--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: My short attention span has allowed me a…" description: "\"My short attention span has allowed me a life of diversity in work and place.\" — Maira Kalman" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f2f/maira-kalman-14477_allowed_my-short-attention-span-has-allowed-me-a_213367.jpg" --- # My short attention span has allowed me a life of diversity… ![“My short attention span has allowed me a life of diversity in work and place.” quote by Maira Kalman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f2f/maira-kalman-14477_allowed_my-short-attention-span-has-allowed-me-a_213367.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f2f/maira-kalman-14477_allowed_my-short-attention-span-has-allowed-me-a_213367.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f2f/maira-kalman-14477_allowed_my-short-attention-span-has-allowed-me-a_213367.jpg) > “My short attention span has allowed me a life of diversity in work and place.” [Maira Kalman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maira-kalman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker credits a brief focus for enabling varied experiences across jobs and locations. **In simple terms:** Short focus leads to diverse work and places. Key Takeaway Embrace varied experiences. Themes diversity career adaptability Mood reflective curious Type personal observational When to use this quote - job hunting - relocation - career change - networking Key Concepts attention span life design Questions to Reflect On - How does short attention shape your path? - Do you value breadth over depth? A Different Perspective May limit deep expertise in any single field. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Attention](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attention/) [Attention span](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attention-span/) [Diversity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/diversity/) [Focus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/focus/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Short attention spans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/short-attention-spans/) [Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work/) ## Related quotes > [I can sketch up a storm, and I'm very involved in how clothes are constructed, but I have a short attention span.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-kors/i-can-sketch-up-a-storm-and-i-m-very-involved-in-how-clothes-are/) [Michael Kors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-kors/) > [One of the great things about being an actor is it serves a short attention span, which is something I have.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allison-mack/one-of-the-great-things-about-being-an-actor-is-it-serves-a-short/) [Allison Mack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allison-mack/) > [But I quite like that the public has a very short attention span. If I haven't been on telly for a little bit, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/but-i-quite-like-that-the-public-has-a-very-short-attention-span-if-i/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It's not our fault our generation has short attention spans, Dad. We watch an appalling amount of TV.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yeardley-smith/it-s-not-our-fault-our-generation-has-short-attention-spans-dad-we/) [Yeardley Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yeardley-smith/) > [I'm not a long movie person. I have a very short attention span. If you give me a 90-minute movie, that's perfect. When it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/courteney-cox/i-m-not-a-long-movie-person-i-have-a-very-short-attention-span-if-you/) [Courteney Cox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/courteney-cox/) > [I guess I have a short attention span! I'm interested in new worlds, new universes, new challenges.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfonso-cuaron/i-guess-i-have-a-short-attention-span-i-m-interested-in-new-worlds/) [Alfonso Cuaron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfonso-cuaron/) > [Americans continue to suffer from a notoriously short attention span. They get mad as hell with reasonable frequency, but quickly return to their families…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-alterman/americans-continue-to-suffer-from-a-notoriously-short-attention-span/) [Eric Alterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-alterman/) > [A short attention span makes all of your perceptions and relationships shallow and unsatisfying.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/a-short-attention-span-makes-all-of-your-perceptions-and/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [Do you know why language manifests itself the way it does in my work? It's because I understand short attention spans.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kruger/do-you-know-why-language-manifests-itself-the-way-it-does-in-my-work/) [Barbara Kruger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kruger/) > [I want people to be drawn into the space of the work. And a lot of people are like me in that they have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kruger/i-want-people-to-be-drawn-into-the-space-of-the-work-and-a-lot-of/) [Barbara Kruger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kruger/) > [The ultimate pitch for an era of short attention spans begins with a single word - and doesn't go any further.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-h-pink/the-ultimate-pitch-for-an-era-of-short-attention-spans-begins-with-a/) [Daniel H. Pink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-h-pink/) > [Land of snap decisions, land of short attention spans, nothing is savored long enough to really understand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joni-mitchell/land-of-snap-decisions-land-of-short-attention-spans-nothing-is/) [Joni Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joni-mitchell/) > [I sometimes worry about my short attention span, but not for long.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herb-caen/i-sometimes-worry-about-my-short-attention-span-but-not-for-long/) [Herb Caen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herb-caen/) > [ I've heard people say that \[I have a short attention span\]. I don't feel I do, because when I'm interested in something I'll stay… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-quayle/i-ve-heard-people-say-that-i-have-a-short-attention-span-i-don-t-feel/) [Dan Quayle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-quayle/) > [As a reader, I have a very short attention span and a low tolerance for boredom, and I find that comes in handy with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-scalzi/as-a-reader-i-have-a-very-short-attention-span-and-a-low-tolerance/) [John Scalzi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-scalzi/) ## More by Maira Kalman > [Go out and walk. That is the glory of life,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maira-kalman/go-out-and-walk-that-is-the-glory-of-life/) [Maira Kalman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maira-kalman/) > [I don't listen to the news. I don't read the newspaper unless it's eccentric information - and the obituaries, of course.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maira-kalman/i-don-t-listen-to-the-news-i-don-t-read-the-newspaper-unless-it-s/) [Maira Kalman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maira-kalman/) > [I have been working for over 30 years and am always wondering about where I am and where I am going. It does not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maira-kalman/i-have-been-working-for-over-30-years-and-am-always-wondering-about/) [Maira Kalman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maira-kalman/) > [I still do have the little lunch bag that my mother made out of a towel and embroidered with my name on it for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maira-kalman/i-still-do-have-the-little-lunch-bag-that-my-mother-made-out-of-a/) [Maira Kalman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maira-kalman/) > [Every Monday morning is new hope.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maira-kalman/every-monday-morning-is-new-hope/) [Maira Kalman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maira-kalman/) > [We could speak about the meaning of life vis-a-vis non-consequential/deontological theories, apodictic transformation schemata, the incoherence of exemplification, metaphysical realism, Cartesian interactive dualism, revised…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maira-kalman/we-could-speak-about-the-meaning-of-life-vis-a-vis-non-consequential/) [Maira Kalman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maira-kalman/) > [Wonderful things happen when your brain is empty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maira-kalman/wonderful-things-happen-when-your-brain-is-empty/) [Maira Kalman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maira-kalman/) > [I have many questions, but no patience to think them through.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maira-kalman/i-have-many-questions-but-no-patience-to-think-them-through/) [Maira Kalman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maira-kalman/) > [I'm in a complete state of panic before I begin something because I'm sure that it's going to be a complete disaster. I'm going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maira-kalman/i-m-in-a-complete-state-of-panic-before-i-begin-something-because-i-m/) [Maira Kalman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maira-kalman/) > [I like the brooding man - a brooding man with a sense of humor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maira-kalman/i-like-the-brooding-man-a-brooding-man-with-a-sense-of-humor/) [Maira Kalman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maira-kalman/) > [You'd have to be completely crazy not to be influenced by and take from other artists. It's completely impossible not to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maira-kalman/you-d-have-to-be-completely-crazy-not-to-be-influenced-by-and-take/) [Maira Kalman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maira-kalman/) > [It is impossible to know what fate will bring. If you love to write or paint, you will keep on writing or painting, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maira-kalman/it-is-impossible-to-know-what-fate-will-bring-if-you-love-to-write-or/) [Maira Kalman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maira-kalman/) > [My dream is to walk around the world. A smallish backpack, all essentials neatly in place. A camera. A notebook. A traveling paint set.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maira-kalman/my-dream-is-to-walk-around-the-world-a-smallish-backpack-all/) [Maira Kalman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maira-kalman/) > [“The man stands behind the man. The seated man thinks, "For heaven's sake, stop standing behind me. You are driving me mad. It is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maira-kalman/the-man-stands-behind-the-man-the-seated-man-thinks-for-heaven-s-sake/) [Maira Kalman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maira-kalman/) > [The most inspiring objects are books. I have about 5,000 volumes in my home library. It's an unending source of visuals and ideas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maira-kalman/the-most-inspiring-objects-are-books-i-have-about-5-000-volumes-in-my/) [Maira Kalman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maira-kalman/) [Explore all 46 Maira Kalman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maira-kalman/) ## More Allowed quotes > [I just think that things should be allowed to run their course, and not turned into a Disney ride.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fiona-shaw/i-just-think-that-things-should-be-allowed-to-run-their-course-and/) [Fiona Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fiona-shaw/) > [There are certain things you must not say in spite of the fact that supposedly democracy means free speech. No. You are not allowed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-eubank-sr/there-are-certain-things-you-must-not-say-in-spite-of-the-fact-that/) [Chris Eubank Sr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-eubank-sr/) > [There aren't traditions of freedom in a place like Iraq. They're going to have to come to grips with a concept that they hadn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-wallop/there-aren-t-traditions-of-freedom-in-a-place-like-iraq-they-re-going/) [Malcolm Wallop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-wallop/) > [One of the mistakes I made was thinking chickens and penguins could sing, just like all the other animals in the 'Muppets.' But it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bret-mckenzie/one-of-the-mistakes-i-made-was-thinking-chickens-and-penguins-could/) [Bret McKenzie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bret-mckenzie/) > [I was allowed to believe things that weren't true and I would ask questions about them and talk about them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marjorie-taylor-greene/i-was-allowed-to-believe-things-that-weren-t-true-and-i-would-ask/) [Marjorie Taylor Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marjorie-taylor-greene/) > [I always wanted to make big action movies as a kid, and that was my dream. In a way, 'Swingers' was the thing I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-liman/i-always-wanted-to-make-big-action-movies-as-a-kid-and-that-was-my/) [Doug Liman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-liman/) > [For years, I had a top secret clearance and never left Russia. Just once did I go to Bulgaria with my wife for a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mikhail-kalashnikov/for-years-i-had-a-top-secret-clearance-and-never-left-russia-just/) [Mikhail Kalashnikov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mikhail-kalashnikov/) > [Keep in mind, I'm not allowed to be tough. I'm tamed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaquille-o-neal/keep-in-mind-i-m-not-allowed-to-be-tough-i-m-tamed/) [Shaquille O'Neal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaquille-o-neal/) > [As a child, we lived in flats, and I was never allowed pets.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-pigott-smith/as-a-child-we-lived-in-flats-and-i-was-never-allowed-pets/) [Tim Pigott-Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-pigott-smith/) > [I'm not allowed to date. My dad said so. Not until I'm, like, 90.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brooke-hogan/i-m-not-allowed-to-date-my-dad-said-so-not-until-i-m-like-90/) [Brooke Hogan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brooke-hogan/) > [I've grown up playing for some incredible coaches, and I don't think anybody's ever been as fortunate as I have in terms of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-brown/i-ve-grown-up-playing-for-some-incredible-coaches-and-i-don-t-think/) [Larry Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-brown/) > [I respect Chris Brown. I'd like to call myself a friend - I don't know if I'm allowed to do that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/drake/i-respect-chris-brown-i-d-like-to-call-myself-a-friend-i-don-t-know/) [Drake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/drake/) > [I was never bothered about my position in the industry. If I had believed in it, I wouldn't have allowed anyone to get ahead…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dharmendra/i-was-never-bothered-about-my-position-in-the-industry-if-i-had/) [Dharmendra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dharmendra/) > [My family, they're story tellers. My mom is Irish, and my dad is Italian. In my family, we weren't allowed to watch TV while…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meg-cabot/my-family-they-re-story-tellers-my-mom-is-irish-and-my-dad-is-italian/) [Meg Cabot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meg-cabot/) > [One should be allowed to choose one's burden.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-butts/one-should-be-allowed-to-choose-one-s-burden/) [Mary Butts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-butts/) Browse all 1,069 Allowed quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "My short attention span has allowed me a life of diversity in work and place.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Maira Kalman" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maira-kalman/my-short-attention-span-has-allowed-me-a-life-of-diversity-in-work/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Allowed" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maira-kalman/my-short-attention-span-has-allowed-me-a-life-of-diversity-in-work/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f2f/maira-kalman-14477_allowed_my-short-attention-span-has-allowed-me-a_213367.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f2f/maira-kalman-14477_allowed_my-short-attention-span-has-allowed-me-a_213367.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f2f/maira-kalman-14477_allowed_my-short-attention-span-has-allowed-me-a_213367.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“My short attention span has allowed me a life of diversity in work and place.” — Maira Kalman", "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": "Maira Kalman", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maira-kalman/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "My short attention span has allowed...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maira-kalman/my-short-attention-span-has-allowed-me-a-life-of-diversity-in-work/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maira-kalman/my-short-attention-span-has-allowed-me-a-life-of-diversity-in-work/#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 } } ] } ```