--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I love distracting myself, just like…" description: "\"I love distracting myself, just like anyone else. But I also feel a more urgent need in myself to make an effort, to be present, and to try to be somet..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2cf/patty-griffin-12273_distracting_i-love-distracting-myself-just-like-anyo_2339021.png" --- # I love distracting myself, just like anyone else. But I… ![“I love distracting myself, just like anyone else. But I also feel a more urgent need in myself to make an effort, to be present, and to try to be something that is in favor of life. Of human life.” quote by Patty Griffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2cf/patty-griffin-12273_distracting_i-love-distracting-myself-just-like-anyo_2339021.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2cf/patty-griffin-12273_distracting_i-love-distracting-myself-just-like-anyo_2339021.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2cf/patty-griffin-12273_distracting_i-love-distracting-myself-just-like-anyo_2339021.png) > “I love distracting myself, just like anyone else. But I also feel a more urgent need in myself to make an effort, to be present, and to try to be something that is in favor of life. Of human life.” [Patty Griffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patty-griffin/) ## 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 acknowledges a habit of distraction but emphasizes a growing urgency to engage actively, be present, and contribute positively to human life. **In simple terms:** I want to stop daydreaming and act for life. Key Takeaway Choose presence over distraction. Themes self‑awareness purpose humanism Mood reflective determined Type motivational philosophical When to use this quote - daily routine - creative work - volunteering - personal growth Key Concepts mindfulness existential responsibility Questions to Reflect On - What does “being present” look like for you? - How can you turn urgency into concrete actions? A Different Perspective Distractions can be coping mechanisms that mask deeper issues. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Distracting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/distracting/) [Effort](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/effort/) [Feel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feel/) [Feel Urgent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feel-urgent-656046/) [Human life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-life/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Love Distracting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love-distracting-5654106/) [Make Effort](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/make-effort/) [Myself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/myself/) ## Related quotes > [“And I feel I have something very serious and urgent to say to you, my non-existent reader, and I feel I should say it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/and-i-feel-i-have-something-very-serious-and-urgent-to-say-to-you-my/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I think motherhood has made issues all feel much more urgent than they did before. So it didn't necessarily change how I feel about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-valenti/i-think-motherhood-has-made-issues-all-feel-much-more-urgent-than/) [Jessica Valenti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-valenti/) > [I want to make a series of films of contemporary America that feel urgent and deal with sometimes-topical matters, but hopefully in a universal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-hedges/i-want-to-make-a-series-of-films-of-contemporary-america-that-feel/) [Peter Hedges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-hedges/) > [For every album, I feel an obligation to myself to make something that I'm really proud of. But other than that, I make an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-g/for-every-album-i-feel-an-obligation-to-myself-to-make-something-that/) [Alex G](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-g/) > [I'm not ignoring you I'm just waiting to see f you'll make an effort.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-m-not-ignoring-you-i-m-just-waiting-to-see-f-you-ll-make-an-effort/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Making an effort can be equated to not doing anything at all. You don't make an effort to walk, you just walk. It's the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lionel-suggs/making-an-effort-can-be-equated-to-not-doing-anything-at-all-you-don/) [Lionel Suggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lionel-suggs/) > [I'm not ignoring you I just want to see if you can enough to make an effort.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tine/i-m-not-ignoring-you-i-just-want-to-see-if-you-can-enough-to-make-an/) [Tine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tine/) > [I like to believe that stories want to be written, that they must make an effort in order to be heard. They suggest themselves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rodrigo-rey-rosa/i-like-to-believe-that-stories-want-to-be-written-that-they-must-make/) [Rodrigo Rey Rosa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rodrigo-rey-rosa/) > [The Rosary, especially prayed in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament, is a powerful means of spiritual grace. In all of our efforts to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-vose-daily/the-rosary-especially-prayed-in-the-presence-of-the-blessed-sacrament/) [Thomas Vose Daily](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-vose-daily/) > [“Vast organisations produce a sense of impotence in the individual, leading to a decay of effort. The danger can be averted if it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/vast-organisations-produce-a-sense-of-impotence-in-the-individual/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [Every human life is precious in God's sight and no effort should be spared in the attempt to promote throughout the world a genuine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-benedict-xvi/every-human-life-is-precious-in-god-s-sight-and-no-effort-should-be/) [Pope Benedict XVI](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-benedict-xvi/) > [To the distracting occupations belong especially my lecture courses which I am holding this winter for the first time, and which now cost much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-friedrich-gauss/to-the-distracting-occupations-belong-especially-my-lecture-courses/) [Carl Friedrich Gauss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-friedrich-gauss/) > [Silence and solitude are more distracting to me than chatter and commotion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilu-henner/silence-and-solitude-are-more-distracting-to-me-than-chatter-and/) [Marilu Henner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilu-henner/) > [Eyes are distracting. You see too much. You don't see enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-graham/eyes-are-distracting-you-see-too-much-you-don-t-see-enough/) [Will Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-graham/) > [I don't want this to be a distraction. This has been distracting enough. I'm not going to rehash this going forward. I'm sure other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jayson-werth/i-don-t-want-this-to-be-a-distraction-this-has-been-distracting/) [Jayson Werth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jayson-werth/) ## More by Patty Griffin > [I think there are times when a song can be a spiritual experience - just making music, in general, is pretty much that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patty-griffin/i-think-there-are-times-when-a-song-can-be-a-spiritual-experience/) [Patty Griffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patty-griffin/) > [I'm going to be doing solo stuff. The idea is to do 'small' and 'off my beaten path,' or go back to an old,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patty-griffin/i-m-going-to-be-doing-solo-stuff-the-idea-is-to-do-small-and-off-my/) [Patty Griffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patty-griffin/) > [When I started performing, I played acoustic music, partly because that way you don't have to worry about interacting too much with other people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patty-griffin/when-i-started-performing-i-played-acoustic-music-partly-because-that/) [Patty Griffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patty-griffin/) > [There's an imbalance when if a woman goes out for a walk at 3 in the morning and something happens to her it was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patty-griffin/there-s-an-imbalance-when-if-a-woman-goes-out-for-a-walk-at-3-in-the/) [Patty Griffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patty-griffin/) > [God as 'He,' as a patriarchal thing, is offensive to me. It's standard fare for America, 'He, He, He.' Every time I hear that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patty-griffin/god-as-he-as-a-patriarchal-thing-is-offensive-to-me-it-s-standard/) [Patty Griffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patty-griffin/) > [I just really need to sing and sing and sing and not worry about writing. Just by singing for pleasure, your voice takes you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patty-griffin/i-just-really-need-to-sing-and-sing-and-sing-and-not-worry-about/) [Patty Griffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patty-griffin/) > [It doesn't come naturally to me, being the boss and telling people what I want. I find it very taxing and tiring. I love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patty-griffin/it-doesn-t-come-naturally-to-me-being-the-boss-and-telling-people/) [Patty Griffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patty-griffin/) > [I don't necessarily buy any key to the future of happiness, but I need a little place in the sun sometimes or I think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patty-griffin/i-don-t-necessarily-buy-any-key-to-the-future-of-happiness-but-i-need/) [Patty Griffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patty-griffin/) > [You must always know how long to stay; and when to go.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patty-griffin/you-must-always-know-how-long-to-stay-and-when-to-go/) [Patty Griffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patty-griffin/) > [I don't fight my ability to sing sad songs: it's what I am good at, so I must be built for that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patty-griffin/i-don-t-fight-my-ability-to-sing-sad-songs-it-s-what-i-am-good-at-so/) [Patty Griffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patty-griffin/) > [I was brought up to express myself only when asked to express myself, and then to do so in a way that's pleasing to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patty-griffin/i-was-brought-up-to-express-myself-only-when-asked-to-express-myself/) [Patty Griffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patty-griffin/) > [Life requires things from you - if you're really living it and are really alive - that are really difficult and painful, and you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patty-griffin/life-requires-things-from-you-if-you-re-really-living-it-and-are/) [Patty Griffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patty-griffin/) > [One of the great things that I loved about doing solo - which I ended up doing because I was too shy to ever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patty-griffin/one-of-the-great-things-that-i-loved-about-doing-solo-which-i-ended/) [Patty Griffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patty-griffin/) > [I'm a big James Baldwin fan.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patty-griffin/i-m-a-big-james-baldwin-fan/) [Patty Griffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patty-griffin/) > [From the age of 12, I had an understanding that singing was something I loved to do more than anything, and I did say…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patty-griffin/from-the-age-of-12-i-had-an-understanding-that-singing-was-something/) [Patty Griffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patty-griffin/) [Explore all 55 Patty Griffin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patty-griffin/) ## More Distracting quotes > [I don't want this to be a distraction. This has been distracting enough. I'm not going to rehash this going forward. I'm sure other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jayson-werth/i-don-t-want-this-to-be-a-distraction-this-has-been-distracting/) [Jayson Werth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jayson-werth/) > [Eyes are distracting. You see too much. You don't see enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-graham/eyes-are-distracting-you-see-too-much-you-don-t-see-enough/) [Will Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-graham/) > [Silence and solitude are more distracting to me than chatter and commotion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilu-henner/silence-and-solitude-are-more-distracting-to-me-than-chatter-and/) [Marilu Henner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilu-henner/) > [To the distracting occupations belong especially my lecture courses which I am holding this winter for the first time, and which now cost much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-friedrich-gauss/to-the-distracting-occupations-belong-especially-my-lecture-courses/) [Carl Friedrich Gauss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-friedrich-gauss/) > [It's too distracting to read about yourself. You want to be perfect and you want everyone to love you, and that's never going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saoirse-ronan/it-s-too-distracting-to-read-about-yourself-you-want-to-be-perfect/) [Saoirse Ronan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saoirse-ronan/) > [“You’re distracting,” I said truthfully. “I won’t be. I promise,” Noah said. “I’ll get some crayons and draw quietly. Alone. In a corner.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-hodkin/you-re-distracting-i-said-truthfully-i-won-t-be-i-promise-noah-said-i/) [Michelle Hodkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-hodkin/) > [“Why is it that you think that technologies are any more distracting than your own mind or anything else in the world?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manoush-zomorodi/why-is-it-that-you-think-that-technologies-are-any-more-distracting/) [Manoush Zomorodi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manoush-zomorodi/) > [The climb will go. Get rid of the rope. It's only distracting you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-lowe/the-climb-will-go-get-rid-of-the-rope-it-s-only-distracting-you/) [Jeff Lowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-lowe/) > [Reading a book and having to re-read the same paragraph over and over again because your thoughts are too distracting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit/reading-a-book-and-having-to-re-read-the-same-paragraph-over-and-over/) [AmiT](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit/) > [I think some of my colleagues' spicier lines are distracting. They draw attention away from what the justice is trying to say.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-bader-ginsburg/i-think-some-of-my-colleagues-spicier-lines-are-distracting-they-draw/) [Ruth Bader Ginsburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-bader-ginsburg/) > [Distracting reactions about anything undermine a clear mind about anything else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-allen/distracting-reactions-about-anything-undermine-a-clear-mind-about/) [David Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-allen/) > [For a long time, I would write without music, because I thought it was distracting until I appreciated that it actually unlocks a certain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hodgman/for-a-long-time-i-would-write-without-music-because-i-thought-it-was/) [John Hodgman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hodgman/) > [“For some reason it reminded her of his fingers caressing her cheek in the tiny room. But that thought, along with his exposed throat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melanie-dickerson/for-some-reason-it-reminded-her-of-his-fingers-caressing-her-cheek-in/) [Melanie Dickerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melanie-dickerson/) > [You don't say "Maybe I should go to bed early tonight" or do any of that stuff. It's almost like you know you're alone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ladyhawke/you-don-t-say-maybe-i-should-go-to-bed-early-tonight-or-do-any-of/) [Ladyhawke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ladyhawke/) > [What works for me is that I read widely and stay focused on my writing. I'm no longer concerned about what happens in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sefi-atta/what-works-for-me-is-that-i-read-widely-and-stay-focused-on-my/) [Sefi Atta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sefi-atta/) [Browse all 123 Distracting quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/distracting/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I love distracting myself, just like anyone else. But I also feel a more urgent need in myself to make an effort, to be present, and to try to be something that is in favor of life. 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