--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: They were thinking: “I don’t know who…" description: "\"“They were thinking: “I don’t know who this guy is, but I’m definitely coming to class tomorrow to check out his next stunt.” I sure got their attentio..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f5a/randy-pausch-842_attention_they-were-thinking-i-don-t-know-who-this_2877812.png" --- # They were thinking: “I don’t know who this guy is, but I’m… ![“They were thinking: “I don’t know who this guy is, but I’m definitely coming to class tomorrow to check out his next stunt.” I sure got their attention. That’s always the first step to solving an ignored problem.” quote by Randy Pausch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f5a/randy-pausch-842_attention_they-were-thinking-i-don-t-know-who-this_2877812.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f5a/randy-pausch-842_attention_they-were-thinking-i-don-t-know-who-this_2877812.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f5a/randy-pausch-842_attention_they-were-thinking-i-don-t-know-who-this_2877812.png) > ““They were thinking: “I don’t know who this guy is, but I’m definitely coming to class tomorrow to check out his next stunt.” I sure got their attention. That’s always the first step to solving an ignored problem.”” [Randy Pausch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-pausch/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Curiosity and bold action attract attention, initiating problem solving. **In simple terms:** Bold actions draw attention. Key Takeaway Act boldly to solve problems. Themes innovation curiosity problem solving Mood enthusiastic inquisitive Type educational inspirational When to use this quote - classroom engagement - project initiation - community activism - personal growth Key Concepts Attention economics behavioral psychology Questions to Reflect On - How can you sustain interest after the first step? - What follow‑up actions keep momentum? A Different Perspective Attention may be fleeting. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Attention](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attention/) [First step](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/first-step/) ## Related quotes > [The only excuse for not coming to a class or a performance is death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stella-adler/the-only-excuse-for-not-coming-to-a-class-or-a-performance-is-death/) [Stella Adler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stella-adler/) > [I know I'm not the only guy that you has their attention, but I'm the one that's working my way & trying to prove…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-know-i-m-not-the-only-guy-that-you-has-their-attention-but-i-m-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“It's all very dramatic and everything, but so what? I didn't know the guy. People I don't know die all the damned time.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/it-s-all-very-dramatic-and-everything-but-so-what-i-didn-t-know-the/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [You never really know the guy until you sit down with him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-baldwin/you-never-really-know-the-guy-until-you-sit-down-with-him/) [Adam Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-baldwin/) > [“Well, I know a guy, he's from far far away He's a songwriter, he got something to say He says, "People in this city…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-mcnally/well-i-know-a-guy-he-s-from-far-far-away-he-s-a-songwriter-he-got/) Shannon McNally > [That's very cool. Absolutely! You want to know where this guy came from, but you also want to know about the relationship between him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-rooker/that-s-very-cool-absolutely-you-want-to-know-where-this-guy-came-from/) [Michael Rooker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-rooker/) > [If I know the guy is not interested, I don't fall in love. This is my safety.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anushka-sharma/if-i-know-the-guy-is-not-interested-i-don-t-fall-in-love-this-is-my/) [Anushka Sharma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anushka-sharma/) > [Your ego gets activated real quick, you really want to impress yourself. But when you come back to it, sometimes you're like, "Yeah, this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/travis-morrison/your-ego-gets-activated-real-quick-you-really-want-to-impress/) [Travis Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/travis-morrison/) > [I mean, that was - that was some articles in Breitbart. It wasn't Steve Bannon. The guy I know is a guy that isn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reince-priebus/i-mean-that-was-that-was-some-articles-in-breitbart-it-wasn-t-steve/) [Reince Priebus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reince-priebus/) > [“you know everything you need to know about a guy by seeing how he treats waiters.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-gettleman/you-know-everything-you-need-to-know-about-a-guy-by-seeing-how-he/) [Jeffrey Gettleman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-gettleman/) > [With wiseguys, you don't know a guy by his name, only by his nickname. You never asked a guy for his last name.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-d-pistone/with-wiseguys-you-don-t-know-a-guy-by-his-name-only-by-his-nickname/) [Joseph D. Pistone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-d-pistone/) > [10 things a girl probably doesn't know about a guy : 1. Guys are more emotional then they think, if they loved them truly.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/10-things-a-girl-probably-doesn-t-know-about-a-guy-1-guys-are-more/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It's good to know the guy who's holding onto your wire is someone you trust and you know he's not going to let you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-reynor/it-s-good-to-know-the-guy-who-s-holding-onto-your-wire-is-someone-you/) [Jack Reynor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-reynor/) > [I think - you know, I'm a guy that - I don't live on the earth just to walk it. I live on here…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracy-mcgrady/i-think-you-know-i-m-a-guy-that-i-don-t-live-on-the-earth-just-to/) [Tracy McGrady](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracy-mcgrady/) > [“I know the guy your parents don't like is exactly the kind of guy you think you want. But the idea of the bad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shana-norris/i-know-the-guy-your-parents-don-t-like-is-exactly-the-kind-of-guy-you/) [Shana Norris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shana-norris/) ## More by Randy Pausch > [We cannot change the cards we are dealt, just how we play the hand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-pausch/we-cannot-change-the-cards-we-are-dealt-just-how-we-play-the-hand/) [Randy Pausch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-pausch/) > [Apologies are not pass/fail.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-pausch/apologies-are-not-pass-fail/) [Randy Pausch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-pausch/) > [When you're frustrated with people, when they've made you angry, it just may be because you haven't given them enough time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-pausch/when-you-re-frustrated-with-people-when-they-ve-made-you-angry-it/) [Randy Pausch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-pausch/) > [I was hugely impressed... was the ultimate example of a man who knew what he didn't know, was perfectly willing to admit it, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-pausch/i-was-hugely-impressed-was-the-ultimate-example-of-a-man-who-knew/) [Randy Pausch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-pausch/) > [There's nothing about my life that I would have changed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-pausch/there-s-nothing-about-my-life-that-i-would-have-changed/) [Randy Pausch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-pausch/) > [Complaining does not work as a strategy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-pausch/complaining-does-not-work-as-a-strategy/) [Randy Pausch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-pausch/) > [“If other people owe you an apology, and your words of apology to them are proper and heartfelt, you still may not hear from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-pausch/if-other-people-owe-you-an-apology-and-your-words-of-apology-to-them/) [Randy Pausch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-pausch/) > [“The brick walls are there for a reason. they're not there to keep us out. The brick walls are there to give us a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-pausch/the-brick-walls-are-there-for-a-reason-they-re-not-there-to-keep-us/) [Randy Pausch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-pausch/) > [People are more important than things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-pausch/people-are-more-important-than-things/) [Randy Pausch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-pausch/) > [Anyone who knows me well will tell you that arrogance is one of my flaws.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-pausch/anyone-who-knows-me-well-will-tell-you-that-arrogance-is-one-of-my/) [Randy Pausch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-pausch/) > [When you do the right thing, good stuff has a way of happening.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-pausch/when-you-do-the-right-thing-good-stuff-has-a-way-of-happening/) [Randy Pausch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-pausch/) > [I don't believe in the no-win scenario](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-pausch/i-don-t-believe-in-the-no-win-scenario/) [Randy Pausch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-pausch/) > [Chemo days make me tired, though it's hard to say that's because of the chemo when you have kids who have inherited their dad's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-pausch/chemo-days-make-me-tired-though-it-s-hard-to-say-that-s-because-of/) [Randy Pausch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-pausch/) > [And even though I did not reach the National Football League, I sometimes think I got more from pursuing that dream, and not accomplishing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-pausch/and-even-though-i-did-not-reach-the-national-football-league-i/) [Randy Pausch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-pausch/) > [there should be some lessons learned and how you can use the stuff you hear today to achieve your dreams or enable the dreams…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-pausch/there-should-be-some-lessons-learned-and-how-you-can-use-the-stuff/) [Randy Pausch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-pausch/) [Explore all 347 Randy Pausch quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-pausch/) ## 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": "“They were thinking: “I don’t know who this guy is, but I’m definitely coming to class tomorrow to check out his next stunt.” I sure got their attention. 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