--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If you don't pay appropriate attention to…" description: "\"If you don't pay appropriate attention to what has your attention, it will take more of your attention than it deserves.\" — David Allen" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cec/david-allen-2835_attention_if-you-don-t-pay-appropriate-attention-t_1547384.png" --- # If you don't pay appropriate attention to what has your… ![“If you don't pay appropriate attention to what has your attention, it will take more of your attention than it deserves.” quote by David Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cec/david-allen-2835_attention_if-you-don-t-pay-appropriate-attention-t_1547384.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cec/david-allen-2835_attention_if-you-don-t-pay-appropriate-attention-t_1547384.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cec/david-allen-2835_attention_if-you-don-t-pay-appropriate-attention-t_1547384.png) > “If you don't pay appropriate attention to what has your attention, it will take more of your attention than it deserves.” [David Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-allen/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Neglecting what already occupies your mind drains more focus later, so address it promptly. **In simple terms:** Ignoring current concerns wastes more attention later. Key Takeaway Deal with matters as soon as they arise. Themes productivity focus mindfulness Mood reflective calm Type advice practical When to use this quote - work tasks - personal worries - email inbox - mental clutter Key Concepts attention management cognitive load Questions to Reflect On - What current concern are you avoiding? - How can you prioritize it now? A Different Perspective If you postpone, the issue may grow more complex. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Attention](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attention/) [Encouragement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/encouragement/) [Encouraging](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/encouraging/) [Focus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/focus/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Procrastination](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/procrastination/) [Productivity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/productivity/) ## Related quotes > [“If you don’t pay appropriate attention to what has your attention, it will take more of your attention than it deserves.” --David Allen”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-oppong/if-you-don-t-pay-appropriate-attention-to-what-has-your-attention-it-2/) Thomas Oppong > [If you dont pay appropriate attention to what has your attention, it will take more of your attention than it deserve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/if-you-dont-pay-appropriate-attention-to-what-has-your-attention-it/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [Alzheimer's is literally killing us, and the only way to fight this 'crime' is through a groundswell of people who continue to raise their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tess-gerritsen/alzheimer-s-is-literally-killing-us-and-the-only-way-to-fight-this/) [Tess Gerritsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tess-gerritsen/) > [Your harshest critic is always going to be yourself. Don't ignore that critic but don't give it more attention than it deserves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ian-black/your-harshest-critic-is-always-going-to-be-yourself-don-t-ignore-that/) [Michael Ian Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ian-black/) > [“Balance is giving not equal but appropriate attention to each of the various categories of your life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-hyatt/balance-is-giving-not-equal-but-appropriate-attention-to-each-of-the/) [Michael Hyatt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-hyatt/) > [If your girlfriend is feeling unhappy, unappreciated, or unimportant, there is something wrong. Give her the attention she deserves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-your-girlfriend-is-feeling-unhappy-unappreciated-or-unimportant/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It is my sincere hope that Christopher Bryson's apparently thorough and comprehensive perusal of the scientific literature on the biological actions of fluoride and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arvid-carlsson/it-is-my-sincere-hope-that-christopher-bryson-s-apparently-thorough/) [Arvid Carlsson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arvid-carlsson/) > [I am delighted to see that the issue of coral reefs is receiving the attention it deserves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-ii-prince-of-monaco/i-am-delighted-to-see-that-the-issue-of-coral-reefs-is-receiving-the/) [Albert II, Prince of Monaco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-ii-prince-of-monaco/) > [It's great to see wrestling expand and get the attention it deserves. It's such a great, great sport.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhea-ripley/it-s-great-to-see-wrestling-expand-and-get-the-attention-it-deserves/) [Rhea Ripley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhea-ripley/) > [If you're desperate enough for attention, any attention will make you feel better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shawn-michaels/if-you-re-desperate-enough-for-attention-any-attention-will-make-you/) [Shawn Michaels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shawn-michaels/) > [I've seen things that should get a lot of attention get no attention. I've seen things that were not supposed to be a big…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyler-hoechlin/i-ve-seen-things-that-should-get-a-lot-of-attention-get-no-attention/) [Tyler Hoechlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyler-hoechlin/) > [I try to pay attention but attention pays me](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lil-wayne/i-try-to-pay-attention-but-attention-pays-me/) [Lil Wayne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lil-wayne/) > [I wish everyone gives me attention because when you get attention it is a pleasure, it is something good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-van-gerwen/i-wish-everyone-gives-me-attention-because-when-you-get-attention-it/) [Michael van Gerwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-van-gerwen/) > [“Consider the telling expression ‘pay attention.’ Attention, as I see it, is the original currency. If you look closely enough at this divine sense…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sol-luckman/consider-the-telling-expression-pay-attention-attention-as-i-see-it/) [Sol Luckman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sol-luckman/) > [Attention! Attention! Attention! Thou art aware of the situation!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zack-ryder/attention-attention-attention-thou-art-aware-of-the-situation/) [Zack Ryder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zack-ryder/) ## More by David Allen > [“Klara Sztucinski, and Elliott Kellman. The administrative”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-allen/klara-sztucinski-and-elliott-kellman-the-administrative/) [David Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-allen/) > [Your ability to generate power is directly proportional to your ability to relax](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-allen/your-ability-to-generate-power-is-directly-proportional-to-your/) [David Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-allen/) > [“Too much information creates the same result as too little:”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-allen/too-much-information-creates-the-same-result-as-too-little/) [David Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-allen/) > [You don't actually do a project; you can only do action steps related to it. When enough of the right action steps have been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-allen/you-don-t-actually-do-a-project-you-can-only-do-action-steps-related/) [David Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-allen/) > [You won't see how to do it until you see yourself doing it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-allen/you-won-t-see-how-to-do-it-until-you-see-yourself-doing-it/) [David Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-allen/) > [“It’s the nature of human experience, which is always in some form of motion, to veer off course—sometimes in major, but consistently in minor,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-allen/it-s-the-nature-of-human-experience-which-is-always-in-some-form-of/) [David Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-allen/) > [“The real challenge is to make good communication a handy and well-used tool. Then you are likely to pick it up and use it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-allen/the-real-challenge-is-to-make-good-communication-a-handy-and-well/) [David Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-allen/) > [Everything you’ve told yourself you ought to do, your mind thinks you should do right now. Frankly, as soon add you have two things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-allen/everything-you-ve-told-yourself-you-ought-to-do-your-mind-thinks-you/) [David Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-allen/) > [“We need ways to validate and support our thinking, no matter how informal.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-allen/we-need-ways-to-validate-and-support-our-thinking-no-matter-how/) [David Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-allen/) > [“The value of goals is not in the future they describe, but the change in perception of reality they foster.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-allen/the-value-of-goals-is-not-in-the-future-they-describe-but-the-change/) [David Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-allen/) > [“Taking the inventory of your current work at all levels will automatically produce greater focus, alignment, and sense of priorities.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-allen/taking-the-inventory-of-your-current-work-at-all-levels-will/) [David Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-allen/) > [“have discovered that one of the major reasons many people haven’t had a lot of success with getting organized is simply that they have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-allen/have-discovered-that-one-of-the-major-reasons-many-people-haven-t-had/) [David Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-allen/) > [Without a gut-level sense that you are ultimately in control of what's happening to you, you won't even consider the option that you could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-allen/without-a-gut-level-sense-that-you-are-ultimately-in-control-of-what/) [David Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-allen/) > [Your mind is for having ideas, not holding them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-allen/your-mind-is-for-having-ideas-not-holding-them/) [David Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-allen/) > [“you can decide what, specifically, something means to you and what you intend to do about it, if anything; if you can use a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-allen/you-can-decide-what-specifically-something-means-to-you-and-what-you/) [David Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-allen/) [Explore all 147 David Allen quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-allen/) ## 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": "If you don't pay appropriate attention to what has your attention, it will take more of your attention than it deserves.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "David Allen" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-allen/if-you-don-t-pay-appropriate-attention-to-what-has-your-attention-it/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Attention" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-allen/if-you-don-t-pay-appropriate-attention-to-what-has-your-attention-it/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cec/david-allen-2835_attention_if-you-don-t-pay-appropriate-attention-t_1547384.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cec/david-allen-2835_attention_if-you-don-t-pay-appropriate-attention-t_1547384.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cec/david-allen-2835_attention_if-you-don-t-pay-appropriate-attention-t_1547384.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If you don't pay appropriate attention to what has your attention, it will take more of your attention than…” — David Allen", "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": "David Allen", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-allen/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "If you don't pay appropriate attention...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-allen/if-you-don-t-pay-appropriate-attention-to-what-has-your-attention-it/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-allen/if-you-don-t-pay-appropriate-attention-to-what-has-your-attention-it/#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 } } ] } ```