Psychology Quote by Sam Harris
““Being wisely selfish and being selfless can amount to very much the same thing. There are centuries of anecdotal testimony on this point—and, as we will see, the scientific study of the mind has begun to bear it out. There is now little question that how one uses one’s attention, moment to moment, largely determines what kind of person one becomes. Our minds—and lives—are largely shaped by how we use them.””
About This Quote
Source Book: Free Will, Sam Harris, 2012
The way we direct our attention shapes our character and life; selfishness and selflessness can converge when attention is used wisely.
In simple terms: Attention determines who we become; selfishness and selflessness can align.
Key Takeaway
Mindful attention shapes character.
Themes
attention
mindfulness
self
selflessness
Mood
reflective
thoughtful
Type
philosophical
inspirational
When to use this quote
- personal growth
- leadership
- mental health
- education
- relationship building
Key Concepts
psychology
neuroscience
ethics
Questions to Reflect On
- How does your daily focus shape your identity?
- Can selfishness be a path to selflessness?
A Different Perspective
Attention alone cannot change deep-seated habits without effort.
![“Moderates in every faith are obliged to loosely interpret (or simply ignore) much of their canons in the interests of living in the modern world. [...] The first thing to observe about the moderate’s retreat from scriptural literalism is that it draws its inspiration not from scripture but from…” quote by Sam Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/b44/sam-harris-457_bible_moderates-in-every-faith-are-obliged-to_6967.jpg)
