Attention Quote by Edward De Bono
“An expert is someone who has succeeded in making decisions and judgements simpler through knowing what to pay attention to and what to ignore.”
About This Quote
Source Book: Six Thinking Hats, Edward de Bono, 1985
Expertise lies in filtering information, focusing on essentials, and discarding noise to simplify decisions.
In simple terms: Experts know what to notice and what to ignore.
Key Takeaway
Prioritize relevant data, ignore distractions.
Themes
expertise
decision making
focus
simplicity
Mood
analytical
focused
pragmatic
Type
advice
insightful
educational
When to use this quote
- business strategy
- personal productivity
- research analysis
- teaching
- leadership
Key Concepts
cognitive filtering
mental models
attention management
Questions to Reflect On
- What criteria do you use to decide what to ignore?
- How can you test if your simplifications are accurate?
A Different Perspective
Over‑reliance on simplification can miss critical nuances.
![“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)
