--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Look! Look! If you look really hard at…" description: "\"Look! Look! If you look really hard at things you'll forget you're going to die.\" — Montgomery Clift" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aa1/montgomery-clift-30539_dies_look-look-if-you-look-really-hard-at-thi_709728.jpg" --- # Look! Look! If you look really hard at things you'll… ![“Look! Look! If you look really hard at things you'll forget you're going to die.” quote by Montgomery Clift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aa1/montgomery-clift-30539_dies_look-look-if-you-look-really-hard-at-thi_709728.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aa1/montgomery-clift-30539_dies_look-look-if-you-look-really-hard-at-thi_709728.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aa1/montgomery-clift-30539_dies_look-look-if-you-look-really-hard-at-thi_709728.jpg) > “Look! Look! If you look really hard at things you'll forget you're going to die.” [Montgomery Clift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/montgomery-clift/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Intense focus on something can distract you from the inevitability of death, highlighting how attention shapes perception. **In simple terms:** Focus can mask mortality. Key Takeaway Be aware of what you focus on. Themes philosophy perception mortality Mood thoughtful somber Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - art criticism - personal reflection - meditation Key Concepts attention existential awareness Questions to Reflect On - What do you ignore when focused? - How does awareness of death change priorities? A Different Perspective Over‑focus may lead to avoidance of reality. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Hard things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hard-things/) ## Related quotes > [“Since when do you look out for me? You really have grown up." "Had to happen sometime," I say.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-newell/since-when-do-you-look-out-for-me-you-really-have-grown-up-had-to/) [Ashley Newell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-newell/) > [I look at myself as someone who's really true to the sneaker culture.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-tucker/i-look-at-myself-as-someone-who-s-really-true-to-the-sneaker-culture/) [P. J. Tucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-tucker/) > [Okay, you just look really official. And you know if I ask you if you're a cop, and you are cop, you have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/due-date/okay-you-just-look-really-official-and-you-know-if-i-ask-you-if-you/) Due Date > [Kids look up to me, and it's really incredible to be in that position.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/corbin-bleu/kids-look-up-to-me-and-it-s-really-incredible-to-be-in-that-position/) [Corbin Bleu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/corbin-bleu/) > [You know I'm not perfect so please don't look down on me, because if that's what I have to be then you really don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-know-i-m-not-perfect-so-please-don-t-look-down-on-me-because-if/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Be prepared for negative responses sometimes. It doesn't have anything to do with you. It's just sometimes you're not the right look, or you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bailee-madison/be-prepared-for-negative-responses-sometimes-it-doesn-t-have-anything/) [Bailee Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bailee-madison/) > [Look beyond what you see to find what's really there as nothing is as it appears to be!!…WORD](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kostallanetz-evans/look-beyond-what-you-see-to-find-what-s-really-there-as-nothing-is-as/) [Kostallanetz Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kostallanetz-evans/) > [When one of us says 'look, there is nothing out there,' what we are really saying is, 'I cannot see'.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-tempest-williams/when-one-of-us-says-look-there-is-nothing-out-there-what-we-are/) [Terry Tempest Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-tempest-williams/) > [To succeed, you have to do something and be very bad at it for a while. 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Let go of the worries and anxieties and judgments, and see the beauty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-marston/look-really-look-at-how-beautiful-this-day-is-let-go-of-the-worries/) [Ralph Marston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-marston/) > [“Why do you want to see her thing? Don't you have yours to look at if you really want to see one?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noviolet-bulawayo/why-do-you-want-to-see-her-thing-don-t-you-have-yours-to-look-at-if/) [NoViolet Bulawayo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noviolet-bulawayo/) ## More by Montgomery Clift > [The thing that bugs me is the average woman's complete ignorance of the functional purpose of cosmetics, which is to supplement, not conceal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/montgomery-clift/the-thing-that-bugs-me-is-the-average-woman-s-complete-ignorance-of/) [Montgomery Clift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/montgomery-clift/) > [If a man don't go his own way, he is nothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/montgomery-clift/if-a-man-don-t-go-his-own-way-he-is-nothing/) [Montgomery Clift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/montgomery-clift/) > [The only line that's wrong in Shakespeare is 'holding a mirror up to nature.' You hold a magnifying glass up to nature. As an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/montgomery-clift/the-only-line-that-s-wrong-in-shakespeare-is-holding-a-mirror-up-to/) [Montgomery Clift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/montgomery-clift/) > [Look, I'm not odd. I'm just trying to be an actor; not a movie star, an actor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/montgomery-clift/look-i-m-not-odd-i-m-just-trying-to-be-an-actor-not-a-movie-star-an/) [Montgomery Clift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/montgomery-clift/) > [Failure and its accompanying misery is for the artist his most vital source of creative energy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/montgomery-clift/failure-and-its-accompanying-misery-is-for-the-artist-his-most-vital/) [Montgomery Clift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/montgomery-clift/) > [The sadness of our existence should not leave us blunted, on the contrary--how to remain thin-skinned, vulnerable and stay alive?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/montgomery-clift/the-sadness-of-our-existence-should-not-leave-us-blunted-on-the/) [Montgomery Clift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/montgomery-clift/) > [Look, if you're playing Romeo and your Juliet is a pig, you find something you can love about pigs!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/montgomery-clift/look-if-you-re-playing-romeo-and-your-juliet-is-a-pig-you-find/) [Montgomery Clift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/montgomery-clift/) > [Nobody ever lies about being lonely.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/montgomery-clift/nobody-ever-lies-about-being-lonely/) [Montgomery Clift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/montgomery-clift/) > [The closer we come to the negative, to death, the more we blossom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/montgomery-clift/the-closer-we-come-to-the-negative-to-death-the-more-we-blossom/) [Montgomery Clift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/montgomery-clift/) > [A man should be what he can do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/montgomery-clift/a-man-should-be-what-he-can-do/) [Montgomery Clift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/montgomery-clift/) > [I have the same problem as Marilyn. We attract people the way honey does bees, but they're generally the wrong kind of people. People…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/montgomery-clift/i-have-the-same-problem-as-marilyn-we-attract-people-the-way-honey/) [Montgomery Clift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/montgomery-clift/) > [I don't want to be labeled as either a pansy or a heterosexual. Labeling is so self-limiting. We are what we do - not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/montgomery-clift/i-don-t-want-to-be-labeled-as-either-a-pansy-or-a-heterosexual/) [Montgomery Clift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/montgomery-clift/) > [James Dean’s death had a profound effect on me. The instant I heard about it, I vomited. I don’t know why,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/montgomery-clift/james-dean-s-death-had-a-profound-effect-on-me-the-instant-i-heard/) [Montgomery Clift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/montgomery-clift/) > [I have enough money to get by. I'm not independently wealthy, just independently lazy, I suppose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/montgomery-clift/i-have-enough-money-to-get-by-i-m-not-independently-wealthy-just/) [Montgomery Clift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/montgomery-clift/) > [I keep my family out of my public life because it can be an awful nuisance to them. What's my mother going to tell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/montgomery-clift/i-keep-my-family-out-of-my-public-life-because-it-can-be-an-awful/) [Montgomery Clift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/montgomery-clift/) [Explore all 17 Montgomery Clift quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/montgomery-clift/) ## More Dies quotes > [Most of us are convinced that we are our egos, which is who we think we are. The ego is part of our incarnation.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ram-dass/most-of-us-are-convinced-that-we-are-our-egos-which-is-who-we-think/) [Ram Dass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ram-dass/) > [ I'll smoke, I'll cough, I'll get the tumors, I'll die, deal? Thank you America. \[salutes\] ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hicks/i-ll-smoke-i-ll-cough-i-ll-get-the-tumors-i-ll-die-deal-thank-you/) [Bill Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hicks/) > [Don't even think for a moment that you are not going to die.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dzongsar-jamyang-khyentse-rinpoche/don-t-even-think-for-a-moment-that-you-are-not-going-to-die/) [Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse Rinpoche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dzongsar-jamyang-khyentse-rinpoche/) > [Set NOT your hearts on the flowers of this world. They shall fade and die. Prize the Rose of Sharon and the Lily of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/set-not-your-hearts-on-the-flowers-of-this-world-they-shall-fade-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Violence is not necessary to destroy a civilization. Each civilization dies from indifference toward the unique values which created it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-gomez-davila/violence-is-not-necessary-to-destroy-a-civilization-each-civilization/) [Nicolas Gomez Davila](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-gomez-davila/) > [I wonder: when a Jehovah's Witness dies and goes to Heaven, does God hide behind the door and pretend He's not home?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-celio/i-wonder-when-a-jehovah-s-witness-dies-and-goes-to-heaven-does-god/) [Brian Celio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-celio/) > [Certainly, it is. Love is love, and loss is loss. We all love, and we all die, and everyone suffers the pain of grieving.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynsay-sands/certainly-it-is-love-is-love-and-loss-is-loss-we-all-love-and-we-all/) [Lynsay Sands](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynsay-sands/) > [“When he stops giving you butterflies, Love dies.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-blanchard/when-he-stops-giving-you-butterflies-love-dies/) Michelle Blanchard > [That old man dies prematurely whose memory records no benefits conferred. They only have lived long who have lived virtuously.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-brinsley-sheridan/that-old-man-dies-prematurely-whose-memory-records-no-benefits/) [Richard Brinsley Sheridan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-brinsley-sheridan/) > [I don't want to just die a normal death, I wanna be killed twice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eminem/i-don-t-want-to-just-die-a-normal-death-i-wanna-be-killed-twice/) [Eminem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eminem/) > [My father thrives on fear. You know that prayer If I should die before I wake? I had sheets that said that!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-titus/my-father-thrives-on-fear-you-know-that-prayer-if-i-should-die-before/) [Christopher Titus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-titus/) > [For the glory born of Goodness Never dies, And its flag is not half-masted In the skies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bret-harte/for-the-glory-born-of-goodness-never-dies-and-its-flag-is-not-half/) [Bret Harte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bret-harte/) > [This mind is a prison. It cannot find any freedom anywhere. It must die before freedom comes to you. But we have taken the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/this-mind-is-a-prison-it-cannot-find-any-freedom-anywhere-it-must-die/) [Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/) > [An artist's creative energy is ephemeral as a flower. It blooms and soon dies. No artist is great forever. Personally, I think I reached…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-ki-duk/an-artist-s-creative-energy-is-ephemeral-as-a-flower-it-blooms-and/) [Kim Ki-duk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-ki-duk/) > [If you’re going to die on screen, you’ve got to be strong and in good health.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greta-garbo/if-you-re-going-to-die-on-screen-you-ve-got-to-be-strong-and-in-good/) [Greta Garbo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greta-garbo/) Browse all 7,484 Dies quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Look! Look! 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