Attention Quote by David Foster Wallace
“The entire ball game, in terms of both the exam and life, was what you gave attention to vs. what you willed yourself to not.”
About This Quote
Source Essay: “The Book of the Dead” in The New Yorker, 2005
Life and exams are shaped by where we focus our attention versus what we deny ourselves.
In simple terms: Attention determines outcomes.
Key Takeaway
Choose where to focus.
Themes
attention
choice
consciousness
Mood
introspective
motivational
Type
philosophical
self‑help
When to use this quote
- studying
- career planning
- personal habit formation
- overcoming procrastination
Key Concepts
psychology
mindfulness
Questions to Reflect On
- What do you habitually ignore?
- How can you redirect attention to important goals?
A Different Perspective
Distractions can still impact results.
![“I went to a mosque in Philadelphia with [my wife] in December 24, 1999. And we we went to this mosque in Philly, and I just had such a strong reaction to the prayer. And I was really emotionally - I felt really grounded at that time. And so to be in this prayer and the imam is doing the prayer in…” quote by Mahershala Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/d31/mahershala-ali-6687_attention_i-went-to-a-mosque-in-philadelphia-with_3083.jpg)
