Attention Quote by David Foster Wallace
“You can be shaped, or you can be broken. There is not much in between. Try to learn. Be coachable. Try to learn from everybody, especially those who fail. This is hard. ... How promising you are as a Student of the Game is a function of what you can pay attention to without running away.”
About This Quote
Source Essay: "The Pale King", 2011
The quote stresses the importance of staying adaptable and open to learning, especially from failures, rather than becoming rigid or giving up.
In simple terms: Stay flexible, learn from all, especially failures.
Key Takeaway
Embrace adaptability and continuous learning.
Themes
growth
resilience
learning
coachability
mindset
Mood
reflective
determined
inspirational
Type
advice
motivational
philosophical
When to use this quote
- student life
- career development
- team leadership
- personal growth
- coaching
Key Concepts
psychology
education
performance
failure
attention
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you stay open to learning from failure?
- What habits help you avoid becoming rigid?
A Different Perspective
It may be unrealistic to expect constant coachability without support or safe environments.
![“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)
