--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Focus your attention on where you're…" description: "\"Focus your attention on where you're going not where you've been\" — SONYA PARKER" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3f9/sonya-parker-80_focus_focus-your-attention-on-where-you-re-goi_1352306.jpg" --- # Focus your attention on where you're going not where… ![“Focus your attention on where you're going not where you've been” quote by SONYA PARKER](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3f9/sonya-parker-80_focus_focus-your-attention-on-where-you-re-goi_1352306.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3f9/sonya-parker-80_focus_focus-your-attention-on-where-you-re-goi_1352306.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3f9/sonya-parker-80_focus_focus-your-attention-on-where-you-re-goi_1352306.jpg) > “Focus your attention on where you're going not where you've been” [SONYA PARKER](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonya-parker/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Focus on future direction rather than past experiences to move forward. **In simple terms:** Look ahead, not back. Key Takeaway Set forward‑looking goals. Themes growth focus mindset Mood determined optimistic Type advice motivational When to use this quote - career planning - personal change Key Concepts goal setting self‑development Questions to Reflect On - What future path excites you? - How can past insights aid progress? A Different Perspective Past lessons can still inform decisions. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Attention](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attention/) [Focus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/focus/) ## Related quotes > [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/) > [Focus on positive things not negative things because whatever you focus your attention on becomes important to you even if it's unimportant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonya-parker/focus-on-positive-things-not-negative-things-because-whatever-you/) [SONYA PARKER](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonya-parker/) > [When exercising, be sure to focus your attention on what you are doing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-haney/when-exercising-be-sure-to-focus-your-attention-on-what-you-are-doing/) [Lee Haney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-haney/) > [“Plenty of information leads to scarcity of attention. When people are overwhelmed with the volume of information confronting them, it is hard to know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-nye/plenty-of-information-leads-to-scarcity-of-attention-when-people-are/) [Joseph Nye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-nye/) > [There has obviously been a lot more attention on me but it's not going to change what I do or who I am. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-de-minaur/there-has-obviously-been-a-lot-more-attention-on-me-but-it-s-not/) [Alex de Minaur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-de-minaur/) > [When you're a musician and you go out onstage, and you're someone who loves attention, you are going to become a role model to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathleen-hanna/when-you-re-a-musician-and-you-go-out-onstage-and-you-re-someone-who/) [Kathleen Hanna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathleen-hanna/) > [By maintaining our attention on what's going on within others, we offer them a chance to fully explore and express their interior selves. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marshall-b-rosenberg/by-maintaining-our-attention-on-what-s-going-on-within-others-we/) [Marshall B. Rosenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marshall-b-rosenberg/) > [Some entertainers don't pay attention to what's going on around them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-c-k/some-entertainers-don-t-pay-attention-to-what-s-going-on-around-them/) [Louis C. K](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-c-k/) > [Pay attention, I'm only going to show you this once! ~ suicide bomber teacher.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/green-monk/pay-attention-i-m-only-going-to-show-you-this-once-suicide-bomber/) [Green Monk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/green-monk/) > [Writers have to be careful not to confuse personal attention with the attention that's going towards the book.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/writers-have-to-be-careful-not-to-confuse-personal-attention-with-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Now, you just watch your attention. Where is it going? Watch yourself. As soon as you'll start watching yourself, your attention, you'll become more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nirmala-srivastava/now-you-just-watch-your-attention-where-is-it-going-watch-yourself-as/) [Nirmala Srivastava](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nirmala-srivastava/) > [If you don't pay attention to me, I'm going to make you pay attention to me. I've always been that way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexa-bliss/if-you-don-t-pay-attention-to-me-i-m-going-to-make-you-pay-attention/) [Alexa Bliss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexa-bliss/) > [I was going to have an opening statement, but I decided that what I was going to say I wanted to get a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/i-was-going-to-have-an-opening-statement-but-i-decided-that-what-i/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [If people don't feel they've got your attention, you're not going to succeed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-elliot/if-people-don-t-feel-they-ve-got-your-attention-you-re-not-going-to/) [Ben Elliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-elliot/) > [There are ways of staying under the radar here, and they're effective to a degree. But if you're an ambitious person and you're confident…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/killian-scott/there-are-ways-of-staying-under-the-radar-here-and-they-re-effective/) [Killian Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/killian-scott/) ## More by SONYA PARKER > [If someone leaves you because of a flaw or small problem they're immature, and they are definitely wrong for you. So, good riddance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonya-parker/if-someone-leaves-you-because-of-a-flaw-or-small-problem-they-re/) [Sonya Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonya-parker/) > [If holding onto them requires you to lower your self-worth and self-respect let go of them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonya-parker/if-holding-onto-them-requires-you-to-lower-your-self-worth-and-self/) [Sonya Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonya-parker/) > [I still care about you, but youve lost my trust, youve lost my respect and youve lost me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonya-parker/i-still-care-about-you-but-youve-lost-my-trust-youve-lost-my-respect/) [Sonya Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonya-parker/) > [Everyone has dreams, but everyone isn't willing to fight for their dreams to come true.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonya-parker/everyone-has-dreams-but-everyone-isn-t-willing-to-fight-for-their/) [Sonya Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonya-parker/) > [A jerk will keep hurting you then apologize to keep you from leaving them, and then do it all over again](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonya-parker/a-jerk-will-keep-hurting-you-then-apologize-to-keep-you-from-leaving/) [Sonya Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonya-parker/) > [Just because you failed yesterday it doesn't mean that you can't succeed today or tomorrow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonya-parker/just-because-you-failed-yesterday-it-doesn-t-mean-that-you-can-t/) [Sonya Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonya-parker/) > [Today isn't just another day off, it's a day to remember those who have sacrificed their life for your FREEDOM. Happy Memorial Day!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonya-parker/today-isn-t-just-another-day-off-it-s-a-day-to-remember-those-who/) [Sonya Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonya-parker/) > [Stop holding onto people that treat you like crap. They might be nice sometimes, but the rest of the time they disrespect you and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonya-parker/stop-holding-onto-people-that-treat-you-like-crap-they-might-be-nice/) [Sonya Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonya-parker/) > [Nice people hate saying 'no' to their friends and family, that's why they get used and taken advantage of.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonya-parker/nice-people-hate-saying-no-to-their-friends-and-family-that-s-why/) [Sonya Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonya-parker/) > [Most people don't reach their goals because reaching their goals requires them to do things that they don't want to do. You might not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonya-parker/most-people-don-t-reach-their-goals-because-reaching-their-goals/) [Sonya Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonya-parker/) > [Once a person turns cold it's hard to change back into who they used to be. They have to let go of the past,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonya-parker/once-a-person-turns-cold-it-s-hard-to-change-back-into-who-they-used/) [Sonya Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonya-parker/) > [You're unhappy with your life because you give up when things don't happen fast enough for you. The bigger the goal the longer it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonya-parker/you-re-unhappy-with-your-life-because-you-give-up-when-things-don-t/) [Sonya Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonya-parker/) > [Some people give up on everything just because they can't fix one thing. You might not be able to fix that, but you can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonya-parker/some-people-give-up-on-everything-just-because-they-can-t-fix-one/) [SONYA PARKER](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonya-parker/) > [I dont care how brokenhearted someone is if they wanted to be with you they would because the love they feel for you would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonya-parker/i-dont-care-how-brokenhearted-someone-is-if-they-wanted-to-be-with/) [Sonya Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonya-parker/) > [Love is when someone has the power to break your heart into a thousand pieces, but they make sure it stays in 1 piece.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonya-parker/love-is-when-someone-has-the-power-to-break-your-heart-into-a/) [Sonya Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonya-parker/) [Explore all 1,539 SONYA PARKER quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonya-parker/) ## 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": "Focus your attention on where you're going not where you've been", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "SONYA PARKER" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonya-parker/focus-your-attention-on-where-you-re-going-not-where-you-ve-been/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Attention" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonya-parker/focus-your-attention-on-where-you-re-going-not-where-you-ve-been/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3f9/sonya-parker-80_focus_focus-your-attention-on-where-you-re-goi_1352306.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3f9/sonya-parker-80_focus_focus-your-attention-on-where-you-re-goi_1352306.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3f9/sonya-parker-80_focus_focus-your-attention-on-where-you-re-goi_1352306.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Focus your attention on where you're going not where you've been” — SONYA PARKER", "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": "SONYA PARKER", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonya-parker/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Focus your attention on where you're...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonya-parker/focus-your-attention-on-where-you-re-going-not-where-you-ve-been/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonya-parker/focus-your-attention-on-where-you-re-going-not-where-you-ve-been/#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 } } ] } ```