--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I do one thing for a long period of…" description: "\"When I do one thing for a long period of time, my attention is usually then drawn in the opposite direction.\" — Ryuichi Sakamoto" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/378/ryuichi-sakamoto-5498_attention_when-i-do-one-thing-for-a-long-period-of_525500.jpg" --- # When I do one thing for a long period of time, my… ![“When I do one thing for a long period of time, my attention is usually then drawn in the opposite direction.” quote by Ryuichi Sakamoto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/378/ryuichi-sakamoto-5498_attention_when-i-do-one-thing-for-a-long-period-of_525500.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/378/ryuichi-sakamoto-5498_attention_when-i-do-one-thing-for-a-long-period-of_525500.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/378/ryuichi-sakamoto-5498_attention_when-i-do-one-thing-for-a-long-period-of_525500.jpg) > “When I do one thing for a long period of time, my attention is usually then drawn in the opposite direction.” [Ryuichi Sakamoto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryuichi-sakamoto/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Extended focus on one task often triggers a natural shift toward opposite interests. **In simple terms:** Long concentration can cause attention to drift elsewhere. Key Takeaway Balance focus with periodic mental breaks. Themes attention focus balance Mood reflective curious Type psychological motivational When to use this quote - creative work - academic study - long‑term projects - mindfulness practice Key Concepts cognitive drift attention span Questions to Reflect On - What opposite activity revitalizes you after deep focus? - How can you harness this drift productively? A Different Perspective May limit productivity if not managed. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Attention](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attention/) [Direction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/direction/) [Focus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/focus/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [The women who don't seek attention are usually the women you need to be giving our attention to...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/the-women-who-don-t-seek-attention-are-usually-the-women-you-need-to/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [“We do not have to cure every neurosis, we just have to learn how not to be caught by them. This is a difficult…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-epstein/we-do-not-have-to-cure-every-neurosis-we-just-have-to-learn-how-not/) [Mark Epstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-epstein/) > [The women who don't seek attention are usually the women you need to be giving your attention to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-smith/the-women-who-don-t-seek-attention-are-usually-the-women-you-need-to-2/) [Will Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-smith/) > [The girls who don't seek attention are usually the girls you need to be giving your attention to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-girls-who-don-t-seek-attention-are-usually-the-girls-you-need-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The greatest gift you can give some one is your time, your attention, your love, your concern...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteem/the-greatest-gift-you-can-give-some-one-is-your-time-your-attention/) Joel Osteem > [Mindfulness has never been more important considering how the events of the world move in such an accelerated, frantic time. Our attention goes from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barnet-bain/mindfulness-has-never-been-more-important-considering-how-the-events/) Barnet Bain > [We're living at a time when attention is the new currency.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-cashmore/we-re-living-at-a-time-when-attention-is-the-new-currency/) [Pete Cashmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-cashmore/) > [You can rest assured that if you devote your time and attention to the highest advantage of others, the Universe will support you, always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-buckminster-fuller/you-can-rest-assured-that-if-you-devote-your-time-and-attention-to/) [R. Buckminster Fuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-buckminster-fuller/) > [“The best thing a guy can give his girlfriend is, his time, his attention and his love ..”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kapil-aneja/the-best-thing-a-guy-can-give-his-girlfriend-is-his-time-his/) Kapil Aneja > [“Because most of us say yes to too much stuff, and then, we let these little, mediocre things fill our lives…. The problem is,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-ferriss/because-most-of-us-say-yes-to-too-much-stuff-and-then-we-let-these/) [Timothy Ferriss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-ferriss/) > [A big part of doing your work is defending your time and your attention so you can do your work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/a-big-part-of-doing-your-work-is-defending-your-time-and-your/) [Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/) > [We're living at a time when attention is the new currency. 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More worthwhile that way.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huntley-fitzpatrick/i-guess-i-like-things-that-take-time-and-attention-more-worthwhile/) [Huntley Fitzpatrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/huntley-fitzpatrick/) > [The most precious gift you can give someone is the gift of your time and attention.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicky-gumbel/the-most-precious-gift-you-can-give-someone-is-the-gift-of-your-time/) [Nicky Gumbel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicky-gumbel/) ## More by Ryuichi Sakamoto > [That's the meaning of 'The Revenant': It's a return from death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryuichi-sakamoto/that-s-the-meaning-of-the-revenant-it-s-a-return-from-death/) [Ryuichi Sakamoto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryuichi-sakamoto/) > [In Japan, there has always been a small number of musicians who have been outspoken on social issues, but they tend to be dismissed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryuichi-sakamoto/in-japan-there-has-always-been-a-small-number-of-musicians-who-have/) [Ryuichi Sakamoto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryuichi-sakamoto/) > [I was really into the music of Cream after I finished composing the music for 'BTTB.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryuichi-sakamoto/i-was-really-into-the-music-of-cream-after-i-finished-composing-the/) [Ryuichi Sakamoto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryuichi-sakamoto/) > [I am worried that young Japanese people are not very curious about the outside world - which is so different to the way we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryuichi-sakamoto/i-am-worried-that-young-japanese-people-are-not-very-curious-about/) [Ryuichi Sakamoto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryuichi-sakamoto/) > [My audiences are generally mixed. Some people like techno, others are into the pop music, and others enjoy my film music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryuichi-sakamoto/my-audiences-are-generally-mixed-some-people-like-techno-others-are/) [Ryuichi Sakamoto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryuichi-sakamoto/) > [It's a very intimate, closed universe, doing my own music. It's just me, basically. I have to inspire myself; I have to do everything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryuichi-sakamoto/it-s-a-very-intimate-closed-universe-doing-my-own-music-it-s-just-me/) [Ryuichi Sakamoto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryuichi-sakamoto/) > [In Japanese culture, there is a belief that God is everywhere - in mountains, trees, rocks, even in our sympathy for robots or Hello…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryuichi-sakamoto/in-japanese-culture-there-is-a-belief-that-god-is-everywhere-in/) [Ryuichi Sakamoto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryuichi-sakamoto/) > [I think there's a genuine difference between the real and the virtual in music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryuichi-sakamoto/i-think-there-s-a-genuine-difference-between-the-real-and-the-virtual/) [Ryuichi Sakamoto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryuichi-sakamoto/) > [My interests are moving toward both 'sound and music,' not just 'music.' I have been doing lots of field recordings and also collecting lots…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryuichi-sakamoto/my-interests-are-moving-toward-both-sound-and-music-not-just-music-i/) [Ryuichi Sakamoto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryuichi-sakamoto/) > [The global view of cultures is part of my nature. I want to break down the walls between genres, categories, or cultures.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryuichi-sakamoto/the-global-view-of-cultures-is-part-of-my-nature-i-want-to-break-down/) [Ryuichi Sakamoto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryuichi-sakamoto/) > [I've realised that if it is to remain relevant, contemporary music needs to change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryuichi-sakamoto/i-ve-realised-that-if-it-is-to-remain-relevant-contemporary-music/) [Ryuichi Sakamoto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryuichi-sakamoto/) > [The piano is the closest instrument to me in my life, so it's just natural to play my pieces on the piano.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryuichi-sakamoto/the-piano-is-the-closest-instrument-to-me-in-my-life-so-it-s-just/) [Ryuichi Sakamoto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryuichi-sakamoto/) > [In the 1980s, Josef Beuys planted the seed that activism could be considered as art. I am influenced by the idea of his idea…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryuichi-sakamoto/in-the-1980s-josef-beuys-planted-the-seed-that-activism-could-be/) [Ryuichi Sakamoto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryuichi-sakamoto/) > [I'm really bad writing the chase scenes or fighting scenes. I'm much better for writing, like, a more melancholic or tragic music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryuichi-sakamoto/i-m-really-bad-writing-the-chase-scenes-or-fighting-scenes-i-m-much/) [Ryuichi Sakamoto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryuichi-sakamoto/) > [Art is often defined as a famous masterpiece in a gallery, and we are meant to visit the work and view it to appreciate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryuichi-sakamoto/art-is-often-defined-as-a-famous-masterpiece-in-a-gallery-and-we-are/) [Ryuichi Sakamoto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryuichi-sakamoto/) [Explore all 100 Ryuichi Sakamoto quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryuichi-sakamoto/) ## 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": "When I do one thing for a long period of time, my attention is usually then drawn in the opposite direction.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ryuichi Sakamoto" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryuichi-sakamoto/when-i-do-one-thing-for-a-long-period-of-time-my-attention-is-usually/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Attention" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryuichi-sakamoto/when-i-do-one-thing-for-a-long-period-of-time-my-attention-is-usually/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/378/ryuichi-sakamoto-5498_attention_when-i-do-one-thing-for-a-long-period-of_525500.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/378/ryuichi-sakamoto-5498_attention_when-i-do-one-thing-for-a-long-period-of_525500.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/378/ryuichi-sakamoto-5498_attention_when-i-do-one-thing-for-a-long-period-of_525500.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When I do one thing for a long period of time, my attention is usually then drawn in the opposite direction.” — Ryuichi Sakamoto", "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": "Ryuichi Sakamoto", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryuichi-sakamoto/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "When I do one thing for...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryuichi-sakamoto/when-i-do-one-thing-for-a-long-period-of-time-my-attention-is-usually/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryuichi-sakamoto/when-i-do-one-thing-for-a-long-period-of-time-my-attention-is-usually/#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 } } ] } ```