--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: But if you really learn how to pay…" description: "\"“But if you really learn how to pay attention, then you will know there are other options. It will actually be within your power to experience a crowde..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/52a/david-foster-wallace-161_astronomy_but-if-you-really-learn-how-to-pay-atten_437509.jpg" --- # But if you really learn how to pay attention, then you… ![“But if you really learn how to pay attention, then you will know there are other options. It will actually be within your power to experience a crowded, hot, slow, consumer-hell type situation as not only meaningful, but sacred, on fire with the same force that made the stars: love, fellowship…” quote by David Foster Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/52a/david-foster-wallace-161_astronomy_but-if-you-really-learn-how-to-pay-atten_437509.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/52a/david-foster-wallace-161_astronomy_but-if-you-really-learn-how-to-pay-atten_437509.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/52a/david-foster-wallace-161_astronomy_but-if-you-really-learn-how-to-pay-atten_437509.jpg) > ““But if you really learn how to pay attention, then you will know there are other options. It will actually be within your power to experience a crowded, hot, slow, consumer-hell type situation as not only meaningful, but sacred, on fire with the same force that made the stars: love, fellowship, the mystical oneness of all things deep down.”” [David Foster Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-foster-wallace/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Learning to truly notice transforms even chaotic, consumer‑driven environments into meaningful, sacred experiences powered by love and unity. **In simple terms:** Attention changes perception of stressful situations into meaningful ones. Key Takeaway Practice mindful attention to find meaning. Themes mindfulness meaning connection spirituality Mood reflective inspired contemplative Type philosophical motivational spiritual When to use this quote - daily commute - shopping mall - office - traffic jam - crowded events Key Concepts consciousness presence transcendence Questions to Reflect On - How can you cultivate attention in daily life? - What does “sacred” mean in a consumer context? A Different Perspective May still feel overwhelming without practice. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Astronomy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/astronomy/) [Focus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/focus/) [Life and living](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-and-living/) ## Related quotes > [But if you've really learned how to think, how to pay attention, then you will know you have other options. It will be within…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-foster-wallace/but-if-you-ve-really-learned-how-to-think-how-to-pay-attention-then/) [David Foster Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-foster-wallace/) > [“It is within your power to experience a crowded, loud, slow, consumer-hell-type situation as not only meaningful but sacred, on fire with the same…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-foster-wallace/it-is-within-your-power-to-experience-a-crowded-loud-slow-consumer/) [David Foster Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-foster-wallace/) > [But if you've really learned how to think, how to pay attention...it will actually be within your power to experience a crowded, loud, slow,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-foster-wallace/but-if-you-ve-really-learned-how-to-think-how-to-pay-attention-it/) [David Foster Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-foster-wallace/) > [“You are impossible to read if you’re not paying attention, but I am. And I may not know the details yet but I know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-hawkins/you-are-impossible-to-read-if-you-re-not-paying-attention-but-i-am/) [Jessica Hawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-hawkins/) > [I especially like the attention. I know that I'm one of the top guys in this game and the attention is on me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manny-ramirez/i-especially-like-the-attention-i-know-that-i-m-one-of-the-top-guys/) [Manny Ramirez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manny-ramirez/) > [I should pay attention to what I know and not talk more just because I won a Nobel Prize.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-tirole/i-should-pay-attention-to-what-i-know-and-not-talk-more-just-because/) [Jean Tirole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-tirole/) > [I'm aware that people see me as a sex symbol, and it's getting me attention. But I know I can act.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diora-baird/i-m-aware-that-people-see-me-as-a-sex-symbol-and-it-s-getting-me/) [Diora Baird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diora-baird/) > [People generally pay attention to what they already know about and what they care about.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethan-zuckerman/people-generally-pay-attention-to-what-they-already-know-about-and/) [Ethan Zuckerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethan-zuckerman/) > [I love the attention and I hate the attention, you know? It's not always good for your soul.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-gunn/i-love-the-attention-and-i-hate-the-attention-you-know-it-s-not/) [James Gunn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-gunn/) > [I know my limits. I dont pay any attention to them, but I know them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charith-thilina/i-know-my-limits-i-dont-pay-any-attention-to-them-but-i-know-them/) [Charith Thilina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charith-thilina/) > [People, unless they're paying attention, tend to confuse fanciness with intelligence or authority.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-foster-wallace/people-unless-they-re-paying-attention-tend-to-confuse-fanciness-with/) [David Foster Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-foster-wallace/) > [Learning how to think" really means learning how to exercise some control over how and what you think. It means being conscious and aware…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-foster-wallace/learning-how-to-think-really-means-learning-how-to-exercise-some/) [David Foster Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-foster-wallace/) > [“But most days, if you're aware enough to give yourself a choice, you can choose to look differently at this fat, dead-eyed, over-made-up lady…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-foster-wallace/but-most-days-if-you-re-aware-enough-to-give-yourself-a-choice-you/) [David Foster Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-foster-wallace/) > [It means being conscious and aware enough to choose what you pay attention to and to choose how you construct meaning from experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-foster-wallace/it-means-being-conscious-and-aware-enough-to-choose-what-you-pay/) [David Foster Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-foster-wallace/) > [“It is the transience of life which proves its inestimable worth.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-b-harrop/it-is-the-transience-of-life-which-proves-its-inestimable-worth/) [D.B. Harrop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-b-harrop/) ## More by David Foster Wallace > [“I felt more solidly composed, now that I was horizontal. I was impossible to knock down.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-foster-wallace/i-felt-more-solidly-composed-now-that-i-was-horizontal-i-was/) [David Foster Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-foster-wallace/) > [“We all have our little solipsistic delusions, ghastly intuitions of utter singularity: that we are the only one in the house who ever fills…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-foster-wallace/we-all-have-our-little-solipsistic-delusions-ghastly-intuitions-of/) [David Foster Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-foster-wallace/) > [“It's no accident that in a bureaucracy getting fired is called 'termination,' as in ontological erasure.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-foster-wallace/it-s-no-accident-that-in-a-bureaucracy-getting-fired-is-called/) [David Foster Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-foster-wallace/) > [Footnote: 79) The anchor is gigantic and must weigh a hundred tons, and -- delightfully -- it really is anchor-shaped, i.e. the same shape…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-foster-wallace/footnote-79-the-anchor-is-gigantic-and-must-weigh-a-hundred-tons-and/) [David Foster Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-foster-wallace/) > [“The paradoxical intercourse of audience and celebrity. 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We were all made by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/i-have-inside-me-the-winds-the-deserts-the-oceans-the-stars-and/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [Mankind have been slow to believe that order reigns in the universe-that the world is a cosmos and a chaos.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-garfield/mankind-have-been-slow-to-believe-that-order-reigns-in-the-universe/) [James A. 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