---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I should pay attention to what I know and…"
description: "\"I should pay attention to what I know and not talk more just because I won a Nobel Prize.\" — Jean Tirole"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/473/jean-tirole-28112_attention_i-should-pay-attention-to-what-i-know-an_1811901.jpg"
---

#  I should pay attention to what I know and not talk more…

![“I should pay attention to what I know and not talk more just because I won a Nobel Prize.” quote by Jean Tirole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/473/jean-tirole-28112_attention_i-should-pay-attention-to-what-i-know-an_1811901.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/473/jean-tirole-28112_attention_i-should-pay-attention-to-what-i-know-an_1811901.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/473/jean-tirole-28112_attention_i-should-pay-attention-to-what-i-know-an_1811901.jpg)

> “I should pay attention to what I know and not talk more just because I won a Nobel Prize.”

[Jean Tirole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-tirole/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Recognize the limits of expertise and avoid overconfidence from accolades.

**In simple terms:** Know what you truly understand; don’t speak beyond it.

Key Takeaway

Speak only within true knowledge.

Themes

humility expertise communication

Mood

reflective cautious

Type

advisory ethical

When to use this quote

- academic conferences
- media interviews
- policy advising

Key Concepts

self-awareness intellectual honesty

Questions to Reflect On

- How do you verify the depth of your knowledge before speaking?
- What safeguards can prevent misuse of authority?

A Different Perspective

Overconfidence can still arise despite awareness.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Attention](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attention/) [Focus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/focus/) [Nobel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nobel/) [Nobel prize](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nobel-prize/) [Prize](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prize/)

## Related quotes

> [Physicist Isador Isaac Rabi, who won a Nobel Prize for inventing a technique that permitted scientists to probe the structure of atoms and molecules…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-saul-wurman/physicist-isador-isaac-rabi-who-won-a-nobel-prize-for-inventing-a/)

[Richard Saul Wurman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-saul-wurman/)

> [I tried to explain to her the significance of the great poet, but without much success, The Waste Land not figuring very largely in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-bennett/i-tried-to-explain-to-her-the-significance-of-the-great-poet-but/)

[Alan Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-bennett/)

> [It's a pity that nobody has found an exploding black hole. If they had, I would have won a Nobel prize.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hawking/it-s-a-pity-that-nobody-has-found-an-exploding-black-hole-if-they-had/)

[Stephen Hawking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hawking/)

> [When Doris Lessing won the Nobel Prize for Literature at the age of 88, she was the oldest person ever to receive the prize…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-cartwright/when-doris-lessing-won-the-nobel-prize-for-literature-at-the-age-of/)

[Justin Cartwright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-cartwright/)

> [I read once, which I loved so much, that this great physicist who won a Nobel Prize said that every day when he got…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-sawyer/i-read-once-which-i-loved-so-much-that-this-great-physicist-who-won-a/)

[Diane Sawyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-sawyer/)

> [“SOYINKA WON THE NOBEL PRIZE ACHEBE, LITERARY COMMANDER P.D. JAMES, WE LOVE HER AGATHA CHRISTIE, QUEEN OF CRIME”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-a-david/soyinka-won-the-nobel-prize-achebe-literary-commander-p-d-james-we/)

[S. A. David](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-a-david/)

> [“In other words, the rule about great scientific advances is that to make them you have to break the rules. Nobody has ever won…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joi-ito/in-other-words-the-rule-about-great-scientific-advances-is-that-to/)

[Joi Ito](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joi-ito/)

> [ \[on what characteristics Nobel prize winning physicists had in common\] I cannot think of a single one, not even intelligence. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enrico-fermi/on-what-characteristics-nobel-prize-winning-physicists-had-in-common/)

[Enrico Fermi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enrico-fermi/)

> [ There's no reason - not yet, anyway - to believe \[Bob\] Dylan himself endorses such an attitude; or that he would think of himself… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bennun/there-s-no-reason-not-yet-anyway-to-believe-bob-dylan-himself/)

[David Bennun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bennun/)

> [I think the team that successfully puts together an economic and social policy framework for global full employment in decent working conditions based on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juan-somavia/i-think-the-team-that-successfully-puts-together-an-economic-and/)

[Juan Somavia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juan-somavia/)

> [Well I don't know how many pounds make up a ton, Of all the nobel prizes that I've never won, And I may be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-partridge/well-i-don-t-know-how-many-pounds-make-up-a-ton-of-all-the-nobel/)

[Andy Partridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-partridge/)

> [As a Nobel Prize winner I cannot but regret that the award was never given to Mark Twain, nor to Henry James, speaking only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/as-a-nobel-prize-winner-i-cannot-but-regret-that-the-award-was-never/)

[Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/)

> [I was asked the other day if I would be interested in the Nobel Prize, but I think that for me it would be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabriel-garc-a-m-rquez/i-was-asked-the-other-day-if-i-would-be-interested-in-the-nobel-prize/)

[Gabriel Garcia Marquez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabriel-garc-a-m-rquez/)

> [Research is the live heart of the scientific life ... Greatness of position, respect for past accomplishments, the Nobel Prize itself -- none of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vivian-gornick/research-is-the-live-heart-of-the-scientific-life-greatness-of/)

[Vivian Gornick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vivian-gornick/)

> [The Nobel Prize confers on an individual an authority which in economics no man ought to possess.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-august-von-hayek/the-nobel-prize-confers-on-an-individual-an-authority-which-in/)

[Friedrich August von Hayek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-august-von-hayek/)

## More by Jean Tirole

> [“The problem of limited (or “asymmetric”) information is everywhere:”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-tirole/the-problem-of-limited-or-asymmetric-information-is-everywhere/)

[Jean Tirole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-tirole/)

> [“decisions made by economic actors (households, firms, the state) are constrained by limited information.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-tirole/decisions-made-by-economic-actors-households-firms-the-state-are/)

[Jean Tirole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-tirole/)

> [“younger generations have a more international mindset”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-tirole/younger-generations-have-a-more-international-mindset/)

[Jean Tirole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-tirole/)

> [“Equality of opportunity in education aims to insure us against disparities arising from the situation in which we are born”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-tirole/equality-of-opportunity-in-education-aims-to-insure-us-against/)

[Jean Tirole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-tirole/)

> [“Wealth acquired by creating value for society is not equivalent to wealth that comes from economic rents. For example, a very important factor in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-tirole/wealth-acquired-by-creating-value-for-society-is-not-equivalent-to/)

[Jean Tirole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-tirole/)

> [“to create true equality of opportunity,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-tirole/to-create-true-equality-of-opportunity/)

[Jean Tirole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-tirole/)

> [“exacerbated eagerness to exploit the ignorance and prejudice of voters.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-tirole/exacerbated-eagerness-to-exploit-the-ignorance-and-prejudice-of-voters/)

[Jean Tirole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-tirole/)

> [“The contrast between economics and medicine is striking:”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-tirole/the-contrast-between-economics-and-medicine-is-striking/)

[Jean Tirole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-tirole/)

> [“Not only are we subject to cognitive biases, we also frequently seek out things that reinforce them. We interpret facts through the prism of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-tirole/not-only-are-we-subject-to-cognitive-biases-we-also-frequently-seek/)

[Jean Tirole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-tirole/)

> [“The polarization of terms of employment between an ultraflexible fixed-term contract and an ultrarigid permanent contract divides the labor market between those who spend…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-tirole/the-polarization-of-terms-of-employment-between-an-ultraflexible/)

[Jean Tirole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-tirole/)

> [“staying safely in the ivory tower is much more comfortable for academics,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-tirole/staying-safely-in-the-ivory-tower-is-much-more-comfortable-for/)

[Jean Tirole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-tirole/)

> [On Economic Nobel Prize 2014: I see one of my daughters is on Skype with me from London and in fact it is actually…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-tirole/on-economic-nobel-prize-2014-i-see-one-of-my-daughters-is-on-skype/)

[Jean Tirole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-tirole/)

> [“medical students at Harvard made significant errors5 when calculating the probability that a patient had cancer”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-tirole/medical-students-at-harvard-made-significant-errors5-when-calculating/)

[Jean Tirole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-tirole/)

> [“Human rights and freedoms protect us against arbitrary government.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-tirole/human-rights-and-freedoms-protect-us-against-arbitrary-government/)

[Jean Tirole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-tirole/)

> [“When we think about an economic problem, the first answer that occurs to us is not always the correct one.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-tirole/when-we-think-about-an-economic-problem-the-first-answer-that-occurs/)

[Jean Tirole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-tirole/)

[Explore all 19 Jean Tirole quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-tirole/)

## 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": "I should pay attention to what I know and not talk more just because I won a Nobel Prize.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Jean Tirole"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-tirole/i-should-pay-attention-to-what-i-know-and-not-talk-more-just-because/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Attention"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-tirole/i-should-pay-attention-to-what-i-know-and-not-talk-more-just-because/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/473/jean-tirole-28112_attention_i-should-pay-attention-to-what-i-know-an_1811901.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/473/jean-tirole-28112_attention_i-should-pay-attention-to-what-i-know-an_1811901.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/473/jean-tirole-28112_attention_i-should-pay-attention-to-what-i-know-an_1811901.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“I should pay attention to what I know and not talk more just because I won a Nobel Prize.” — Jean Tirole",
                "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": "Jean Tirole",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-tirole/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "I should pay attention to what...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-tirole/i-should-pay-attention-to-what-i-know-and-not-talk-more-just-because/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-tirole/i-should-pay-attention-to-what-i-know-and-not-talk-more-just-because/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
