--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: to be “interest-ing” is to be curious and…" description: "\"“to be “interest-ing” is to be curious and attentive, and to practice “the continual projection of interest.” To put it more simply: If you want to be ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e4/austin-kleon-1835_attentive_to-be-interest-ing-is-to-be-curious-and_2767897.jpg" --- # to be “interest-ing” is to be curious and attentive, and… ![“to be “interest-ing” is to be curious and attentive, and to practice “the continual projection of interest.” To put it more simply: If you want to be interesting, you have to be interested.” quote by Austin Kleon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e4/austin-kleon-1835_attentive_to-be-interest-ing-is-to-be-curious-and_2767897.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e4/austin-kleon-1835_attentive_to-be-interest-ing-is-to-be-curious-and_2767897.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e4/austin-kleon-1835_attentive_to-be-interest-ing-is-to-be-curious-and_2767897.jpg) > ““to be “interest-ing” is to be curious and attentive, and to practice “the continual projection of interest.” To put it more simply: If you want to be interesting, you have to be interested.”” [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. Interest is cultivated by curiosity and attentive listening, leading to engaging interactions. **In simple terms:** Be curious to be interesting. Key Takeaway Listen actively and stay curious. Themes curiosity engagement learning Mood inquisitive thoughtful Type educational inspirational When to use this quote - networking events - classrooms - creative collaborations Key Concepts attention interest projection Questions to Reflect On - What are you genuinely curious about today? - How can you show interest without overstepping? A Different Perspective May feel intrusive if overdone. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet ## Related quotes > [If you want an interesting life. Become interested.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melchor-lim/if-you-want-an-interesting-life-become-interested/) [Melchor Lim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melchor-lim/) > [I just do what I want to do, and if it's a rather interesting script - which I found.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-plummer/i-just-do-what-i-want-to-do-and-if-it-s-a-rather-interesting-script/) [Christopher Plummer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-plummer/) > [I want to be interesting in an interview just as much as I want to do well in a part.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-pacino/i-want-to-be-interesting-in-an-interview-just-as-much-as-i-want-to-do/) [Al Pacino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-pacino/) > [You want to be interesting? Be interested.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-franco/you-want-to-be-interesting-be-interested/) [James Franco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-franco/) > [I want to do interesting work, I don't want to get boxed. A box is fruitful for a little while and then you get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richa-chadha/i-want-to-do-interesting-work-i-don-t-want-to-get-boxed-a-box-is/) [Richa Chadha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richa-chadha/) > [This is what I love to do. I love to perform for people that get it or just want something interesting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jillian-hervey/this-is-what-i-love-to-do-i-love-to-perform-for-people-that-get-it-or/) [Jillian Hervey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jillian-hervey/) > [Do you want an interesting job? Yes. Do you want a balanced life? Yes. And to make a contribution as well? Of course.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-nanterme/do-you-want-an-interesting-job-yes-do-you-want-a-balanced-life-yes/) [Pierre Nanterme](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-nanterme/) > [I don't want to be any more interesting than I am. I love the life that I get to live, which is one of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allison-williams/i-don-t-want-to-be-any-more-interesting-than-i-am-i-love-the-life/) [Allison Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allison-williams/) > [If you want to be interesting, be interested.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ogilvy/if-you-want-to-be-interesting-be-interested/) [David Ogilvy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ogilvy/) > [I don't know that I should care for a man who made life easy; I should want some one who made it interesting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edith-wharton/i-don-t-know-that-i-should-care-for-a-man-who-made-life-easy-i-should/) [Edith Wharton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edith-wharton/) > [When you don't want to be interesting, you are free.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mooji/when-you-don-t-want-to-be-interesting-you-are-free/) [Mooji](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mooji/) > [I don't know if I should care for a man who made life easy; I should want someone who made it interesting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edith-wharton/i-don-t-know-if-i-should-care-for-a-man-who-made-life-easy-i-should/) [Edith Wharton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edith-wharton/) > [I've made it clear to my agents that I want more interesting stuff.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-wopat/i-ve-made-it-clear-to-my-agents-that-i-want-more-interesting-stuff/) [Tom Wopat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-wopat/) > [One cost, for the lonely: If you want to be interesting, the one thing you shouldn't do is really focus on the fact that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sendhil-mullainathan/one-cost-for-the-lonely-if-you-want-to-be-interesting-the-one-thing/) [Sendhil Mullainathan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sendhil-mullainathan/) > [I want to do interesting characters with depth, which are a part of great stories. In fact, if the character is quirky and challenging,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tahir-raj-bhasin/i-want-to-do-interesting-characters-with-depth-which-are-a-part-of/) [Tahir Raj Bhasin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tahir-raj-bhasin/) ## 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 Attentive quotes > [Not knowing how to feed the spirit, we try to muffle its demands in distraction...What matters is that one be for a time inwardly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-morrow-lindbergh/not-knowing-how-to-feed-the-spirit-we-try-to-muffle-its-demands-in/) [Anne Morrow Lindbergh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-morrow-lindbergh/) > [Most songs come from being attentive. Attentive to life, attentive to scripture, attentive to your heart. Pay attention!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-redman/most-songs-come-from-being-attentive-attentive-to-life-attentive-to/) [Matt Redman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-redman/) > [Be attentive when talking. Don't roll your eyes or slouch when your partner is talking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mazher/be-attentive-when-talking-don-t-roll-your-eyes-or-slouch-when-your/) [Mazher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mazher/) > [So if you aspire to be a good conversationali st, be an attentive listener. To be interesting, be interested. Ask questions that other persons…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-carnegie/so-if-you-aspire-to-be-a-good-conversationali-st-be-an-attentive/) [Dale Carnegie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-carnegie/) > [“The process of attentive listening makes the other person feel important, valued, and heard. For Nick, listening was, and still is, love. I've never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-c-young/the-process-of-attentive-listening-makes-the-other-person-feel/) [Susan C. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-c-young/) > [Meditation is a state of mind which looks at everything with complete attention, totally, not just parts of it. And no one can teach…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/meditation-is-a-state-of-mind-which-looks-at-everything-with-complete/) [Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/) > [Sometimes it is good to hear criticism because you are more attentive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred/sometimes-it-is-good-to-hear-criticism-because-you-are-more-attentive/) [Fred](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred/) > [“Pay attention to your goals and never let the euphoria of the early success convince you to brag about.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/pay-attention-to-your-goals-and-never-let-the-euphoria-of-the-early/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [“To Become an Attentive Listener . . . • Observe a person’s physical presence to see how their body language aligns with their message.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-c-young/to-become-an-attentive-listener-observe-a-person-s-physical-presence/) [Susan C. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-c-young/) > [I am hyper attentive to detail.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorit-kemsley/i-am-hyper-attentive-to-detail/) [Dorit Kemsley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorit-kemsley/) > [I am so attracted to ambition and drive and talent. If a man loves something and can put his heart into it, I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meaghan-rath/i-am-so-attracted-to-ambition-and-drive-and-talent-if-a-man-loves/) [Meaghan Rath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meaghan-rath/) > [I think that one of the things I'd learned from being so attentive to the careers of the people I've admired is the fact…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-giacchino/i-think-that-one-of-the-things-i-d-learned-from-being-so-attentive-to/) [Michael Giacchino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-giacchino/) > [Attentive listening to others is important regardless of their stations and positions. Wise people consider the deep meaning and true values of all suggestions.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chungliang-al-huang/attentive-listening-to-others-is-important-regardless-of-their/) [Chungliang Al Huang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chungliang-al-huang/) > [I have a house full of dead succulents but I was very attentive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-levine/i-have-a-house-full-of-dead-succulents-but-i-was-very-attentive/) [Alice Levine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-levine/) > [“Always be attentive of your ego.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anupama-garg/always-be-attentive-of-your-ego/) [Anupama Garg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anupama-garg/) Browse all 89 Attentive quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“to be “interest-ing” is to be curious and attentive, and to practice “the continual projection of interest.” To put it more simply: If you want to be interesting, you have to be interested.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Austin Kleon" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-kleon/to-be-interest-ing-is-to-be-curious-and-attentive-and-to-practice-the/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Attentive" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-kleon/to-be-interest-ing-is-to-be-curious-and-attentive-and-to-practice-the/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e4/austin-kleon-1835_attentive_to-be-interest-ing-is-to-be-curious-and_2767897.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e4/austin-kleon-1835_attentive_to-be-interest-ing-is-to-be-curious-and_2767897.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e4/austin-kleon-1835_attentive_to-be-interest-ing-is-to-be-curious-and_2767897.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“to be “interest-ing” is to be curious and attentive, and to practice “the continual projection of interest.”…” — 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": "“to be “interest-ing” is to be...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-kleon/to-be-interest-ing-is-to-be-curious-and-attentive-and-to-practice-the/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-kleon/to-be-interest-ing-is-to-be-curious-and-attentive-and-to-practice-the/#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 } } ] } ```