--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Focus on the moment, not the monsters…" description: "\"Focus on the moment, not the monsters that may or may not be up ahead.\" — Ryan Holiday" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/29c/ryan-holiday-514_ahead_focus-on-the-moment-not-the-monsters-tha_779650.jpg" --- # Focus on the moment, not the monsters that may or may not… ![“Focus on the moment, not the monsters that may or may not be up ahead.” quote by Ryan Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/29c/ryan-holiday-514_ahead_focus-on-the-moment-not-the-monsters-tha_779650.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/29c/ryan-holiday-514_ahead_focus-on-the-moment-not-the-monsters-tha_779650.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/29c/ryan-holiday-514_ahead_focus-on-the-moment-not-the-monsters-tha_779650.jpg) > “Focus on the moment, not the monsters that may or may not be up ahead.” [Ryan Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holiday/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Stay present and avoid future anxieties by focusing on current actions. **In simple terms:** Focus on now, not imagined threats. Key Takeaway Live in the present. Themes mindfulness anxiety focus Mood calm determined Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - daily work - stressful meetings - travel - health routines Key Concepts stoicism psychology Questions to Reflect On - How can you anchor attention to the present? - What habits keep you from drifting to imagined monsters? A Different Perspective Future worries can still affect performance despite focus. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Focus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/focus/) [Moment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moment/) [Moments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moments/) [Monsters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/monsters/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [I do what I do, and I do it well, and focus and take it one moment at a time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-caviezel/i-do-what-i-do-and-i-do-it-well-and-focus-and-take-it-one-moment-at-a/) [Jim Caviezel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-caviezel/) > [The moment you feel bored with life, slap yourself then focus on the moment. for each moment is as deep, mysterious and wonderful as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-sartin/the-moment-you-feel-bored-with-life-slap-yourself-then-focus-on-the/) [Megan Sartin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-sartin/) > [When that which I have chosen to focus upon in this moment evokes love or joy or appreciation, I am, in that moment, offering…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esther-hicks/when-that-which-i-have-chosen-to-focus-upon-in-this-moment-evokes/) [Esther Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esther-hicks/) > [It's really important to leave bad things in the past and focus in the moment and just try to get better every day. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aryna-sabalenka/it-s-really-important-to-leave-bad-things-in-the-past-and-focus-in/) [Aryna Sabalenka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aryna-sabalenka/) > [In many ways, I went through a lot of my adult life thinking about, "What's next? What's next? What's next?," and always having my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-lyne/in-many-ways-i-went-through-a-lot-of-my-adult-life-thinking-about/) [Susan Lyne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-lyne/) > [Focus on this moment. Hold your hand and see what it feels like. Go look at some grass. Talk to a palm tree. Outrun…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/focus-on-this-moment-hold-your-hand-and-see-what-it-feels-like-go/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [I focus on the moment and move from task to task.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyler-seguin/i-focus-on-the-moment-and-move-from-task-to-task/) Tyler Seguin > [Focus on the moment, not when you are praying with your intellect, but when you are fully experiencing the prayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/masami-saionji/focus-on-the-moment-not-when-you-are-praying-with-your-intellect-but/) [Masami Saionji](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/masami-saionji/) > [I like being in focus, in the moment, changing and adapting and creating and advancing a scene.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dominic-cooper/i-like-being-in-focus-in-the-moment-changing-and-adapting-and/) [Dominic Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dominic-cooper/) > [When I am at my limit and hurting, I focus on the moment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-o-donnell/when-i-am-at-my-limit-and-hurting-i-focus-on-the-moment/) [Timothy O'Donnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-o-donnell/) > [“If I lost focus for even a moment, she’s smack me with her stick and say, “Dreaming of dancing with your dark prince?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leigh-bardugo/if-i-lost-focus-for-even-a-moment-she-s-smack-me-with-her-stick-and/) [Leigh Bardugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leigh-bardugo/) > [“It's easy when you're climbing something. Don't look down, or even too far ahead. Focus on where you are in that moment.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheba-karim/it-s-easy-when-you-re-climbing-something-don-t-look-down-or-even-too/) Sheba Karim > [I'm going to let myself off the hook, because if there's one thing that is not my focus at the moment, it's how much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-procter/i-m-going-to-let-myself-off-the-hook-because-if-there-s-one-thing/) [Emily Procter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-procter/) > [The focus in the Western pictorial tradition is on the body of Christ, the bit you can paint, the Nativity and the infancy, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-macgregor/the-focus-in-the-western-pictorial-tradition-is-on-the-body-of-christ/) [Neil MacGregor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-macgregor/) > [Anybody who thinks that they should lead the country should go ahead and put their hat in the ring. I am not among them.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-schatz/anybody-who-thinks-that-they-should-lead-the-country-should-go-ahead/) [Brian Schatz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-schatz/) ## More by Ryan Holiday > [“If we can focus on making clear what parts of our day are within our control and what parts are not, we will not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-holiday/if-we-can-focus-on-making-clear-what-parts-of-our-day-are-within-our/) [Ryan Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holiday/) > [“The areas of great interest to the Stoics all make an appearance here: virtue, mortality, emotions, self-awareness, fortitude, right action, problem solving, acceptance, mental…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-holiday/the-areas-of-great-interest-to-the-stoics-all-make-an-appearance-here/) [Ryan Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holiday/) > [“With a business, we take most failures less personally and understand they’re part of the process.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-holiday/with-a-business-we-take-most-failures-less-personally-and-understand/) [Ryan Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holiday/) > [“Many creatives want to be just the creator, or only “the idea guy.” They like that because it’s sexy and because that’s what comes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-holiday/many-creatives-want-to-be-just-the-creator-or-only-the-idea-guy-they/) [Ryan Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holiday/) > [Pretty much everyone's career starts the same way: with grunt work. Not just the cliched fetching of coffee, but other lowly tasks: taking notes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-holiday/pretty-much-everyone-s-career-starts-the-same-way-with-grunt-work-not/) [Ryan Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holiday/) > [The greats - they protect their sleep because it's where the best work comes from. They say no to things. They turn in when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-holiday/the-greats-they-protect-their-sleep-because-it-s-where-the-best-work/) [Ryan Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holiday/) > [“Where little danger is apprehended, the more the enemy will be unprepared and consequently there is the fairest prospect of success.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-holiday/where-little-danger-is-apprehended-the-more-the-enemy-will-be/) [Ryan Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holiday/) > [We often learn the hard way that our world is ruled by external factors. We don't always get what is rightfully ours, even if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-holiday/we-often-learn-the-hard-way-that-our-world-is-ruled-by-external/) [Ryan Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holiday/) > [“From Rusticus … I learned to read carefully and not be satisfied with a rough understanding of the whole, and not to agree too…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-holiday/from-rusticus-i-learned-to-read-carefully-and-not-be-satisfied-with-a/) [Ryan Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holiday/) > [I wholeheartedly agree that many media 'standards' can feel disingenuous or, in fact, be a cover for less-than-honest behavior.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-holiday/i-wholeheartedly-agree-that-many-media-standards-can-feel/) [Ryan Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holiday/) > [“Remember: even what we get for free has a cost, if only in what we pay to store it—in our garages and in our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-holiday/remember-even-what-we-get-for-free-has-a-cost-if-only-in-what-we-pay/) [Ryan Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holiday/) > [It's your job to find a release and an outlet for the stress and the feelings. Never forget: the crazy stays at home.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-holiday/it-s-your-job-to-find-a-release-and-an-outlet-for-the-stress-and-the/) [Ryan Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holiday/) > [Where the head goes, the body follows. Perception precedes action. Right action follows the right perspective.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-holiday/where-the-head-goes-the-body-follows-perception-precedes-action-right/) [Ryan Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holiday/) > [The risks of speaking extemporaneously are apparent the first time you wing it and promptly put your foot in your mouth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-holiday/the-risks-of-speaking-extemporaneously-are-apparent-the-first-time/) [Ryan Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holiday/) > [“The tools of the Internet and social media have made it possible to track, test, iterate, and improve marketing to the point where these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-holiday/the-tools-of-the-internet-and-social-media-have-made-it-possible-to/) [Ryan Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holiday/) [Explore all 504 Ryan Holiday quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holiday/) ## More Ahead quotes > [Anybody who thinks that they should lead the country should go ahead and put their hat in the ring. 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I'm a sports fan in general, so I pretty much keep…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chadwick-boseman/i-m-the-kind-of-guy-who-comes-home-and-checks-scores-for-everything-i/) [Chadwick Boseman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chadwick-boseman/) > [People are flying you places in business class. Everyone wants to take pictures of you and find out information about you. It's a freak-out.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yolandi-visser/people-are-flying-you-places-in-business-class-everyone-wants-to-take/) [Yolandi Visser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yolandi-visser/) > [I wasn't putting my all into it and I was still managing to score goals, and that gave me something to dream about, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-gray/i-wasn-t-putting-my-all-into-it-and-i-was-still-managing-to-score/) [Andre Gray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-gray/) > [There's no limit to what you can accomplish, but there's always someone one step ahead of you, so it's a constant uphill battle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-mary-stewart/there-s-no-limit-to-what-you-can-accomplish-but-there-s-always/) [Catherine Mary Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-mary-stewart/) > [I was never bothered about my position in the industry. 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