackford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-hackford/) [Browse all 10,153 Attention quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attention/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Soon after, you learn that most of the world doesn't necessarily care about what you think. It sounds harsh, but it's true. As the writer Steven Pressfield says, \"It's not that people are mean or cruel, they're just busy.\" This is actually a good thing, because you want attention only after you're doing really good work. There's no pressure when you're unknown. You can do what you want. Experiment. Do things just for the fun of it. When you're unknown, there's nothing to distract you from getting better. No public image to manage. No huge paycheck on the line. No stock-holders. No e-mails from your agent. No hangers-on. You'll never get that freedom back again once people start paying you attention, and especially not once they start paying you money. Enjoy your obscurity while it lasts. Use it.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Austin Kleon" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-kleon/soon-after-you-learn-that-most-of-the-world-doesn-t-necessarily-care/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Attention" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-kleon/soon-after-you-learn-that-most-of-the-world-doesn-t-necessarily-care/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1a4/austin-kleon-1835_attention_soon-after-you-learn-that-most-of-the-wo_479410.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1a4/austin-kleon-1835_attention_soon-after-you-learn-that-most-of-the-wo_479410.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1a4/austin-kleon-1835_attention_soon-after-you-learn-that-most-of-the-wo_479410.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Soon after, you learn that most of the world doesn't necessarily care about what you think. It sounds harsh…” — Austin Kleon", "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": "Austin Kleon", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-kleon/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Soon after, you learn that most...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-kleon/soon-after-you-learn-that-most-of-the-world-doesn-t-necessarily-care/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-kleon/soon-after-you-learn-that-most-of-the-world-doesn-t-necessarily-care/#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 } } ] } ```