--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Play becomes a distraction, something you…" description: "\"Play becomes a distraction, something you don't really need to do. It's not for serious people. They work hard, they don't play hard. Yes, you can say ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/140/ian-bogost-9716_distraction_play-becomes-a-distraction-something-you_2779452.jpg" --- # Play becomes a distraction, something you don't really… ![“Play becomes a distraction, something you don't really need to do. It's not for serious people. They work hard, they don't play hard. Yes, you can say play hard, but that really means, keep working hard, right?” quote by Ian Bogost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/140/ian-bogost-9716_distraction_play-becomes-a-distraction-something-you_2779452.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/140/ian-bogost-9716_distraction_play-becomes-a-distraction-something-you_2779452.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/140/ian-bogost-9716_distraction_play-becomes-a-distraction-something-you_2779452.jpg) > “Play becomes a distraction, something you don't really need to do. It's not for serious people. They work hard, they don't play hard. Yes, you can say play hard, but that really means, keep working hard, right?” [Ian Bogost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-bogost/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Play is dismissed as frivolous, yet it can be a serious, productive activity when integrated with hard work. **In simple terms:** Play can be purposeful. Key Takeaway Blend play with effort for creativity. Themes creativity productivity culture Mood inspirational practical Type educational motivational When to use this quote - design thinking - team building - learning environments - entrepreneurship Key Concepts gamification work‑life balance Questions to Reflect On - How can play enhance your work? - What tasks could benefit from a playful approach? A Different Perspective Some view play as a distraction from goals. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Distraction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/distraction/) [Hard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hard/) [Hard work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hard-work/) [Mean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mean/) [Needs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/needs/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play/) [Play Distraction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play-distraction-3298177/) [Play hard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play-hard/) [Really mean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/really-mean/) [Say Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/say-play-352699/) [Serious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/serious/) [Work hard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work-hard/) [Working hard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/working-hard/) [Yes you can](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/yes-you-can/) ## Related quotes > [I just want to try to ignore the scrutiny and all the distractions and just play hard basketball and let the best come... Improving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-bogut/i-just-want-to-try-to-ignore-the-scrutiny-and-all-the-distractions/) [Andrew Bogut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-bogut/) > [A lot of people say I do play like Carmelo Anthony. That's just a great saying of my game.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jabari-parker/a-lot-of-people-say-i-do-play-like-carmelo-anthony-that-s-just-a/) [Jabari Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jabari-parker/) > [“Children don't say, “I had a hard day at school today; can I talk to you about it?” They say, “Will you play with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-j-cohen/children-don-t-say-i-had-a-hard-day-at-school-today-can-i-talk-to-you/) [Lawrence J. Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-j-cohen/) > [“Why did you wish me milder? would you have me False to my nature? Rather say I play The man I am.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/why-did-you-wish-me-milder-would-you-have-me-false-to-my-nature/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [As that I went to say, No more were we at play.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/as-that-i-went-to-say-no-more-were-we-at-play/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I say, play your own way. Don't play what the public want - you play what you want and let the public pick up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thelonious-monk/i-say-play-your-own-way-don-t-play-what-the-public-want-you-play-what/) [Thelonious Monk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thelonious-monk/) > [Barca are Barca and I don't think you can say no to them. To play here is to realise a dream.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulinho/barca-are-barca-and-i-don-t-think-you-can-say-no-to-them-to-play-here/) [Paulinho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulinho/) > [As a composer you want to tell musicians two completely contradictory things. You want to say, "Play exactly what I wrote, but bring your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nico-muhly/as-a-composer-you-want-to-tell-musicians-two-completely-contradictory/) [Nico Muhly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nico-muhly/) > [I'm ashamed to say the first play I saw at the Royal Court was mine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hampton/i-m-ashamed-to-say-the-first-play-i-saw-at-the-royal-court-was-mine/) [Christopher Hampton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hampton/) > [When they start the game, they don't yell, "Work ball." They say, "Play ball."](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willie-stargell/when-they-start-the-game-they-don-t-yell-work-ball-they-say-play-ball/) [Willie Stargell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willie-stargell/) > [I'd like to one day be able to say, 'I was in more than one play on Broadway.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adriane-lenox/i-d-like-to-one-day-be-able-to-say-i-was-in-more-than-one-play-on/) [Adriane Lenox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adriane-lenox/) > [I'm sorry to say that no, I do not play the piano.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-moore/i-m-sorry-to-say-that-no-i-do-not-play-the-piano/) [Roger Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-moore/) > [I will say I would much rather play someone who isn't the most spellbinding beautiful person because I am not that person and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-hope/i-will-say-i-would-much-rather-play-someone-who-isn-t-the-most/) [Charlotte Hope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-hope/) > [I always say if I play my best it's difficult to beat me](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/serena-williams/i-always-say-if-i-play-my-best-it-s-difficult-to-beat-me/) [Serena Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/serena-williams/) > [Swinging in the backyard. Pull up in your fast car. Whistling my name. Open up a beer and you say, 'Get over here And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lana-del-rey/swinging-in-the-backyard-pull-up-in-your-fast-car-whistling-my-name/) [Lana Del Rey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lana-del-rey/) ## More by Ian Bogost > [I think the most important way to understand play is that it's this property that's in things. Like there's play in a mechanism. For…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-bogost/i-think-the-most-important-way-to-understand-play-is-that-it-s-this/) [Ian Bogost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-bogost/) > [Once you get yourself on that path where you're willing to find something delightful in laundry and in dishwashers, it means that you train…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-bogost/once-you-get-yourself-on-that-path-where-you-re-willing-to-find/) [Ian Bogost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-bogost/) > [Our ideas of happiness, gratification, contentment, satisfaction, all demand that those feelings come from within us. If you flip that on its head and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-bogost/our-ideas-of-happiness-gratification-contentment-satisfaction-all/) [Ian Bogost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-bogost/) > [When we use this word fun, it sort of bangs up the ordinary and the extraordinary altogether.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-bogost/when-we-use-this-word-fun-it-sort-of-bangs-up-the-ordinary-and-the/) [Ian Bogost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-bogost/) > [We think we want enjoyment, and that enjoyment is incompatible with work, and somehow we have to import the pleasure into these miserable experiences.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-bogost/we-think-we-want-enjoyment-and-that-enjoyment-is-incompatible-with/) [Ian Bogost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-bogost/) > [You can experience play at work, not because you're messing around or wasting time or something, but because you're looking really deeply and seriously…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-bogost/you-can-experience-play-at-work-not-because-you-re-messing-around-or/) [Ian Bogost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-bogost/) > [Actually a lot of the supposedly serious and meaningful and worthwhile content on the podcast or on the television is no more or less…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-bogost/actually-a-lot-of-the-supposedly-serious-and-meaningful-and/) [Ian Bogost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-bogost/) > [I think a lot of the misery that people experience comes from that sensation of boundlessness, of infinite possibility.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-bogost/i-think-a-lot-of-the-misery-that-people-experience-comes-from-that/) [Ian Bogost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-bogost/) > [There's just an enormous vast universe of possible intrigue out there and why not pay attention to it? Because then you're not burdened with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-bogost/there-s-just-an-enormous-vast-universe-of-possible-intrigue-out-there/) [Ian Bogost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-bogost/) > [Generally speaking, when people use the word fun, it's like a placeholder. You know, "How was your evening?" "Oh it was fun."](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-bogost/generally-speaking-when-people-use-the-word-fun-it-s-like-a/) [Ian Bogost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-bogost/) > [Wouldn't we all rather have the possibility of finding pleasure and delight in literally anything we might encounter? Instead of assuming that actually there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-bogost/wouldn-t-we-all-rather-have-the-possibility-of-finding-pleasure-and/) [Ian Bogost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-bogost/) > [Fun has to do with habitual activities but then also terrifically novel or unusual ones. It works as a sort of strange milkshake of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-bogost/fun-has-to-do-with-habitual-activities-but-then-also-terrifically/) [Ian Bogost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-bogost/) > [“Irony keeps reality at a distance. It has become our primary method for combatting the external world’s incompatibility with our own desires. Today’s irony…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-bogost/irony-keeps-reality-at-a-distance-it-has-become-our-primary-method/) [Ian Bogost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-bogost/) > [Play isn't you being clever, or finding a trick, or finding a way of covering over your own misery, or persuading someone to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-bogost/play-isn-t-you-being-clever-or-finding-a-trick-or-finding-a-way-of/) [Ian Bogost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-bogost/) > [To me, being able to find gratification in more venues, rather than greater gratification in a few, seems like a much more sane way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-bogost/to-me-being-able-to-find-gratification-in-more-venues-rather-than/) [Ian Bogost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-bogost/) [Explore all 70 Ian Bogost quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-bogost/) ## More Distraction quotes > [I don't think there's a direct correlation between my sexuality and my skiing ability. But I think because I was so concerned about it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gus-kenworthy/i-don-t-think-there-s-a-direct-correlation-between-my-sexuality-and/) [Gus Kenworthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gus-kenworthy/) > [I don't want this to be a distraction. This has been distracting enough. I'm not going to rehash this going forward. I'm sure other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jayson-werth/i-don-t-want-this-to-be-a-distraction-this-has-been-distracting/) [Jayson Werth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jayson-werth/) > [Almost all accidents take place because of human distraction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sebastian-thrun/almost-all-accidents-take-place-because-of-human-distraction/) [Sebastian Thrun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sebastian-thrun/) > [I spend a lot of time loathing the sentences that I put down on the page. Once I'm past that phase, it doesn't really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-link/i-spend-a-lot-of-time-loathing-the-sentences-that-i-put-down-on-the/) [Kelly Link](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-link/) > [To really be of benefit to others as the Buddha always taught, we ourselves must first get out of the swamp. One of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tenzin-palmo/to-really-be-of-benefit-to-others-as-the-buddha-always-taught-we/) [Tenzin Palmo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tenzin-palmo/) > [As a social and as a personal force, religion has become a dependent variable. It does not originate; it reacts. It does not denounce;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-wright-mills/as-a-social-and-as-a-personal-force-religion-has-become-a-dependent/) [C. Wright Mills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-wright-mills/) > [Not knowing how to feed the spirit, we try to muffle its demands in distraction...What matters is that one be for a time inwardly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-morrow-lindbergh/not-knowing-how-to-feed-the-spirit-we-try-to-muffle-its-demands-in/) [Anne Morrow Lindbergh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-morrow-lindbergh/) > [You have a number of choices. You could continue to always fight against people who are really distractions. They're people in the cheap seats…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarence-thomas/you-have-a-number-of-choices-you-could-continue-to-always-fight/) [Clarence Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarence-thomas/) > [I feel very privileged to get to read and write and not to have to do things that I don't like, and I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pankaj-mishra/i-feel-very-privileged-to-get-to-read-and-write-and-not-to-have-to-do/) [Pankaj Mishra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pankaj-mishra/) > [Meditation is sticking to one thought. That single thought keeps away other thoughts; distraction of mind is a sign of its weakness; by constant…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramana-maharshi/meditation-is-sticking-to-one-thought-that-single-thought-keeps-away/) [Ramana Maharshi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramana-maharshi/) > [“One of the defining symptoms of ADHD is distraction.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-orlov/one-of-the-defining-symptoms-of-adhd-is-distraction/) [Melissa Orlov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-orlov/) > [Some days, who can stare at swathes of sky, leafage and bad-complected whale-gray streets, tailpipes and smokestacks orating sepia exhaust, or the smaller enthusiasms…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-s-di-piero/some-days-who-can-stare-at-swathes-of-sky-leafage-and-bad-complected/) [W. S. Di Piero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-s-di-piero/) > [“the problem with reading off a screen isn’t resolution, eyestrain, or compatibility with reading in the bathtub: it’s that computers are seductive, they tempt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cory-doctorow/the-problem-with-reading-off-a-screen-isn-t-resolution-eyestrain-or/) [Cory Doctorow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cory-doctorow/) > [“Distraction is your friend.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susane-colasanti/distraction-is-your-friend/) [Susane Colasanti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susane-colasanti/) > [“Opportunity knocks but some people are too busy watching TV.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-gerard-trotman/opportunity-knocks-but-some-people-are-too-busy-watching-tv/) [Wayne Gerard Trotman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-gerard-trotman/) [Browse all 1,030 Distraction quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/distraction/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Play becomes a distraction, something you don't really need to do. 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