--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If I have ever made any valuable…" description: "\"If I have ever made any valuable discoveries, it has been due more to patient attention, than to any other talent\" — Isaac Newton" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/235/isaac-newton-1226_attention_if-i-have-ever-made-any-valuable-discove_994781.jpg" --- # If I have ever made any valuable discoveries, it has been… ![“If I have ever made any valuable discoveries, it has been due more to patient attention, than to any other talent” quote by Isaac Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/235/isaac-newton-1226_attention_if-i-have-ever-made-any-valuable-discove_994781.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/235/isaac-newton-1226_attention_if-i-have-ever-made-any-valuable-discove_994781.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/235/isaac-newton-1226_attention_if-i-have-ever-made-any-valuable-discove_994781.jpg) > “If I have ever made any valuable discoveries, it has been due more to patient attention, than to any other talent” [Isaac Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-newton/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Patient, observation yields discoveries more than innate talent. **In simple terms:** Careful observation beats raw talent. Key Takeaway Cultivate patience and observation. Themes science observation patience humility Mood inspirational reflective Type scientific motivational When to use this quote - laboratory research - field studies - everyday problem solving Key Concepts empiricism methodology Questions to Reflect On - How can you balance patience with action? - When is intuition more useful than observation? A Different Perspective Patience alone may not guarantee breakthroughs. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Attention](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attention/) [Discoveries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/discoveries/) [Discovery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/discovery/) [Focus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/focus/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Motivational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/motivational/) [Patience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/patience/) [Research](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/research/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/) [Talent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/talent/) ## Related quotes > [The most valuable discoveries have found their origin in the most trivial accidents.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pliny-the-elder/the-most-valuable-discoveries-have-found-their-origin-in-the-most/) [Pliny the Elder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pliny-the-elder/) > [It is a mortifying truth, and ought to teach the wisest of us humility, that many of the most valuable discoveries have been the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/it-is-a-mortifying-truth-and-ought-to-teach-the-wisest-of-us-humility/) [Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/) > [I deserve attention not because of any talent, but just because of who I am.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zsa-zsa-gabor/i-deserve-attention-not-because-of-any-talent-but-just-because-of-who/) [Zsa Zsa Gabor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zsa-zsa-gabor/) > [All my discoveries have been made in answer to prayer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-newton/all-my-discoveries-have-been-made-in-answer-to-prayer/) [Isaac Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-newton/) > [If I have done the public any service, it is due to my patient thought.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-newton/if-i-have-done-the-public-any-service-it-is-due-to-my-patient-thought/) [Isaac Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-newton/) > [Science is the most exciting and sustained enterprise of discovery in the history of our species. It is the great adventure of our time.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-crichton/science-is-the-most-exciting-and-sustained-enterprise-of-discovery-in/) [Michael Crichton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-crichton/) > [Out of the questions of students come most of the creative ideas and discoveries.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-langer/out-of-the-questions-of-students-come-most-of-the-creative-ideas-and/) [Ellen Langer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-langer/) > [“The nimble of mind long for the challenge of new discoveries. Weary minds cling to what is already known.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/k-lee-lerner/the-nimble-of-mind-long-for-the-challenge-of-new-discoveries-weary/) [K. Lee Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/k-lee-lerner/) > [“One of the greatest discoveries you could actually discover in life is the treasure of solitude.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunday-adelaja/one-of-the-greatest-discoveries-you-could-actually-discover-in-life/) [Sunday Adelaja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunday-adelaja/) > [The wonderment of humanity leads to its greatest discoveries.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-thomas-newton/the-wonderment-of-humanity-leads-to-its-greatest-discoveries/) Charles Thomas Newton > [Like buried treasures, the outposts of the universe have beckoned to the adventurous from immemorial times. Princes and potentates, political or industrial, equally with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-ellery-hale/like-buried-treasures-the-outposts-of-the-universe-have-beckoned-to/) George Ellery Hale > [To me, part of the magic of this era is that the very same innovations, discoveries, and technologies that are allowing us to live…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathleen-sebelius/to-me-part-of-the-magic-of-this-era-is-that-the-very-same-innovations/) [Kathleen Sebelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathleen-sebelius/) > [It's nice to witness these discoveries at first hand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-aspel/it-s-nice-to-witness-these-discoveries-at-first-hand/) [Michael Aspel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-aspel/) > [“We only know a tiny proportion about the complexity of the natural world. Wherever you look, there are still things we don’t know about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-attenborough/we-only-know-a-tiny-proportion-about-the-complexity-of-the-natural/) [David Attenborough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-attenborough/) > [There seems to be one quality of mind which seems to be of special and extreme advantage in leading him to make discoveries. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-darwin/there-seems-to-be-one-quality-of-mind-which-seems-to-be-of-special/) [Francis Darwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-darwin/) ## More by Isaac Newton > [The same law takes place in a system, consisting of many bodies, as in one single body, with regard to their persevering in their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-newton/the-same-law-takes-place-in-a-system-consisting-of-many-bodies-as-in/) [Isaac Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-newton/) > [I have been much amused at ye singular phenomena resulting from bringing of a needle into contact with a piece of amber or resin…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-newton/i-have-been-much-amused-at-ye-singular-phenomena-resulting-from/) [Isaac Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-newton/) > [No great discovery was ever made without a bold guess.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-newton/no-great-discovery-was-ever-made-without-a-bold-guess/) [Isaac Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-newton/) > [I keep the subject of my inquiry constantly before me, and wait till the first dawning opens gradually, by little and little, into a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-newton/i-keep-the-subject-of-my-inquiry-constantly-before-me-and-wait-till/) [Isaac Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-newton/) > [Philosophy is such an impertinently litigious lady that a man had as good be engaged in lawsuits as have to do with her.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-newton/philosophy-is-such-an-impertinently-litigious-lady-that-a-man-had-as/) [Isaac Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-newton/) > [Do not Bodies act upon Light at a distance, and by their action bend its Rays; and is not this action (caeteris paribus) \[all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-newton/do-not-bodies-act-upon-light-at-a-distance-and-by-their-action-bend/) [Isaac Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-newton/) > [God in the beginning formed matter in solid, massy, hard, impenetrable, movable particles, of such sizes and figures, and with such other properties, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-newton/god-in-the-beginning-formed-matter-in-solid-massy-hard-impenetrable/) [Isaac Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-newton/) > [ I am ashamed to tell you to how many figures I carried these calculations \[of Pi\], having no other business at the time ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-newton/i-am-ashamed-to-tell-you-to-how-many-figures-i-carried-these/) [Isaac Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-newton/) > [Hypotheses non fingo. I frame no hypotheses.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-newton/hypotheses-non-fingo-i-frame-no-hypotheses/) [Isaac Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-newton/) > [The Ignis Fatuus is a vapor shining without heat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-newton/the-ignis-fatuus-is-a-vapor-shining-without-heat/) [Isaac Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-newton/) > [Blind metaphysical necessity, which is certainly the same always and every where, could produce no variety of things. All that diversity of natural things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-newton/blind-metaphysical-necessity-which-is-certainly-the-same-always-and/) [Isaac Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-newton/) > [You sometimes speak of gravity as essential and inherent to matter. Pray do not ascribe that notion to me, for the cause of gravity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-newton/you-sometimes-speak-of-gravity-as-essential-and-inherent-to-matter/) [Isaac Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-newton/) > [There are more sure marks of authenticity in the Bible than in any profane history.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-newton/there-are-more-sure-marks-of-authenticity-in-the-bible-than-in-any/) [Isaac Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-newton/) > [Therefore to the same natural effects we must, as far as possible, assign the same causes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-newton/therefore-to-the-same-natural-effects-we-must-as-far-as-possible/) [Isaac Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-newton/) > [In scripture we are told of some trusting in God and others trusting in idols, and that God is our refuge, our strength, our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-newton/in-scripture-we-are-told-of-some-trusting-in-god-and-others-trusting/) [Isaac Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-newton/) [Explore all 266 Isaac Newton quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-newton/) ## More Attention quotes > [It appears to me that one great cause of our difference in opinion on subjects which we often discuss is that you have always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ricardo/it-appears-to-me-that-one-great-cause-of-our-difference-in-opinion-on/) [David Ricardo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ricardo/) > [People pay far too much attention to the television and they're quite literal in some ways. At the beginning, when I was playing very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ardal-o-hanlon/people-pay-far-too-much-attention-to-the-television-and-they-re-quite/) [Ardal O'Hanlon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ardal-o-hanlon/) > [Television, radio, social media. The 24/7 news cycle plows forward mercilessly on our desks, in our cars and in our pockets. Thousands and thousands…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-prince/television-radio-social-media-the-24-7-news-cycle-plows-forward/) [Joseph Prince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-prince/) > [By making conscious choices in our behavior and where we focus our attention, we can transform our experience of our body, decrease our biological…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/by-making-conscious-choices-in-our-behavior-and-where-we-focus-our/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [Our inventions are wont to be pretty toys, which distract our attention from serious things. They are but improved means to an unimproved end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/our-inventions-are-wont-to-be-pretty-toys-which-distract-our/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [What people don't normally know about us is the hustle is very real, and it's sorely driven a lot by how we consider ourselves.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lzzy-hale/what-people-don-t-normally-know-about-us-is-the-hustle-is-very-real/) [Lzzy Hale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lzzy-hale/) > [For me, the term "psychotherapy" is limiting. It implies that we work with mind and emotions, but excludes the body and pays scant attention…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jed-diamond/for-me-the-term-psychotherapy-is-limiting-it-implies-that-we-work/) [Jed Diamond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jed-diamond/) > [When you approach something to photograph it, first be still with yourself until the object of your attention affirms your presence. Then don't leave…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/minor-white/when-you-approach-something-to-photograph-it-first-be-still-with/) [Minor White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/minor-white/) > [I'm writing about real things. Real people. Real characters. You have to believe what I write about is true or you wouldn't pay any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-reed/i-m-writing-about-real-things-real-people-real-characters-you-have-to/) [Lou Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-reed/) > [ I went to a mosque in Philadelphia with \[my wife\] in December 24, 1999. And we we went to this mosque in Philly, and… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahershala-ali/i-went-to-a-mosque-in-philadelphia-with-my-wife-in-december-24-1999/) [Mahershala Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahershala-ali/) > [The Harvard Business Review recently had an article called 'The Human Moment,' about how to make real contact with a person at work: ...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-goleman/the-harvard-business-review-recently-had-an-article-called-the-human/) [Daniel Goleman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-goleman/) > [Let us thank God heartily as often as we pray that we have His Spirit in us to teach us to pray. Thanksgiving will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-murray/let-us-thank-god-heartily-as-often-as-we-pray-that-we-have-his-spirit/) [Andy Murray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-murray/) > [Enlightened people live in very charged states of attention, with a tremendous power circuiting through them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/enlightened-people-live-in-very-charged-states-of-attention-with-a/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [We must have a welfare system that we can afford, which will mean giving greater attention to directing the welfare program toward its primary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-portillo/we-must-have-a-welfare-system-that-we-can-afford-which-will-mean/) [Michael Portillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-portillo/) > [The director's job should give you a sense of music without drawing attention to itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-hackford/the-director-s-job-should-give-you-a-sense-of-music-without-drawing/) [Taylor Hackford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-hackford/) [Browse all 10,153 Attention quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attention/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If I have ever made any valuable discoveries, it has been due more to patient attention, than to any other talent", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Isaac Newton" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-newton/if-i-have-ever-made-any-valuable-discoveries-it-has-been-due-more-to/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Attention" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-newton/if-i-have-ever-made-any-valuable-discoveries-it-has-been-due-more-to/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/235/isaac-newton-1226_attention_if-i-have-ever-made-any-valuable-discove_994781.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/235/isaac-newton-1226_attention_if-i-have-ever-made-any-valuable-discove_994781.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/235/isaac-newton-1226_attention_if-i-have-ever-made-any-valuable-discove_994781.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If I have ever made any valuable discoveries, it has been due more to patient attention, than to any other…” — Isaac Newton", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Isaac Newton", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-newton/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "If I have ever made any...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-newton/if-i-have-ever-made-any-valuable-discoveries-it-has-been-due-more-to/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-newton/if-i-have-ever-made-any-valuable-discoveries-it-has-been-due-more-to/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```