--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You can see that there is scarcely an…" description: "\"You can see that there is scarcely an observable fact unworthy of mention in your notes, and yet you could easily spend more time scribbling than watch..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/029/robert-pyle-74581_defeat_you-can-see-that-there-is-scarcely-an-ob_1134441.jpg" --- # You can see that there is scarcely an observable fact… ![“You can see that there is scarcely an observable fact unworthy of mention in your notes, and yet you could easily spend more time scribbling than watching, and that would defeat the purpose. So be selective, don't be compulsive, and enjoy your note-taking.” quote by Robert Pyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/029/robert-pyle-74581_defeat_you-can-see-that-there-is-scarcely-an-ob_1134441.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/029/robert-pyle-74581_defeat_you-can-see-that-there-is-scarcely-an-ob_1134441.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/029/robert-pyle-74581_defeat_you-can-see-that-there-is-scarcely-an-ob_1134441.jpg) > “You can see that there is scarcely an observable fact unworthy of mention in your notes, and yet you could easily spend more time scribbling than watching, and that would defeat the purpose. So be selective, don't be compulsive, and enjoy your note-taking.” [Robert Pyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-pyle/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Effective note‑taking requires focus on essential information rather than excessive transcription. **In simple terms:** Focus on key points, not everything. Key Takeaway Prioritize, avoid over‑writing. Themes productivity focus learning Mood thoughtful disciplined Type advice instructional When to use this quote - studying - meeting minutes - research - personal journaling Key Concepts cognitive load information hierarchy Questions to Reflect On - What information truly adds value? - How can you limit distractions while noting? A Different Perspective Too much detail can hinder comprehension and retention. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Defeat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/defeat/) [Enjoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enjoy/) [Enjoy Note](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enjoy-note-3132852/) [Facts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/facts/) [More time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/more-time/) [Note taking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/note-taking/) [Notes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/notes/) [Notes Easily](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/notes-easily-3132853/) [Purpose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/purpose/) [Scribbling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scribbling/) [Scribbling Watching](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scribbling-watching-3132851/) [Selective](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/selective/) [Unworthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unworthy/) ## Related quotes > [Note-taking is important to me: a week's worth of reading notes (or "thoughts I had in the shower" notes) is cumulatively more interesting than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teju-cole/note-taking-is-important-to-me-a-week-s-worth-of-reading-notes-or/) [Teju Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teju-cole/) > [Paper is no longer a big part of my day. I get 90% of my news online, and when I go to a meeting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/paper-is-no-longer-a-big-part-of-my-day-i-get-90-of-my-news-online-2/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [Why take notes? The obvious reason is to remember. Visual note-taking translates what we hear into pictures that give context, color, and meaning. By…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-wujec/why-take-notes-the-obvious-reason-is-to-remember-visual-note-taking/) [Tom Wujec](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-wujec/) > [“In subtle ways, Professor Vaughn showed us how to pay the land its due respect. He was patient with us if we tied an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-novacek/in-subtle-ways-professor-vaughn-showed-us-how-to-pay-the-land-its-due/) [Michael Novacek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-novacek/) > [To us, the difference between the # photographer as an individual eye and the photographer as an objective recorder seems fundamental, the difference often…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-sontag/to-us-the-difference-between-the-photographer-as-an-individual-eye/) [Susan Sontag](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-sontag/) > [“The Cornell Method The Cornell method is probably the best-known and most widely used note taking method out there. It is a brilliantly simple…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-connelly/the-cornell-method-the-cornell-method-is-probably-the-best-known-and/) [John Connelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-connelly/) > [As a painter, taking photos is a form of shorthand - note-taking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wanda-koop/as-a-painter-taking-photos-is-a-form-of-shorthand-note-taking/) [Wanda Koop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wanda-koop/) > [The Sketchnote Handbook is neither about sketching nor is it about note taking. It's about receiving and processing the world in a more complete…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stefan-g-bucher/the-sketchnote-handbook-is-neither-about-sketching-nor-is-it-about/) [Stefan G. Bucher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stefan-g-bucher/) > [Most of the note-taking happens while I'm watching television. It's a broad window on the world, and a lot of things are already established…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/most-of-the-note-taking-happens-while-i-m-watching-television-it-s-a/) [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) > [A humorist doesn't really do that much note-taking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/a-humorist-doesn-t-really-do-that-much-note-taking/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [“Some very smart people have devised ingenious ways of dividing up a notes page to get more out of it. One method reserves the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-frey/some-very-smart-people-have-devised-ingenious-ways-of-dividing-up-a/) [Chuck Frey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-frey/) > [There are cinéphiles and cinéphages. Truffaut is a cinéphile. A cinéphage - a film nerd - sits in the front row and writes down…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-langlois/there-are-cin-philes-and-cin-phages-truffaut-is-a-cin-phile-a-cin/) [Henri Langlois](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-langlois/) > [What I enjoy most are those times when I get an idea and it just flows - the words coming so fast that I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leah-cypess/what-i-enjoy-most-are-those-times-when-i-get-an-idea-and-it-just/) [Leah Cypess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leah-cypess/) > [You know I'm on the grind. So I miss you at times. All on my mind, as I'm scribbling lines.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-ross/you-know-i-m-on-the-grind-so-i-miss-you-at-times-all-on-my-mind-as-i/) [Rick Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-ross/) > [I've never been a very prolific person, so when creativity flows, it flows. I find myself scribbling on little notepads and pieces of loose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-cobain/i-ve-never-been-a-very-prolific-person-so-when-creativity-flows-it/) [Kurt Cobain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-cobain/) ## More by Robert Pyle > [What is the extinction of a condor to a child who has never seen a wren?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-pyle/what-is-the-extinction-of-a-condor-to-a-child-who-has-never-seen-a/) [Robert Pyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-pyle/) > [But make no mistake: the weeds will win: nature bats last.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-pyle/but-make-no-mistake-the-weeds-will-win-nature-bats-last/) [Robert Pyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-pyle/) [Explore all 3 Robert Pyle quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-pyle/) ## More Defeat quotes > [A poor self-image is the magnifying glass that can transform a trivial mistake or an imperfection into an overwhelming symbol of personal defeat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-d-burns/a-poor-self-image-is-the-magnifying-glass-that-can-transform-a/) [David D. Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-d-burns/) > [Even though you can't expect to defeat the absurdity of the world, you must make that attempt. That's morality, that's religion. That's art. That's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-ochs/even-though-you-can-t-expect-to-defeat-the-absurdity-of-the-world-you/) [Phil Ochs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-ochs/) > [The devil has been defeated, stop trying to defeat him. What we have left is the fight of faith, and it's a good fight!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-oyakhilome/the-devil-has-been-defeated-stop-trying-to-defeat-him-what-we-have/) [Chris Oyakhilome](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-oyakhilome/) > [If Pete’s (Sampras) child is a girl, my son will like her; if he’s a boy, my son will defeat him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-agassi/if-pete-s-sampras-child-is-a-girl-my-son-will-like-her-if-he-s-a-boy/) [Andre Agassi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-agassi/) > [All our efforts to defeat poverty and pursue sustainable development will be in vain if environmental degradation and natural resource depletion continue unabated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kofi-annan/all-our-efforts-to-defeat-poverty-and-pursue-sustainable-development/) [Kofi Annan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kofi-annan/) > [Defeat furnishes good material to the poets and the artists, but none of us care to have the glory of the conquered apply to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-glaspell/defeat-furnishes-good-material-to-the-poets-and-the-artists-but-none/) [Susan Glaspell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-glaspell/) > [“We don't have to defeat any individual but our own self.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/avijeet-das/we-don-t-have-to-defeat-any-individual-but-our-own-self/) [Avijeet Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/avijeet-das/) > [“Defeat is a disease, and victory is the cure.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/defeat-is-a-disease-and-victory-is-the-cure/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“The glow of victory and the harsh chill of defeat are two sides of the same coin.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-lenartowicz/the-glow-of-victory-and-the-harsh-chill-of-defeat-are-two-sides-of/) [Maria Lenartowicz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-lenartowicz/) > [After a big defeat, any player feels affected - it is about how long he needs to recover.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerardo-martino/after-a-big-defeat-any-player-feels-affected-it-is-about-how-long-he/) [Gerardo Martino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerardo-martino/) > [I have clearly said we faced terrorist enemies who use Islam to justify slaughtering innocent people and we have to stop them and we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/i-have-clearly-said-we-faced-terrorist-enemies-who-use-islam-to/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [We know from this book entitled... What is it? Surrendered? Succumbed? I can never remember the title perform. And we learn from this book…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/we-know-from-this-book-entitled-what-is-it-surrendered-succumbed-i/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [The ultimate aim of Karate lies not in victory or defeat, but in the perfection of the character of its participants.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gichin-funakoshi/the-ultimate-aim-of-karate-lies-not-in-victory-or-defeat-but-in-the/) [Gichin Funakoshi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gichin-funakoshi/) > [It has never been more critical that a leader step forward to accelerate our understanding of cancer - and champion the effort to finally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-j-dzau/it-has-never-been-more-critical-that-a-leader-step-forward-to/) [Victor J. Dzau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-j-dzau/) > [“It would seem no matter how progressive we get there are always those few who are backwards in their ways.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/solange-nicole/it-would-seem-no-matter-how-progressive-we-get-there-are-always-those/) [Solange nicole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/solange-nicole/) [Browse all 2,603 Defeat quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/defeat/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "You can see that there is scarcely an observable fact unworthy of mention in your notes, and yet you could easily spend more time scribbling than watching, and that would defeat the purpose. So be selective, don't be compulsive, and enjoy your note-taking.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Robert Pyle" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-pyle/you-can-see-that-there-is-scarcely-an-observable-fact-unworthy-of/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Defeat" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-pyle/you-can-see-that-there-is-scarcely-an-observable-fact-unworthy-of/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/029/robert-pyle-74581_defeat_you-can-see-that-there-is-scarcely-an-ob_1134441.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/029/robert-pyle-74581_defeat_you-can-see-that-there-is-scarcely-an-ob_1134441.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/029/robert-pyle-74581_defeat_you-can-see-that-there-is-scarcely-an-ob_1134441.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“You can see that there is scarcely an observable fact unworthy of mention in your notes, and yet you could…” — Robert Pyle", "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": "Robert Pyle", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-pyle/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "You can see that there is...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-pyle/you-can-see-that-there-is-scarcely-an-observable-fact-unworthy-of/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-pyle/you-can-see-that-there-is-scarcely-an-observable-fact-unworthy-of/#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 } } ] } ```