Habits Quote by Sam Harris
““The principal enemy of mindfulness—or of any meditative practice—is our deeply conditioned habit of being distracted by thoughts. The problem is not thoughts themselves but the state of thinking without knowing that we are thinking.””
About This Quote
Source Book: “Waking Up” (2014)
Mindfulness is hindered by habitual distraction; the issue is not thoughts but unawareness of thinking, urging meta‑cognitive monitoring.
In simple terms: Distraction blocks mindfulness; notice your thoughts.
Key Takeaway
Practice observing thoughts without judgment.
Themes
mindfulness
thoughts
awareness
distraction
Mood
calm
thoughtful
Type
philosophical
inspirational
When to use this quote
- meditation
- daily routines
- stress management
Key Concepts
meta‑cognition
mental habits
Questions to Reflect On
- How can you cultivate non‑judgmental awareness?
- What habits increase mental distraction?
A Different Perspective
Constant monitoring can be exhausting.
![“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)
