--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: But if you keep focusing on why you have…" description: "\"“But if you keep focusing on why you have it so bad, you'll never realise how you could have it so good.”\" — John Green" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/415/john-green-12_focus_but-if-you-keep-focusing-on-why-you-have_1254887.jpg" --- # But if you keep focusing on why you have it so bad, you'll… ![“But if you keep focusing on why you have it so bad, you'll never realise how you could have it so good.” quote by John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/415/john-green-12_focus_but-if-you-keep-focusing-on-why-you-have_1254887.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/415/john-green-12_focus_but-if-you-keep-focusing-on-why-you-have_1254887.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/415/john-green-12_focus_but-if-you-keep-focusing-on-why-you-have_1254887.jpg) > ““But if you keep focusing on why you have it so bad, you'll never realise how you could have it so good.”” [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Focusing on lack blinds you to existing blessings and possibilities. **In simple terms:** Negativity hides good things. Key Takeaway Shift focus to gratitude. Themes gratitude mindset optimism Mood reflective hopeful Type motivational philosophical When to use this quote - personal growth - career planning - relationships - health - finance Key Concepts cognitive bias psychology Questions to Reflect On - What good aspects are you overlooking? - How can you reframe scarcity into abundance? A Different Perspective Neglecting challenges can limit improvement. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Focus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/focus/) ## Related quotes > [“Stop focusing on the bad stuff because life is too damn short.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-elkeles/stop-focusing-on-the-bad-stuff-because-life-is-too-damn-short/) [Simone Elkeles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-elkeles/) > [Stop focusing on the bad things about you. There are good things about you too, and that's what you should be focusing on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonya-parker/stop-focusing-on-the-bad-things-about-you-there-are-good-things-about/) [Sonya Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonya-parker/) > [If you keep focusing on the bad things that have happened to you you're going to miss out on the good things that could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonya-parker/if-you-keep-focusing-on-the-bad-things-that-have-happened-to-you-you/) [SONYA PARKER](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonya-parker/) > [Be with some1 who knows exatly what they have when they have you, not some1 who'll realise it , when they have LOST U...!!!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronak-gurung/be-with-some1-who-knows-exatly-what-they-have-when-they-have-you-not/) [Ronak Gurung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronak-gurung/) > [If you think there's so much out there, more than I'm giving to you, I'll bet you try it out, when you do, then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blaze-olamiday/if-you-think-there-s-so-much-out-there-more-than-i-m-giving-to-you-i/) [Blaze Olamiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blaze-olamiday/) > [I'm here hoping that one day you'll realise..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/magdalyn/i-m-here-hoping-that-one-day-you-ll-realise/) [Magdalyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/magdalyn/) > [Sometimes I stop, take a step back, and realise how good I've got it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/buddy-murphy/sometimes-i-stop-take-a-step-back-and-realise-how-good-i-ve-got-it/) [Buddy Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/buddy-murphy/) > [Sometimes when you're around a side you don't realise how good they are until you go away from home and they are a very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nasser-hussain/sometimes-when-you-re-around-a-side-you-don-t-realise-how-good-they/) [Nasser Hussain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nasser-hussain/) > [It might take a while but eventually you'll realise the good in goodbye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tamika-leeigh/it-might-take-a-while-but-eventually-you-ll-realise-the-good-in/) [Tamika-leeigh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tamika-leeigh/) > [When you see the industry's fickleness so early on, you realise that you are only as good as your last release. It is all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anushka-sharma/when-you-see-the-industry-s-fickleness-so-early-on-you-realise-that/) [Anushka Sharma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anushka-sharma/) > [It is important to know for yourself if you're mentally right; if you're ready, nobody can stop you. That is the thing that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthijs-de-ligt/it-is-important-to-know-for-yourself-if-you-re-mentally-right-if-you/) [Matthijs de Ligt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthijs-de-ligt/) > [ “\[...\] over the years I’ve seen so many otherwise “good” people doing horrible things to each other – husbands strangling cheating wives, brothers protecting… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-cole/over-the-years-i-ve-seen-so-many-otherwise-good-people-doing-horrible/) [Daniel Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-cole/) > [Try to help people rather than focusing on what's in it for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-brogan/try-to-help-people-rather-than-focusing-on-what-s-in-it-for-me/) [Chris Brogan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-brogan/) > [Now I am just focusing on my daughter, my wife, religion, and training.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonny-bill-williams/now-i-am-just-focusing-on-my-daughter-my-wife-religion-and-training/) [Sonny Bill Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonny-bill-williams/) > [Focusing on the long term and building a great product that is scalable ultimately leads to a great company.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-sherman/focusing-on-the-long-term-and-building-a-great-product-that-is/) Craig Sherman ## More by John Green > [Issac:"I dislike living in a world without Augustus Waters." Computer: "I don't understand-" Issac: "Me neither. Pause](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/issac-i-dislike-living-in-a-world-without-augustus-waters-computer-i/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [“I just want to stay away from people and read books and think”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/i-just-want-to-stay-away-from-people-and-read-books-and-think/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [She smiled with all the delight of a kid on Christmas morning and said, "Y'all smoke to enjoy it. I smoke to die." -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/she-smiled-with-all-the-delight-of-a-kid-on-christmas-morning-and/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [A Margo for each of us--and each more mirror than window.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/a-margo-for-each-of-us-and-each-more-mirror-than-window/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [“No one ever says good-bye unless they want to see you again.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/no-one-ever-says-good-bye-unless-they-want-to-see-you-again/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [Neither novels or their readers benefit from any attempts to divine whether any facts hide inside a story. Such efforts attack the very idea…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/neither-novels-or-their-readers-benefit-from-any-attempts-to-divine/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [“Traffic's not too bad on Sheridan, and I'm cornering the car like it's the Indy 500, and we're listening to my favorite NMH song,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/traffic-s-not-too-bad-on-sheridan-and-i-m-cornering-the-car-like-it-s/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [“Praise God for good nurses.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/praise-god-for-good-nurses/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [So I was ugly. I was never fat, really, and I never wore headgear or had zits or anything. But I was ugly. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/so-i-was-ugly-i-was-never-fat-really-and-i-never-wore-headgear-or-had/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [Nothing has ever looked like that ever in all of human history.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/nothing-has-ever-looked-like-that-ever-in-all-of-human-history/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [“said to him quietly, as if I couldn’t hear or something. Dad was about to respond but I interrupted.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/said-to-him-quietly-as-if-i-couldn-t-hear-or-something-dad-was-about/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [I believe humans have souls, and I believe in the conservation of souls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/i-believe-humans-have-souls-and-i-believe-in-the-conservation-of-souls/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [“He was hot. A nonhotboy stares at you relentlessly and it is, at best, awkward and, at worst, a form of assault. But a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/he-was-hot-a-nonhotboy-stares-at-you-relentlessly-and-it-is-at-best/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [I think if you keep the box closed long enough you do kill the cat, actually.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/i-think-if-you-keep-the-box-closed-long-enough-you-do-kill-the-cat/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [Imagining the future is a kind of nostalgia. (...) You spend your whole life stuck in the labyrinth, thinking about how you'll escape it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/imagining-the-future-is-a-kind-of-nostalgia-you-spend-your-whole-life/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) [Explore all 3,614 John Green quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) ## More Focus quotes > [If you take your eye off the ball or lose focus for even a minute you can lose a game against any team.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/felipe-anderson/if-you-take-your-eye-off-the-ball-or-lose-focus-for-even-a-minute-you/) [Felipe Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/felipe-anderson/) > [Music is a job, but I figured out ways to get my mind into a place where I could be creative. I actually discovered…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/flume/music-is-a-job-but-i-figured-out-ways-to-get-my-mind-into-a-place/) [Flume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/flume/) > [“If you're focused, you can't get bored.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alin-sav/if-you-re-focused-you-can-t-get-bored/) [Alin Sav](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alin-sav/) > [There are more important things to focus on in life than how you look.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arden-cho/there-are-more-important-things-to-focus-on-in-life-than-how-you-look/) [Arden Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arden-cho/) > [Focus on becoming more to achieve more while doing less](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hal-elrod/focus-on-becoming-more-to-achieve-more-while-doing-less/) [Hal Elrod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hal-elrod/) > [I don't think about the press or the crowds or the other leaders of the race. The focus is only on myself. As soon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/magdalena-neuner/i-don-t-think-about-the-press-or-the-crowds-or-the-other-leaders-of/) [Magdalena Neuner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/magdalena-neuner/) > [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/) > [I think I've had the longest career of strength, focus, and still being able to sell records. I think I'm that guy. I'm still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nas/i-think-i-ve-had-the-longest-career-of-strength-focus-and-still-being/) [Nas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nas/) > [“This is Galileo,” said Aristotle. “He advocates understanding the world through observation and experiment. He is an unimaginative thinker, but his results demand our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liu-cixin/this-is-galileo-said-aristotle-he-advocates-understanding-the-world/) [Liu Cixin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liu-cixin/) > [Too many times we flitter our energy into too many goals and in the process don't achieve much. Focus is very important in life.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vaishali-kasture/too-many-times-we-flitter-our-energy-into-too-many-goals-and-in-the/) [Vaishali Kasture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vaishali-kasture/) > [If you ask another competitor, they may tell you they felt very competitive towards me. But I can tell you that my biggest competition…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-kwan/if-you-ask-another-competitor-they-may-tell-you-they-felt-very/) [Michelle Kwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-kwan/) > [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/) > [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/) > [All I'm focused on is playing my game. Everything else will take care of itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grigor-dimitrov/all-i-m-focused-on-is-playing-my-game-everything-else-will-take-care/) [Grigor Dimitrov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grigor-dimitrov/) > [Focus on being productive instead of busy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-ferriss/focus-on-being-productive-instead-of-busy/) [Tim Ferriss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-ferriss/) [Browse all 11,734 Focus quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/focus/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“But if you keep focusing on why you have it so bad, you'll never realise how you could have it so good.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Green" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/but-if-you-keep-focusing-on-why-you-have-it-so-bad-you-ll-never/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Focus" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/but-if-you-keep-focusing-on-why-you-have-it-so-bad-you-ll-never/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/415/john-green-12_focus_but-if-you-keep-focusing-on-why-you-have_1254887.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/415/john-green-12_focus_but-if-you-keep-focusing-on-why-you-have_1254887.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/415/john-green-12_focus_but-if-you-keep-focusing-on-why-you-have_1254887.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“But if you keep focusing on why you have it so bad, you'll never realise how you could have it so good.” — John Green", "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": "John Green", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“But if you keep focusing on...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/but-if-you-keep-focusing-on-why-you-have-it-so-bad-you-ll-never/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/but-if-you-keep-focusing-on-why-you-have-it-so-bad-you-ll-never/#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 } } ] } ```