--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Your attention is the very oxygen your…" description: "\"“Your attention is the very oxygen your enemies need to feed their pride.”\" — Mwanandeke Kindembo" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9a2/mwanandeke-kindembo-1107_attention-quotes_your-attention-is-the-very-oxygen-your-e_1749393.jpg" --- # Your attention is the very oxygen your enemies need to… ![“Your attention is the very oxygen your enemies need to feed their pride.” quote by Mwanandeke Kindembo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9a2/mwanandeke-kindembo-1107_attention-quotes_your-attention-is-the-very-oxygen-your-e_1749393.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9a2/mwanandeke-kindembo-1107_attention-quotes_your-attention-is-the-very-oxygen-your-e_1749393.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9a2/mwanandeke-kindembo-1107_attention-quotes_your-attention-is-the-very-oxygen-your-e_1749393.jpg) > ““Your attention is the very oxygen your enemies need to feed their pride.”” [Mwanandeke Kindembo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mwanandeke-kindembo/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Dividing attention fuels opponents' confidence; focus can empower them. **In simple terms:** Giving attention to enemies strengthens them. Key Takeaway Guard your focus. Themes leadership psychology conflict Mood cautious strategic Type advisory motivational When to use this quote - negotiations - public speaking - personal boundaries Key Concepts attention management ego dynamics Questions to Reflect On - When do you give undue attention to adversaries? - How can you redirect focus constructively? A Different Perspective Attention is a finite resource; misallocation can be costly. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Attention](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attention/) [Attention Oxygen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attention-oxygen-1592850/) [Attention-quotes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attention-quotes/) [Doubt-quotes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doubt-quotes/) [Enemies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enemies/) [Enemies Need](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enemies-need-1348110/) [Enemy-quotes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enemy-quotes/) [Experience-quotes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/experience-quotes/) [Focus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/focus/) [Freedom quotes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom-quotes/) [Genius-quotes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/genius-quotes/) [Illumination-quotes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/illumination-quotes/) [Oxygen Enemies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/oxygen-enemies-1592851/) [Philosophy-quotes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophy-quotes/) [Pride](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pride/) [Pride-quotes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pride-quotes/) [Willpower-quotes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/willpower-quotes/) ## Related quotes > [“There is nothing beneficial in pride, simply because too much of it will lead to arrogance and tyranny.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mwanandeke-kindembo/there-is-nothing-beneficial-in-pride-simply-because-too-much-of-it/) [Mwanandeke Kindembo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mwanandeke-kindembo/) > [“Only the leaders and famous people will be remembered. The rest will be like pieces on the chessboard.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mwanandeke-kindembo/only-the-leaders-and-famous-people-will-be-remembered-the-rest-will/) [Mwanandeke Kindembo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mwanandeke-kindembo/) > [“Fate or the universe has a way of balancing the scales: the poor rise and the rich fall. Yet God never allows both to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mwanandeke-kindembo/fate-or-the-universe-has-a-way-of-balancing-the-scales-the-poor-rise/) [Mwanandeke Kindembo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mwanandeke-kindembo/) > [“My enemies study my every step with more focus than my friends ever will.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mwanandeke-kindembo/my-enemies-study-my-every-step-with-more-focus-than-my-friends-ever/) [Mwanandeke Kindembo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mwanandeke-kindembo/) > [“The genius is introverted and perhaps half-hearted. He lacks the will-power to face the real world.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mwanandeke-kindembo/the-genius-is-introverted-and-perhaps-half-hearted-he-lacks-the-will/) [Mwanandeke Kindembo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mwanandeke-kindembo/) > [“Only those born without a destiny line upon their palm are called to carve their future with their own hands.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mwanandeke-kindembo/only-those-born-without-a-destiny-line-upon-their-palm-are-called-to/) [Mwanandeke Kindembo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mwanandeke-kindembo/) > [“Self-doubt is the only metal door that keeps you from achieving greatness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mwanandeke-kindembo/self-doubt-is-the-only-metal-door-that-keeps-you-from-achieving/) [Mwanandeke Kindembo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mwanandeke-kindembo/) > [“Whenever I criticise someone it is only to illuminate the minds of those individuals who are following things blindly without questioning them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mwanandeke-kindembo/whenever-i-criticise-someone-it-is-only-to-illuminate-the-minds-of/) [Mwanandeke Kindembo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mwanandeke-kindembo/) > [“Every illuminated head deserves to wear a crown.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mwanandeke-kindembo/every-illuminated-head-deserves-to-wear-a-crown/) [Mwanandeke Kindembo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mwanandeke-kindembo/) > [“My philosophical reasoning doesn’t allow me to humiliate, but to illuminate only.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mwanandeke-kindembo/my-philosophical-reasoning-doesn-t-allow-me-to-humiliate-but-to/) [Mwanandeke Kindembo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mwanandeke-kindembo/) > [“Death has no winner or loser, all must obey its final orders at the end of the day.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mwanandeke-kindembo/death-has-no-winner-or-loser-all-must-obey-its-final-orders-at-the/) [Mwanandeke Kindembo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mwanandeke-kindembo/) > [“Instead of the unity of worshiping one Supreme God, they sought division, the trinity. Here come the greatest mathematicians of all time, not three…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mwanandeke-kindembo/instead-of-the-unity-of-worshiping-one-supreme-god-they-sought/) [Mwanandeke Kindembo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mwanandeke-kindembo/) > [“Wisdom or personal experience surpasses all books and the knowledge they provide.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mwanandeke-kindembo/wisdom-or-personal-experience-surpasses-all-books-and-the-knowledge/) [Mwanandeke Kindembo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mwanandeke-kindembo/) > [“Where belief prevails over experience, doubt is also present.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mwanandeke-kindembo/where-belief-prevails-over-experience-doubt-is-also-present/) [Mwanandeke Kindembo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mwanandeke-kindembo/) > [“My vision is to illuminate the minds and cast aside ignorance in any form that it may presence itself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mwanandeke-kindembo/my-vision-is-to-illuminate-the-minds-and-cast-aside-ignorance-in-any/) [Mwanandeke Kindembo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mwanandeke-kindembo/) ## More by Mwanandeke Kindembo > [“In school you are taught to obey and not to think straight for your own good. Otherwise the world would be full of millionaires…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mwanandeke-kindembo/in-school-you-are-taught-to-obey-and-not-to-think-straight-for-your/) [Mwanandeke Kindembo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mwanandeke-kindembo/) > [“I understand that you are claiming it is almost impossible to forgive, but only easier to forget. The truth is that, you can only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mwanandeke-kindembo/i-understand-that-you-are-claiming-it-is-almost-impossible-to-forgive/) [Mwanandeke Kindembo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mwanandeke-kindembo/) > [“I admire all the great people who have dedicated their free time to helping humanity move forward.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mwanandeke-kindembo/i-admire-all-the-great-people-who-have-dedicated-their-free-time-to/) [Mwanandeke Kindembo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mwanandeke-kindembo/) > [“Transition or transformation are the correct and softest words to describe death.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mwanandeke-kindembo/transition-or-transformation-are-the-correct-and-softest-words-to/) [Mwanandeke Kindembo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mwanandeke-kindembo/) > [“Citizen depression has always been the fuel of all marketing strategies throughout the ages.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mwanandeke-kindembo/citizen-depression-has-always-been-the-fuel-of-all-marketing/) [Mwanandeke Kindembo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mwanandeke-kindembo/) > [“When monks deny the existence of the I, they are not denying the existence of humanity or of man in general; but that of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mwanandeke-kindembo/when-monks-deny-the-existence-of-the-i-they-are-not-denying-the/) [Mwanandeke Kindembo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mwanandeke-kindembo/) > [“Politics is a matter of desires and personal feelings or emotions, only parliament tries to bring reason into the state.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mwanandeke-kindembo/politics-is-a-matter-of-desires-and-personal-feelings-or-emotions/) [Mwanandeke Kindembo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mwanandeke-kindembo/) > [“Necessity is simply a prioritised task, while choices are usually unnecessary and playful in nature.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mwanandeke-kindembo/necessity-is-simply-a-prioritised-task-while-choices-are-usually/) [Mwanandeke Kindembo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mwanandeke-kindembo/) > [“If our people truly believed someone had already died for their sins, none would have dared die for our independence.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mwanandeke-kindembo/if-our-people-truly-believed-someone-had-already-died-for-their-sins/) [Mwanandeke Kindembo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mwanandeke-kindembo/) > [“I don't usually read popular books. Because I know how powerful promotion can be. Most of the time, the great books are hidden from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mwanandeke-kindembo/i-don-t-usually-read-popular-books-because-i-know-how-powerful/) [Mwanandeke Kindembo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mwanandeke-kindembo/) > [“In reality, you don't become happy because of your appearance. Instead, you might gain confidence from it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mwanandeke-kindembo/in-reality-you-don-t-become-happy-because-of-your-appearance-instead/) [Mwanandeke Kindembo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mwanandeke-kindembo/) > [“There is only one giver and that is God. Even the laws of gravity justify this concept. Therefore, God always gives us without expecting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mwanandeke-kindembo/there-is-only-one-giver-and-that-is-god-even-the-laws-of-gravity/) [Mwanandeke Kindembo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mwanandeke-kindembo/) > [“In the case of seeking knowledge, don't do it to brag and don't give up because you think you are not worthy of becoming…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mwanandeke-kindembo/in-the-case-of-seeking-knowledge-don-t-do-it-to-brag-and-don-t-give/) [Mwanandeke Kindembo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mwanandeke-kindembo/) > [“We can all create through imagination, but our reality is often blocked by our doubts.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mwanandeke-kindembo/we-can-all-create-through-imagination-but-our-reality-is-often/) [Mwanandeke Kindembo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mwanandeke-kindembo/) > [“The advice to love yourself may sound beautiful to the ear, but it was the only sin committed by the first narcissist.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mwanandeke-kindembo/the-advice-to-love-yourself-may-sound-beautiful-to-the-ear-but-it-was/) [Mwanandeke Kindembo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mwanandeke-kindembo/) [Explore all 291 Mwanandeke Kindembo quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mwanandeke-kindembo/) ## More Attention quotes > [It appears to me that one great cause of our difference in opinion on subjects which we often discuss is that you have always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ricardo/it-appears-to-me-that-one-great-cause-of-our-difference-in-opinion-on/) [David Ricardo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ricardo/) > [People pay far too much attention to the television and they're quite literal in some ways. At the beginning, when I was playing very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ardal-o-hanlon/people-pay-far-too-much-attention-to-the-television-and-they-re-quite/) [Ardal O'Hanlon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ardal-o-hanlon/) > [Television, radio, social media. The 24/7 news cycle plows forward mercilessly on our desks, in our cars and in our pockets. Thousands and thousands…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-prince/television-radio-social-media-the-24-7-news-cycle-plows-forward/) [Joseph Prince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-prince/) > [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/) > [Our inventions are wont to be pretty toys, which distract our attention from serious things. They are but improved means to an unimproved end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/our-inventions-are-wont-to-be-pretty-toys-which-distract-our/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [What people don't normally know about us is the hustle is very real, and it's sorely driven a lot by how we consider ourselves.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lzzy-hale/what-people-don-t-normally-know-about-us-is-the-hustle-is-very-real/) [Lzzy Hale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lzzy-hale/) > [For me, the term "psychotherapy" is limiting. It implies that we work with mind and emotions, but excludes the body and pays scant attention…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jed-diamond/for-me-the-term-psychotherapy-is-limiting-it-implies-that-we-work/) [Jed Diamond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jed-diamond/) > [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/) > [I'm writing about real things. Real people. Real characters. You have to believe what I write about is true or you wouldn't pay any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-reed/i-m-writing-about-real-things-real-people-real-characters-you-have-to/) [Lou Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-reed/) > [ I went to a mosque in Philadelphia with \[my wife\] in December 24, 1999. And we we went to this mosque in Philly, and… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahershala-ali/i-went-to-a-mosque-in-philadelphia-with-my-wife-in-december-24-1999/) [Mahershala Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahershala-ali/) > [The Harvard Business Review recently had an article called 'The Human Moment,' about how to make real contact with a person at work: ...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-goleman/the-harvard-business-review-recently-had-an-article-called-the-human/) [Daniel Goleman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-goleman/) > [Let us thank God heartily as often as we pray that we have His Spirit in us to teach us to pray. Thanksgiving will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-murray/let-us-thank-god-heartily-as-often-as-we-pray-that-we-have-his-spirit/) [Andy Murray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-murray/) > [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/) > [We must have a welfare system that we can afford, which will mean giving greater attention to directing the welfare program toward its primary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-portillo/we-must-have-a-welfare-system-that-we-can-afford-which-will-mean/) [Michael Portillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-portillo/) > [The director's job should give you a sense of music without drawing attention to itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-hackford/the-director-s-job-should-give-you-a-sense-of-music-without-drawing/) [Taylor Hackford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-hackford/) [Browse all 10,153 Attention quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attention/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Your attention is the very oxygen your enemies need to feed their pride.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Mwanandeke Kindembo" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mwanandeke-kindembo/your-attention-is-the-very-oxygen-your-enemies-need-to-feed-their/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Attention" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mwanandeke-kindembo/your-attention-is-the-very-oxygen-your-enemies-need-to-feed-their/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9a2/mwanandeke-kindembo-1107_attention-quotes_your-attention-is-the-very-oxygen-your-e_1749393.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9a2/mwanandeke-kindembo-1107_attention-quotes_your-attention-is-the-very-oxygen-your-e_1749393.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9a2/mwanandeke-kindembo-1107_attention-quotes_your-attention-is-the-very-oxygen-your-e_1749393.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Your attention is the very oxygen your enemies need to feed their pride.” — Mwanandeke Kindembo", "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": "Mwanandeke Kindembo", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mwanandeke-kindembo/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Your attention is the very oxygen...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mwanandeke-kindembo/your-attention-is-the-very-oxygen-your-enemies-need-to-feed-their/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mwanandeke-kindembo/your-attention-is-the-very-oxygen-your-enemies-need-to-feed-their/#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 } } ] } ```