--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Very occasionally, if you pay really…" description: "\"Very occasionally, if you pay really close attention, life doesn't suck.\" — Joss Whedon" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3bc/joss-whedon-480_focus_very-occasionally-if-you-pay-really-clos_1429042.png" --- # Very occasionally, if you pay really close attention, life… ![“Very occasionally, if you pay really close attention, life doesn't suck.” quote by Joss Whedon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3bc/joss-whedon-480_focus_very-occasionally-if-you-pay-really-clos_1429042.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3bc/joss-whedon-480_focus_very-occasionally-if-you-pay-really-clos_1429042.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3bc/joss-whedon-480_focus_very-occasionally-if-you-pay-really-clos_1429042.png) > “Very occasionally, if you pay really close attention, life doesn't suck.” [Joss Whedon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joss-whedon/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Suggests that attentive observation can reveal life's hidden positives. **In simple terms:** Pay attention, life can be good. Key Takeaway Observe closely for joy. Themes perception optimism attention gratitude Mood hopeful inquisitive Type inspirational practical When to use this quote - commuting - work - relationships - healthcare Key Concepts cognitive psychology positive psychology Questions to Reflect On - Do you practice mindful observation? - How can you train yourself to notice more? A Different Perspective Not everyone notices subtle positives. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Attention Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attention-life-293949/) [Close Attention](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/close-attention-390176/) [Focus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/focus/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Life Doesn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-doesn/) [Occasionally](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/occasionally/) [Occasionally Pay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/occasionally-pay-5083370/) ## Related quotes > [In the deregulated realm of US banking and finance, crime does occasionally pay for its foul deeds, not in prison time but by making…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-greider/in-the-deregulated-realm-of-us-banking-and-finance-crime-does/) [William Greider](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-greider/) > [“I suppose that was an example of close attention to detail that is common to writers and artists. It is imperative, whether consciously or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-winder/i-suppose-that-was-an-example-of-close-attention-to-detail-that-is/) [Elizabeth Winder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-winder/) > [I've been striving for attention my whole life. Now I have it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-teter/i-ve-been-striving-for-attention-my-whole-life-now-i-have-it/) [Hannah Teter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-teter/) > [The object of convalescence ought to be to turn our attention to life: at other times, simply to our tasks!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/the-object-of-convalescence-ought-to-be-to-turn-our-attention-to-life/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [I know I'm not perfect.No ones perfect and I dont try to be. I know I'm not popular I dont want to be.I not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jasmine/i-know-i-m-not-perfect-no-ones-perfect-and-i-dont-try-to-be-i-know-i/) [Jasmine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jasmine/) > [My therapy has come from paying attention to my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oprah-winfrey/my-therapy-has-come-from-paying-attention-to-my-life/) [Oprah Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oprah-winfrey/) > [When you're doing a television series, unless you really pay attention to your life, it doesn't leave very much time for anything else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-tyler-moore/when-you-re-doing-a-television-series-unless-you-really-pay-attention/) [Mary Tyler Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-tyler-moore/) > [“REAL life isn’t ordered or chaotic – it’s both of these things at all times and depending on where we focus our attention or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oli-anderson/real-life-isn-t-ordered-or-chaotic-it-s-both-of-these-things-at-all/) [Oli Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oli-anderson/) > [Forget about your life situation and pay attention to your life. Your life situation exists in time. Your life is now. Your life situation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/forget-about-your-life-situation-and-pay-attention-to-your-life-your/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [Pay attention even to life's trifles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miyamoto-musashi/pay-attention-even-to-life-s-trifles/) [Miyamoto Musashi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miyamoto-musashi/) > [I want my fiction to feel real most of the time, so it makes sense to pay attention to life and to how people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-earls/i-want-my-fiction-to-feel-real-most-of-the-time-so-it-makes-sense-to/) [Nick Earls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-earls/) > [Only a deep attention to the whole of our life can bring us the capacity to love well and live freely.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kornfield/only-a-deep-attention-to-the-whole-of-our-life-can-bring-us-the/) [Jack Kornfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kornfield/) > [“Funny how a thing like that can be so damned important, but you don't know it's important until an instant later in the big…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-ryan-hyde/funny-how-a-thing-like-that-can-be-so-damned-important-but-you-don-t/) [Catherine Ryan Hyde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-ryan-hyde/) > [To see the preciousness of all things, we must bring our full attention to life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kornfield/to-see-the-preciousness-of-all-things-we-must-bring-our-full/) [Jack Kornfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kornfield/) > [“Whatever you give your attention to, you give life to.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashkan-safaei/whatever-you-give-your-attention-to-you-give-life-to/) [Ashkan Safaei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashkan-safaei/) ## More by Joss Whedon > [I do remember what I said. The promise. To protect her. If I'd done that ... even if I didn't make it, you wouldn't've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joss-whedon/i-do-remember-what-i-said-the-promise-to-protect-her-if-i-d-done-that/) [Joss Whedon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joss-whedon/) > [Every vampire fiction reinvents vampires to its own needs. You take what you want.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joss-whedon/every-vampire-fiction-reinvents-vampires-to-its-own-needs-you-take/) [Joss Whedon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joss-whedon/) > [When you're making a film, you have an obligation to fill the frame with life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joss-whedon/when-you-re-making-a-film-you-have-an-obligation-to-fill-the-frame/) [Joss Whedon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joss-whedon/) > [Everything we do really is just a little marker on the long road to death. And sometimes that’s overwhelmingly depressing to me, and sometimes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joss-whedon/everything-we-do-really-is-just-a-little-marker-on-the-long-road-to/) [Joss Whedon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joss-whedon/) > [At the end of the day I have many answers for it. It has to do with my mom, who was an extraordinary woman,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joss-whedon/at-the-end-of-the-day-i-have-many-answers-for-it-it-has-to-do-with-my/) [Joss Whedon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joss-whedon/) > [“Why aren’t you asking a hundred other guys why they don’t write strong women characters? I believe that what I’m doing should not be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joss-whedon/why-aren-t-you-asking-a-hundred-other-guys-why-they-don-t-write/) [Joss Whedon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joss-whedon/) > [People feel removed from sexism. 'I'm not a sexist, but I'm not a feminist.' They think there's this fuzzy middle ground. There's no fuzzy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joss-whedon/people-feel-removed-from-sexism-i-m-not-a-sexist-but-i-m-not-a/) [Joss Whedon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joss-whedon/) > [Even in the darkness, every color can be found. And every day of rain brings water flowing to things growing in the ground.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joss-whedon/even-in-the-darkness-every-color-can-be-found-and-every-day-of-rain/) [Joss Whedon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joss-whedon/) > [I never tire of the heroes that I knew growing up. The fun is not that much different from doing a television show: You're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joss-whedon/i-never-tire-of-the-heroes-that-i-knew-growing-up-the-fun-is-not-that/) [Joss Whedon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joss-whedon/) > [Don't just be yourself. Be all of your selves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joss-whedon/don-t-just-be-yourself-be-all-of-your-selves/) [Joss Whedon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joss-whedon/) > [I always watch what I say. I am what I say.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joss-whedon/i-always-watch-what-i-say-i-am-what-i-say/) [Joss Whedon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joss-whedon/) > [Remember to always be yourself. Unless you suck.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joss-whedon/remember-to-always-be-yourself-unless-you-suck/) [Joss Whedon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joss-whedon/) > [I've become less cynical, which is appalling but kind of cool.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joss-whedon/i-ve-become-less-cynical-which-is-appalling-but-kind-of-cool/) [Joss Whedon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joss-whedon/) > [“Xander: It could be witches, some evil witches, which is ridiculous cause witched they were persecuted, women power, love the eatrh, and I'll be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joss-whedon/xander-it-could-be-witches-some-evil-witches-which-is-ridiculous/) [Joss Whedon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joss-whedon/) > [There's a lot of anger in the Twitter-verse, as I've discovered. But there's a lot of love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joss-whedon/there-s-a-lot-of-anger-in-the-twitter-verse-as-i-ve-discovered-but/) [Joss Whedon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joss-whedon/) [Explore all 529 Joss Whedon quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joss-whedon/) ## 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": "Very occasionally, if you pay really close attention, life doesn't suck.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Joss Whedon" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joss-whedon/very-occasionally-if-you-pay-really-close-attention-life-doesn-t-suck/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Focus" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joss-whedon/very-occasionally-if-you-pay-really-close-attention-life-doesn-t-suck/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3bc/joss-whedon-480_focus_very-occasionally-if-you-pay-really-clos_1429042.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3bc/joss-whedon-480_focus_very-occasionally-if-you-pay-really-clos_1429042.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3bc/joss-whedon-480_focus_very-occasionally-if-you-pay-really-clos_1429042.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Very occasionally, if you pay really close attention, life doesn't suck.” — Joss Whedon", "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": "Joss Whedon", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joss-whedon/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Very occasionally, if you pay really...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joss-whedon/very-occasionally-if-you-pay-really-close-attention-life-doesn-t-suck/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joss-whedon/very-occasionally-if-you-pay-really-close-attention-life-doesn-t-suck/#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 } } ] } ```