--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A little bit of attention can go a long…" description: "\"A little bit of attention can go a long way.\" — Nicholas D. Kristof" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8d2/nicholas-d-kristof-4679_attention_a-little-bit-of-attention-can-go-a-long_710799.png" --- # A little bit of attention can go a long way. ![“A little bit of attention can go a long way.” quote by Nicholas D. Kristof](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8d2/nicholas-d-kristof-4679_attention_a-little-bit-of-attention-can-go-a-long_710799.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8d2/nicholas-d-kristof-4679_attention_a-little-bit-of-attention-can-go-a-long_710799.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8d2/nicholas-d-kristof-4679_attention_a-little-bit-of-attention-can-go-a-long_710799.png) > “A little bit of attention can go a long way.” [Nicholas D. Kristof](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-d-kristof/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Small acts of attention can have disproportionately large positive impacts on people and situations. **In simple terms:** Attention yields big effects. Key Takeaway Give genuine attention to others. Themes compassion attention impact Mood warm encouraging Type practical inspirational When to use this quote - customer service - education - mental health support Key Concepts psychology social influence human connection Questions to Reflect On - When have you felt the power of being noticed? - How can you give attention without overstepping? A Different Perspective Attention can be misused or feel intrusive if not sincere. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Attention](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attention/) [Focus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/focus/) ## Related quotes > [If I have to fight for your attention for a long time, eventually I'm not going to want it anymore.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-i-have-to-fight-for-your-attention-for-a-long-time-eventually-i-m/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The simple act of paying attention can take you a long way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keanu-reeves/the-simple-act-of-paying-attention-can-take-you-a-long-way/) [Keanu Reeves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keanu-reeves/) > [A little love and attention can go a long way...too bad more people don't realize that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-peretti/a-little-love-and-attention-can-go-a-long-way-too-bad-more-people-don/) [Frank Peretti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-peretti/) > [“A good speech is like a woman's skirt: short enough to hold your attention, long enough to cover the subject”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-tropper/a-good-speech-is-like-a-woman-s-skirt-short-enough-to-hold-your/) [Jonathan Tropper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-tropper/) > [The audience only pays attention as long as you know where you are going.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-crosby/the-audience-only-pays-attention-as-long-as-you-know-where-you-are/) [Phil Crosby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-crosby/) > [But I care about the reader, and I'm trying to keep the reader's attention for as long as I can.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-eugenides/but-i-care-about-the-reader-and-i-m-trying-to-keep-the-reader-s/) [Jeffrey Eugenides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-eugenides/) > [The key for me with historical characters is they're interesting because they're human beings. A little bit of Hemingway goes a long way here,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-hirst/the-key-for-me-with-historical-characters-is-they-re-interesting/) [Michael Hirst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-hirst/) > [The weird thing about metal fans is we're all so maladjusted in a lot of ways. We're individualistic and opinionated and severe in our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/corey-taylor/the-weird-thing-about-metal-fans-is-we-re-all-so-maladjusted-in-a-lot/) [Corey Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/corey-taylor/) > [I just like to stay a little quiet and just do my own thing. If I win a little more, I think I'll get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/inbee-park/i-just-like-to-stay-a-little-quiet-and-just-do-my-own-thing-if-i-win/) [Inbee Park](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/inbee-park/) > [Is letting them use you and disrespect you worth the little bit of attention that they give you?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonya-parker/is-letting-them-use-you-and-disrespect-you-worth-the-little-bit-of/) [Sonya Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonya-parker/) > [I know that people are going to recognize my voice as being different and they are going to be saying, 'Let me listen a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-mendoza/i-know-that-people-are-going-to-recognize-my-voice-as-being-different/) [Jessica Mendoza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-mendoza/) > [All comedians are a bit attention-seeking and I'm no different. Anyone with the audacity to want to be listened to for an hour and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-carr/all-comedians-are-a-bit-attention-seeking-and-i-m-no-different-anyone/) [Jimmy Carr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-carr/) > [I'm a bit of an attention seeker, so I'm always looking for a table or some height to get up on and dance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adwoa-aboah/i-m-a-bit-of-an-attention-seeker-so-i-m-always-looking-for-a-table-or/) [Adwoa Aboah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adwoa-aboah/) > [Part of the intro to life in the public eye is, you get a bit of attention from fashion designers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antoni-porowski/part-of-the-intro-to-life-in-the-public-eye-is-you-get-a-bit-of/) [Antoni Porowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoni-porowski/) > [If you pay a little bit of attention to something, and then let it go, and then come back to it, and then pay…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dominic-monaghan/if-you-pay-a-little-bit-of-attention-to-something-and-then-let-it-go/) [Dominic Monaghan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dominic-monaghan/) ## More by Nicholas D. Kristof > [Random violence is incredibly infectious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-d-kristof/random-violence-is-incredibly-infectious/) [Nicholas D. Kristof](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-d-kristof/) > [Our national leaders tend to try to protect the national interest as they see it. They may screw up in that, but they at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-d-kristof/our-national-leaders-tend-to-try-to-protect-the-national-interest-as/) [Nicholas D. Kristof](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-d-kristof/) > [The north of the Central African Republic is now a war zone, with rival armed bands burning villages, kidnapping children, robbing travelers and killing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-d-kristof/the-north-of-the-central-african-republic-is-now-a-war-zone-with/) [Nicholas D. Kristof](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-d-kristof/) > [Sometimes I wish eastern Congo could suffer an earthquake or a tsunami, so that it might finally get the attention it needs. The barbaric…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-d-kristof/sometimes-i-wish-eastern-congo-could-suffer-an-earthquake-or-a/) [Nicholas D. Kristof](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-d-kristof/) > [Americans of faith should try as hard to save the lives of African women as the lives of unborn fetuses.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-d-kristof/americans-of-faith-should-try-as-hard-to-save-the-lives-of-african/) [Nicholas D. Kristof](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-d-kristof/) > [Palestinian militancy has accomplished nothing but increasing the misery of the Palestinian people. If Palestinians instead turned more to huge Gandhi-style nonviolence resistance campaigns,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-d-kristof/palestinian-militancy-has-accomplished-nothing-but-increasing-the/) [Nicholas D. Kristof](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-d-kristof/) > [The news media's silence, particularly television news, is reprehensible. If we knew as much about Darfur as we do about Michael Jackson, we might…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-d-kristof/the-news-media-s-silence-particularly-television-news-is/) [Nicholas D. Kristof](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-d-kristof/) > [It’s time for a 21st-century abolitionist movement in the U.S and around the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-d-kristof/it-s-time-for-a-21st-century-abolitionist-movement-in-the-u-s-and/) [Nicholas D. Kristof](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-d-kristof/) > [The bulk of the emails tend to come after a column. I can get about 2,000 after a column.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-d-kristof/the-bulk-of-the-emails-tend-to-come-after-a-column-i-can-get-about-2/) [Nicholas D. Kristof](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-d-kristof/) > [American airstrikes...create risks, especially if our intelligence there is rusty. The crucial step, and the one we should apply diplomatic pressure to try to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-d-kristof/american-airstrikes-create-risks-especially-if-our-intelligence-there/) [Nicholas D. Kristof](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-d-kristof/) > [Let me be clear: I'm a believer in a robust military, which is essential for backing up diplomacy. But the implication is that we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-d-kristof/let-me-be-clear-i-m-a-believer-in-a-robust-military-which-is/) [Nicholas D. Kristof](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-d-kristof/) > [Every year 3.1 million Indian children die before the age of 5, mostly from diseases of poverty like diarrhea.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-d-kristof/every-year-3-1-million-indian-children-die-before-the-age-of-5-mostly/) [Nicholas D. Kristof](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-d-kristof/) > [One of the principles of journalism is you don't lie. You never lie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-d-kristof/one-of-the-principles-of-journalism-is-you-don-t-lie-you-never-lie/) [Nicholas D. Kristof](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-d-kristof/) > [You could perhaps better tell the story of a place by writing of a tiny village as a sort of prism into the bigger…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-d-kristof/you-could-perhaps-better-tell-the-story-of-a-place-by-writing-of-a/) [Nicholas D. Kristof](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-d-kristof/) > [All of a sudden their husband's dead and maybe a child is dead and they have absolutely nothing - and they're heading through the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-d-kristof/all-of-a-sudden-their-husband-s-dead-and-maybe-a-child-is-dead-and/) [Nicholas D. Kristof](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-d-kristof/) [Explore all 107 Nicholas D. Kristof quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-d-kristof/) ## 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": "A little bit of attention can go a long way.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Nicholas D. 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