--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Can we think more than one thought at the…" description: "\"Can we think more than one thought at the same time? Most of us know we can't do that. Both hemispheres are always working all of the time. But one of ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e33/jill-bolte-taylor-12626_always-working_can-we-think-more-than-one-thought-at-th_2274006.jpg" --- # Can we think more than one thought at the same time? Most… ![“Can we think more than one thought at the same time? Most of us know we can't do that. Both hemispheres are always working all of the time. But one of them is always dominant.” quote by Jill Bolte Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e33/jill-bolte-taylor-12626_always-working_can-we-think-more-than-one-thought-at-th_2274006.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e33/jill-bolte-taylor-12626_always-working_can-we-think-more-than-one-thought-at-th_2274006.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e33/jill-bolte-taylor-12626_always-working_can-we-think-more-than-one-thought-at-th_2274006.jpg) > “Can we think more than one thought at the same time? Most of us know we can't do that. Both hemispheres are always working all of the time. But one of them is always dominant.” [Jill Bolte Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-bolte-taylor/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The brain cannot truly multitask; one hemisphere dominates while the other supports. **In simple terms:** The brain works one main thought at a time. Key Takeaway Focus on one task for better performance. Themes cognition neuroscience attention Mood analytical curious Type educational scientific When to use this quote - studying - work - creative problem solving - decision making Key Concepts brain hemispheres dominance parallel processing Questions to Reflect On - Can you train yourself to balance hemispheric activity? - What tasks benefit from single‑focus attention? A Different Perspective The brain can switch rapidly, allowing brief dual attention. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Hemisphere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hemisphere/) [Philosophy of Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophy-of-mind/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [The two hemispheres of the brain are two very different places and they don't share any cell bodies. They are completely separate entities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-bolte-taylor/the-two-hemispheres-of-the-brain-are-two-very-different-places-and/) [Jill Bolte Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-bolte-taylor/) > [Men standing in opposite hemispheres will converse and deride each other and embrace each other, and understand each other's language.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-da-vinci/men-standing-in-opposite-hemispheres-will-converse-and-deride-each/) [Leonardo da Vinci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-da-vinci/) > [My face in thine eye, thine in mine appears, And true plain hearts do in the faces rest; Where can we find two better…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-donne/my-face-in-thine-eye-thine-in-mine-appears-and-true-plain-hearts-do/) [John Donne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-donne/) > [Most of the circuits in our brains run on automatic. The more you think a thought, the more energy goes into that circuit. Eventually…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-bolte-taylor/most-of-the-circuits-in-our-brains-run-on-automatic-the-more-you/) [Jill Bolte Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-bolte-taylor/) > [You have only two hemispheres in your brain - a left and a right side. The left side controls the right side of your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-lee/you-have-only-two-hemispheres-in-your-brain-a-left-and-a-right-side/) [Bill Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-lee/) > [“the maps are a very effective tool because it uses both hemispheres of the brain thanks to colors and keywords.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-james/the-maps-are-a-very-effective-tool-because-it-uses-both-hemispheres/) [Robert James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-james/) > [“Did we not look out together upon the dark waters of the lake And behold there the constellations Of both hemispheres at once? -Love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-c-esslemont/did-we-not-look-out-together-upon-the-dark-waters-of-the-lake-and/) [Ian C. Esslemont](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-c-esslemont/) > [“The woman’s brain has two hemispheres,” she slurred. “One for loving, one for hating. They can operate quite competently at the same time.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-cotterill/the-woman-s-brain-has-two-hemispheres-she-slurred-one-for-loving-one/) [Colin Cotterill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-cotterill/) > [I want to see the world. Follow a map to its edges, and keep going. Forgo the plains. Trust my instincts. Let my curiosity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-want-to-see-the-world-follow-a-map-to-its-edges-and-keep-going/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The left hemisphere is very interested in language; it communicates in words, it has a past, a present, and a future; it has a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-bolte-taylor/the-left-hemisphere-is-very-interested-in-language-it-communicates-in/) [Jill Bolte Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-bolte-taylor/) > [I believe that the more time we spend choosing to run the deep inner circuitries of our right hemispheres, the more peace we will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-bolte-taylor/i-believe-that-the-more-time-we-spend-choosing-to-run-the-deep-inner/) [Jill Bolte Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-bolte-taylor/) > [Our right hemisphere, it thinks in pictures and it learns kinesthetically through the movement of our bodies. Information ... explodes into this enormous collage…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-bolte-taylor/our-right-hemisphere-it-thinks-in-pictures-and-it-learns/) [Jill Bolte Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-bolte-taylor/) > [You're always working with the relationships. It's pretty demanding, but then again I love that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-noble/you-re-always-working-with-the-relationships-it-s-pretty-demanding/) [John Noble](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-noble/) > [Emotional pain makes me want to isolate. Or hit back. It's very tough to rise above my natural inclinations. I'm always working on this.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-dane/emotional-pain-makes-me-want-to-isolate-or-hit-back-it-s-very-tough/) [Taylor Dane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-dane/) > [This is because fear and love are enemies. They come from two opposing kingdoms. Fear comes from the devil, who would like nothing more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-silk/this-is-because-fear-and-love-are-enemies-they-come-from-two-opposing/) [Danny Silk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-silk/) ## More by Jill Bolte Taylor > [I'm an advocate for whole brain thinking. I'm not an advocate for the right brain or the left brain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-bolte-taylor/i-m-an-advocate-for-whole-brain-thinking-i-m-not-an-advocate-for-the/) [Jill Bolte Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-bolte-taylor/) > [I am the life-force power of the universe. I am the life-force power of the 50 trillion beautiful molecular geniuses that make up my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-bolte-taylor/i-am-the-life-force-power-of-the-universe-i-am-the-life-force-power/) [Jill Bolte Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-bolte-taylor/) > [Please be responsible for the energy you bring into this space.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-bolte-taylor/please-be-responsible-for-the-energy-you-bring-into-this-space/) [Jill Bolte Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-bolte-taylor/) > [“In our own genetic profile, believe it or not, scientific evidence indicates that we humans share 99.4% of our total DNA sequences with the chimpanzee.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-bolte-taylor/in-our-own-genetic-profile-believe-it-or-not-scientific-evidence/) [Jill Bolte Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-bolte-taylor/) > [My favorite definition of fear is: False Expectations Appearing Real](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-bolte-taylor/my-favorite-definition-of-fear-is-false-expectations-appearing-real/) [Jill Bolte Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-bolte-taylor/) > [“Although the statistics vary depending upon whom you ask, virtually everyone who is right handed (over 85% of the U.S. population) is left hemisphere…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-bolte-taylor/although-the-statistics-vary-depending-upon-whom-you-ask-virtually/) [Jill Bolte Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-bolte-taylor/) > [Although many of us may think of ourselves as thinking creatures that feel, biologically we are feeling creatures that think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-bolte-taylor/although-many-of-us-may-think-of-ourselves-as-thinking-creatures-that/) [Jill Bolte Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-bolte-taylor/) > [I really need people to take responsibility for the kind of energy they bring to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-bolte-taylor/i-really-need-people-to-take-responsibility-for-the-kind-of-energy/) [Jill Bolte Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-bolte-taylor/) > [For me, it's really easy to be kind to others when I remember that none of us came into this world with a manual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-bolte-taylor/for-me-it-s-really-easy-to-be-kind-to-others-when-i-remember-that/) [Jill Bolte Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-bolte-taylor/) > [chaos is the first step in the creative process.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-bolte-taylor/chaos-is-the-first-step-in-the-creative-process/) [Jill Bolte Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-bolte-taylor/) > [My stroke of insight would be: peace is only a thought away, and all we have to do to access it is silence the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-bolte-taylor/my-stroke-of-insight-would-be-peace-is-only-a-thought-away-and-all-we/) [Jill Bolte Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-bolte-taylor/) > [“Our visual field, the entire view of what we can see when we look out into the world, is divided into billions of tiny…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-bolte-taylor/our-visual-field-the-entire-view-of-what-we-can-see-when-we-look-out/) [Jill Bolte Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-bolte-taylor/) > [Then it crosses my mind, ‘But I’m a very busy woman! I don’t have time for a stroke!’](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-bolte-taylor/then-it-crosses-my-mind-but-i-m-a-very-busy-woman-i-don-t-have-time/) [Jill Bolte Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-bolte-taylor/) > [If I can choose who I am in the moment, then I can choose to come in as my left brain personality and all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-bolte-taylor/if-i-can-choose-who-i-am-in-the-moment-then-i-can-choose-to-come-in/) [Jill Bolte Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-bolte-taylor/) > [The two hemispheres of the brain are two very different places and they don't share any cell bodies. They are completely separate entities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-bolte-taylor/the-two-hemispheres-of-the-brain-are-two-very-different-places-and/) [Jill Bolte Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-bolte-taylor/) [Explore all 54 Jill Bolte Taylor quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-bolte-taylor/) ## More Always working quotes > [This is because fear and love are enemies. They come from two opposing kingdoms. Fear comes from the devil, who would like nothing more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-silk/this-is-because-fear-and-love-are-enemies-they-come-from-two-opposing/) [Danny Silk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-silk/) > [Emotional pain makes me want to isolate. Or hit back. It's very tough to rise above my natural inclinations. I'm always working on this.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-dane/emotional-pain-makes-me-want-to-isolate-or-hit-back-it-s-very-tough/) [Taylor Dane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-dane/) > [You're always working with the relationships. It's pretty demanding, but then again I love that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-noble/you-re-always-working-with-the-relationships-it-s-pretty-demanding/) [John Noble](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-noble/) > [I'm always working on lots of songs at once. For me it's very emotionally driven.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-brown/i-m-always-working-on-lots-of-songs-at-once-for-me-it-s-very/) [Kate Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-brown/) > [Every movie I make I find kind of excruciating. I get a lot back from it, but I feel like I'm kind of always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-williams/every-movie-i-make-i-find-kind-of-excruciating-i-get-a-lot-back-from/) [Michelle Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-williams/) > [I do not have a genetically "gifted" body. I have to work hard everyday and I am always working on maintaining a positive self…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-lyons/i-do-not-have-a-genetically-gifted-body-i-have-to-work-hard-everyday/) [Kim Lyons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-lyons/) > [I'm always working on a few different stories at once, so there's always some really big coffee table book I'm carrying around.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mo-rocca/i-m-always-working-on-a-few-different-stories-at-once-so-there-s/) [Mo Rocca](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mo-rocca/) > [I often tell people that I truly want the horse to be my feet and legs. I want to be an extension of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/buck-brannaman/i-often-tell-people-that-i-truly-want-the-horse-to-be-my-feet-and/) [Buck Brannaman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/buck-brannaman/) > [When I was in high school, my mom gave me a paperweight. It was when I was going through my 'not that interested in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-schull/when-i-was-in-high-school-my-mom-gave-me-a-paperweight-it-was-when-i/) [Amanda Schull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-schull/) > [I just love music, so that's what I'm always working on, and I try to say yes a lot. Maybe I'm more ambitious than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/britta-phillips/i-just-love-music-so-that-s-what-i-m-always-working-on-and-i-try-to/) [Britta Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/britta-phillips/) > [I'm always working on something. Addiction never gets any credit, always talked about as a total liability, and I'll admit that most of its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-mohr/i-m-always-working-on-something-addiction-never-gets-any-credit/) [Joshua Mohr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-mohr/) > [You always want to write the perfect song. But no one will ever write the perfect song, I guess. 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