--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: From childhood I was compelled to…" description: "\"From childhood I was compelled to concentrate attention upon myself. This caused me much suffering, but to my present view, it was a blessing in disgui..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8c1/nikola-tesla-1383_achievement_from-childhood-i-was-compelled-to-concen_37147.jpg" --- # From childhood I was compelled to concentrate attention… ![“From childhood I was compelled to concentrate attention upon myself. This caused me much suffering, but to my present view, it was a blessing in disguise for it has taught me to appreciate the inestimable value of introspection in the preservation of life, as well as a means of achievement.” quote by Nikola Tesla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8c1/nikola-tesla-1383_achievement_from-childhood-i-was-compelled-to-concen_37147.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8c1/nikola-tesla-1383_achievement_from-childhood-i-was-compelled-to-concen_37147.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8c1/nikola-tesla-1383_achievement_from-childhood-i-was-compelled-to-concen_37147.jpg) > “From childhood I was compelled to concentrate attention upon myself. This caused me much suffering, but to my present view, it was a blessing in disguise for it has taught me to appreciate the inestimable value of introspection in the preservation of life, as well as a means of achievement.” [Nikola Tesla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikola-tesla/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Self‑focus in early life caused pain but later revealed introspection as essential for personal growth and survival. **In simple terms:** Introspection is a hidden gift. Key Takeaway Self‑awareness fuels achievement. Themes self‑knowledge growth resilience mindfulness purpose Mood reflective hopeful Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - overcoming childhood trauma - career planning - mental health maintenance - creative problem solving Key Concepts introspection personal development psychology Practical Applications - self‑help coaching - leadership training Questions to Reflect On - How does self‑reflection change your decisions? - What costs does introspection demand? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Achievement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/achievement/) [Attention](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attention/) [Blessing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/blessing/) [Blessing in disguise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/blessing-in-disguise/) [Blessings in disguise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/blessings-in-disguise/) [Childhood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/childhood/) [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Disguise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disguise/) [Focus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/focus/) [Introspection](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/introspection/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Preservation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/preservation/) [Preservation of life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/preservation-of-life/) [Self-Awareness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self-awareness-2/) [Suffering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suffering/) [Values](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/values/) ## Related quotes > [“From childhood I was compelled to concentrate attention upon myself. This caused me much suffering but, to my present view, it was a blessing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikola-tesla/from-childhood-i-was-compelled-to-concentrate-attention-upon-myself-3/) [Nikola Tesla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikola-tesla/) > [“From childhood I was compelled to concentrate attention upon myself. This caused me much suffering, but to my present view, it was a blessing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/from-childhood-i-was-compelled-to-concentrate-attention-upon-myself-2/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Pain is an interesting and off-putting thing. Few if any things in life concentrate our attention so completely and terribly, and few things are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-simmons/pain-is-an-interesting-and-off-putting-thing-few-if-any-things-in/) [Dan Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-simmons/) > [The Afghansti have caused a great many people a great deal of grief and have themselves suffered - for a lie, let us not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-heinemann/the-afghansti-have-caused-a-great-many-people-a-great-deal-of-grief/) Larry Heinemann > [For years I bore the crippling weight of anger, bitterness and resentment toward those who caused my suffering. Yet as I look back over…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phan-thi-kim-phuc/for-years-i-bore-the-crippling-weight-of-anger-bitterness-and/) [Phan Thi Kim Phuc](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phan-thi-kim-phuc/) > [To be good we must needs have suffered; but perhaps it is necessary to have caused suffering before we can become better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maurice-maeterlinck/to-be-good-we-must-needs-have-suffered-but-perhaps-it-is-necessary-to/) [Maurice Maeterlinck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maurice-maeterlinck/) > [I forgive everyone who caused my suffering, even the pilot, commander, people controlling me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phan-thi-kim-phuc/i-forgive-everyone-who-caused-my-suffering-even-the-pilot-commander/) [Phan Thi Kim Phuc](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phan-thi-kim-phuc/) > [Now...I fail to notice which exam fall on which date... unsure emoticon Dude...Please leave my mind alone...I can't concentrate on anything...!!! It is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-anoop/now-i-fail-to-notice-which-exam-fall-on-which-date-unsure-emoticon/) R Anoop > [“What we did in that momentous year of 1558 caused political strife, revolt, civil war, and invasion. There were times, in later years, when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-follett/what-we-did-in-that-momentous-year-of-1558-caused-political-strife/) [Ken Follett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-follett/) > [“Ah, where in the world have there been greater follies than with the pitiful? And what in the world hath caused more suffering than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/ah-where-in-the-world-have-there-been-greater-follies-than-with-the/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [Something in the heart of most human beings simply cannot abide pain inflicted on the innocent, especially children. Even broken men serving in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-p-young/something-in-the-heart-of-most-human-beings-simply-cannot-abide-pain/) [William P. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-p-young/) > [“Throughout the day, practise bringing your attention back to the present moment, rather than allowing it to wander off into daydreams, rumination about the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-j-robertson/throughout-the-day-practise-bringing-your-attention-back-to-the/) [Donald J. Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-j-robertson/) > [“Concentrate your attention entirely upon the thing desired.”   Oddly,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neville-goddard/concentrate-your-attention-entirely-upon-the-thing-desired-oddly/) [Neville Goddard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neville-goddard/) > [During meditation, if we can concentrate all our attention on one point, and put all problems in front of it, then they can be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ching-hai/during-meditation-if-we-can-concentrate-all-our-attention-on-one/) [Ching Hai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ching-hai/) > [“The simple idea that people should be allowed to worship as they wished caused more suffering than the ten plagues of Egypt.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-follett/the-simple-idea-that-people-should-be-allowed-to-worship-as-they/) [Ken Follett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-follett/) ## More by Nikola Tesla > [In a time not distant, it will be possible to flash any image formed in thought on a screen and render it visible at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikola-tesla/in-a-time-not-distant-it-will-be-possible-to-flash-any-image-formed/) [Nikola Tesla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikola-tesla/) > [Women will ignore precedent and startle civilization with their progress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikola-tesla/women-will-ignore-precedent-and-startle-civilization-with-their/) [Nikola Tesla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikola-tesla/) > [Great moments are born great opportunity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikola-tesla/great-moments-are-born-great-opportunity/) [Nikola Tesla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikola-tesla/) > [ If he \[Thomas Edison\] had a needle to find in a haystack, he would not stop to reason where it was most likely to… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikola-tesla/if-he-thomas-edison-had-a-needle-to-find-in-a-haystack-he-would-not/) [Nikola Tesla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikola-tesla/) > [Man, like the universe, is a machine. Nothing enters our minds or determines our actions which is not directly or indirectly a response to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikola-tesla/man-like-the-universe-is-a-machine-nothing-enters-our-minds-or/) [Nikola Tesla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikola-tesla/) > [The day science begins to study non-physical phenomena, it will make more progress in one decade than in all the previous centuries of its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikola-tesla/the-day-science-begins-to-study-non-physical-phenomena-it-will-make/) [Nikola Tesla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikola-tesla/) > [All knowledge or form conception is evoked through the medium of the eye, either in response to disturbances directly received on the retina or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikola-tesla/all-knowledge-or-form-conception-is-evoked-through-the-medium-of-the/) [Nikola Tesla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikola-tesla/) > [Every living being is an engine geared to the wheelwork of the universe. Though seemingly affected only by its immediate surrounding, the sphere of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikola-tesla/every-living-being-is-an-engine-geared-to-the-wheelwork-of-the-2/) [Nikola Tesla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikola-tesla/) > [Perhaps I failed, but I did my best, These masters of mine may do the rest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikola-tesla/perhaps-i-failed-but-i-did-my-best-these-masters-of-mine-may-do-the/) [Nikola Tesla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikola-tesla/) > [Religion is simply an ideal. It is an ideal force that tends to free the human being from material bonds. I do not believe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikola-tesla/religion-is-simply-an-ideal-it-is-an-ideal-force-that-tends-to-free/) [Nikola Tesla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikola-tesla/) > [What we now want is closer contact and better understanding between individuals and communities all over the earth, and the elimination of egoism and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikola-tesla/what-we-now-want-is-closer-contact-and-better-understanding-between/) [Nikola Tesla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikola-tesla/) > [When a coil is operated with currents of very high frequency, beautiful brush effects may be produced, even if the coil be of comparatively…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikola-tesla/when-a-coil-is-operated-with-currents-of-very-high-frequency/) [Nikola Tesla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikola-tesla/) > [Of all the frictional resistances, the one that most retards human movement is ignorance, what Buddha called 'the greatest evil in the world.' The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikola-tesla/of-all-the-frictional-resistances-the-one-that-most-retards-human/) [Nikola Tesla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikola-tesla/) > [I am even grateful to Einstein and others because through their erroneous theories they lead mankind away from that dangerous path I followed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikola-tesla/i-am-even-grateful-to-einstein-and-others-because-through-their/) [Nikola Tesla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikola-tesla/) > [Inventors don't have time for married life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikola-tesla/inventors-don-t-have-time-for-married-life/) [Nikola Tesla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikola-tesla/) [Explore all 248 Nikola Tesla quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikola-tesla/) ## More Achievement quotes > [You, of Canada, are building a magnificent record of achievement. My country rejoices in it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-d-eisenhower/you-of-canada-are-building-a-magnificent-record-of-achievement-my/) [Dwight D. Eisenhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-d-eisenhower/) > [“If attempting to make the world a civilized one, makes you a bad woman in the eyes of the dumb patriarchal society, then, by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/if-attempting-to-make-the-world-a-civilized-one-makes-you-a-bad-woman/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [One achieves true human dignity only when one serves. Only he is great who subjects himself to taking part in the achievement of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-antonio-primo-de-rivera/one-achieves-true-human-dignity-only-when-one-serves-only-he-is-great/) Jose Antonio Primo de Rivera > [Needs cause motivation. Deep-rooted desires for esteem, affection, belonging, achievement, self-actualization, power, and control motivate us to push for what we want and need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorii-myers/needs-cause-motivation-deep-rooted-desires-for-esteem-affection/) [Lorii Myers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorii-myers/) > [Each man is capable of doing one thing well. If he attempts several, he will fail to achieve distinction in any.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/each-man-is-capable-of-doing-one-thing-well-if-he-attempts-several-he/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [It's tragic what America has become because there is a great segment of society that now resents luxury and success and achievement by others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-leach/it-s-tragic-what-america-has-become-because-there-is-a-great-segment/) [Robin Leach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-leach/) > [To preserve an unclouded capacity for the enjoyment of life is an unusual moral and psychological achievement. Contrary to popular belief, it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-branden/to-preserve-an-unclouded-capacity-for-the-enjoyment-of-life-is-an/) [Nathaniel Branden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-branden/) > [Joel Lane documents a life we don’t quite live, in a city we can’t quite find: half glimpsed and half imagined, we know it’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chaz-brenchley/joel-lane-documents-a-life-we-don-t-quite-live-in-a-city-we-can-t/) Chaz Brenchley > [The main substantive achievement of neoliberalism has been to redistribute rather than to generate wealth and income.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-harvey/the-main-substantive-achievement-of-neoliberalism-has-been-to/) [David Harvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-harvey/) > [Every profession has an ideology and a drive for power that goes far beyond its achievements and it is the task of democracy to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-feyerabend/every-profession-has-an-ideology-and-a-drive-for-power-that-goes-far/) [Paul Feyerabend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-feyerabend/) > [We have Internet now and people are not stupid. But it seems that some people are trying to push the same agenda of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bassem-youssef/we-have-internet-now-and-people-are-not-stupid-but-it-seems-that-some/) [Bassem Youssef](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bassem-youssef/) > [“If you find a way where there seems to be no way, that’s what we call miracle, not personal achievement.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nkwachukwu-ogbuagu/if-you-find-a-way-where-there-seems-to-be-no-way-that-s-what-we-call/) [Nkwachukwu Ogbuagu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nkwachukwu-ogbuagu/) > [The Baseball Hall of Fame is something every player dreams about, but being a member of God's Hall of Fame is the greatest achievement…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-carter/the-baseball-hall-of-fame-is-something-every-player-dreams-about-but/) [Gary Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-carter/) > [Cease speaking of enemies when an achievement can kindle a great light. Solitude will transmit the message better than the murmurs of crowds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-roerich/cease-speaking-of-enemies-when-an-achievement-can-kindle-a-great/) Nicholas Roerich > [Every scene is a challenge. There are technical challenges, but often it's the simplest challenge where you feel a sense of achievement when you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-deakins/every-scene-is-a-challenge-there-are-technical-challenges-but-often/) [Roger Deakins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-deakins/) [Browse all 3,867 Achievement quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/achievement/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "From childhood I was compelled to concentrate attention upon myself. 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