--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You have to be able to shut out…" description: "\"You have to be able to shut out everything else, all the distractions and criticism. There's a lot of work that went on off the pitch, a lot of convers..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/96f/steph-houghton-5573_communication_you-have-to-be-able-to-shut-out-everythi_1473200.jpg" --- # You have to be able to shut out everything else, all the… ![“You have to be able to shut out everything else, all the distractions and criticism. There's a lot of work that went on off the pitch, a lot of conversations, to make that happen.” quote by Steph Houghton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/96f/steph-houghton-5573_communication_you-have-to-be-able-to-shut-out-everythi_1473200.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/96f/steph-houghton-5573_communication_you-have-to-be-able-to-shut-out-everythi_1473200.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/96f/steph-houghton-5573_communication_you-have-to-be-able-to-shut-out-everythi_1473200.jpg) > “You have to be able to shut out everything else, all the distractions and criticism. There's a lot of work that went on off the pitch, a lot of conversations, to make that happen.” [Steph Houghton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steph-houghton/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Success demands eliminating distractions and criticism to focus on performance. **In simple terms:** Focus requires removing noise. Key Takeaway Prioritize focus over external opinions. Themes focus distraction management performance teamwork Mood determined calm Type advice motivational When to use this quote - sports competition - creative work - study sessions - public speaking Key Concepts mindfulness resilience goal setting Questions to Reflect On - How do you distinguish helpful feedback from harmful noise? - What rituals help you maintain focus? A Different Perspective Complete criticism can also provide useful feedback. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Communication](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/communication/) [Conversations Make](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conversations-make-476004/) [Criticism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/criticism/) [Distractions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/distractions/) [Distractions Criticism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/distractions-criticism-5350726/) [Football](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/football/) [Make](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/make/) [Out](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/out/) [Shut Distractions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shut-distractions-5350727/) [Went Pitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/went-pitch-1260453/) [Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work/) ## Related quotes > [If I went in to pitch this show to a network, I would be laughed out of the room.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-sajak/if-i-went-in-to-pitch-this-show-to-a-network-i-would-be-laughed-out/) [Pat Sajak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-sajak/) > [The best conversations make you happy, and keep you smiling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-best-conversations-make-you-happy-and-keep-you-smiling/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When you really love someone, stupid conversations make sense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-santana/when-you-really-love-someone-stupid-conversations-make-sense/) [Jason Santana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-santana/) > [“You can keep asking ‘why’, but you know it as well as I do. It’s the reason you’re here. The reason you took a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/skye-callahan/you-can-keep-asking-why-but-you-know-it-as-well-as-i-do-it-s-the/) [Skye Callahan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/skye-callahan/) > [Late night conversations make you learn a lot about people..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/late-night-conversations-make-you-learn-a-lot-about-people/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [I think people are really talking about it. Having conversations about how to make change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-kaepernick/i-think-people-are-really-talking-about-it-having-conversations-about/) [Colin Kaepernick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-kaepernick/) > [“One of the most important hopes we have for this book is to provoke the sorts of conversations that make it easier for couples…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-ryan/one-of-the-most-important-hopes-we-have-for-this-book-is-to-provoke/) [Christopher Ryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-ryan/) > [Stupid conversations make sense when you are talking to someone special.Â¥](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/stupid-conversations-make-sense-when-you-are-talking-to-someone/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If I walk into a place, a party, say, and there's a bookshelf, I immediately gravitate toward it. Unless there's a bar. But even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-evison/if-i-walk-into-a-place-a-party-say-and-there-s-a-bookshelf-i/) [Jonathan Evison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-evison/) > [If anything during the playoffs, I try to golf more. I'll just do anything I can to be normal. I don't really designate any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denny-hamlin/if-anything-during-the-playoffs-i-try-to-golf-more-i-ll-just-do/) [Denny Hamlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denny-hamlin/) > [I imagine that one of the biggest troubles with colleges is there are too many distractions, too much panty-raiding, fraternities, and boola-boola and all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/i-imagine-that-one-of-the-biggest-troubles-with-colleges-is-there-are/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [“Working with these distractions, steadying the canoe, letting the waves pass by, and coming back again and again in a quiet and collected way,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kornfield/working-with-these-distractions-steadying-the-canoe-letting-the-waves/) [Jack Kornfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kornfield/) > [Our differences - in race, sexual preference, economic - have always been used as distractions to keep us divided. We get so wrapped up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-jamal-warner/our-differences-in-race-sexual-preference-economic-have-always-been/) [Malcolm-Jamal Warner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-jamal-warner/) > [There's so many things running through your mind. If you can formulate a game plan that works for you and allows you to block…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-arrieta/there-s-so-many-things-running-through-your-mind-if-you-can-formulate/) [Jake Arrieta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-arrieta/) > [You have a number of choices. You could continue to always fight against people who are really distractions. They're people in the cheap seats…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarence-thomas/you-have-a-number-of-choices-you-could-continue-to-always-fight/) [Clarence Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarence-thomas/) ## More by Steph Houghton > [Anything can happen in a cup final; that's what everybody likes about them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steph-houghton/anything-can-happen-in-a-cup-final-that-s-what-everybody-likes-about/) [Steph Houghton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steph-houghton/) > [If we, as a group, can change people's view from thinking they're watching football as opposed to women's football, then I think we've been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steph-houghton/if-we-as-a-group-can-change-people-s-view-from-thinking-they-re/) [Steph Houghton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steph-houghton/) > [Within the girl's game, you have to be motivated to be part of this sport.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steph-houghton/within-the-girl-s-game-you-have-to-be-motivated-to-be-part-of-this/) [Steph Houghton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steph-houghton/) > [We want to play against the best in the world, nevermind Europe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steph-houghton/we-want-to-play-against-the-best-in-the-world-nevermind-europe/) [Steph Houghton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steph-houghton/) > [I'm a very motivated person, and that goes hand in hand with being very organised. I always plan what I need to do to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steph-houghton/i-m-a-very-motivated-person-and-that-goes-hand-in-hand-with-being/) [Steph Houghton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steph-houghton/) > [For women's football in this country, it's important we do play in the best stadiums, and for me, Wembley is the best in this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steph-houghton/for-women-s-football-in-this-country-it-s-important-we-do-play-in-the/) [Steph Houghton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steph-houghton/) > [We want to compete for every trophy at home and in Europe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steph-houghton/we-want-to-compete-for-every-trophy-at-home-and-in-europe/) [Steph Houghton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steph-houghton/) > [I don't tend to carry much cash around, as I use my bank card whenever I can.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steph-houghton/i-don-t-tend-to-carry-much-cash-around-as-i-use-my-bank-card-whenever/) [Steph Houghton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steph-houghton/) > [I want to play for England, I wear my heart on my sleeve, and I give it everything I can, not just for me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steph-houghton/i-want-to-play-for-england-i-wear-my-heart-on-my-sleeve-and-i-give-it/) [Steph Houghton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steph-houghton/) > [I knew there was going to be pressure on me with the captaincy. I knew people would be writing about my performances more than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steph-houghton/i-knew-there-was-going-to-be-pressure-on-me-with-the-captaincy-i-knew/) [Steph Houghton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steph-houghton/) > [Games don't come much bigger than playing the title holders with the chance to win the trophy yourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steph-houghton/games-don-t-come-much-bigger-than-playing-the-title-holders-with-the/) [Steph Houghton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steph-houghton/) > [I want to be the best professional and the greatest role model I can be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steph-houghton/i-want-to-be-the-best-professional-and-the-greatest-role-model-i-can/) [Steph Houghton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steph-houghton/) > [We want to be role models.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steph-houghton/we-want-to-be-role-models/) [Steph Houghton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steph-houghton/) > [It's important I keep my feet on the ground and stay humble and still work hard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steph-houghton/it-s-important-i-keep-my-feet-on-the-ground-and-stay-humble-and-still/) [Steph Houghton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steph-houghton/) > [At Arsenal, we train for about two hours a day and are treated just the same as the men. It makes a big difference,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steph-houghton/at-arsenal-we-train-for-about-two-hours-a-day-and-are-treated-just/) [Steph Houghton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steph-houghton/) [Explore all 100 Steph Houghton quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steph-houghton/) ## More Communication quotes > [Some people still believe you should just fall in line with what's going on - and that's scary. It makes a mockery of freedom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-robison/some-people-still-believe-you-should-just-fall-in-line-with-what-s/) [Emily Robison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-robison/) > [The problem posed by indirect speech acts is the problem of how it is possible for the speaker to say one thing and mean…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-searle/the-problem-posed-by-indirect-speech-acts-is-the-problem-of-how-it-is/) [John Searle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-searle/) > [We should have a conversation when we hang up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benedict-cumberbatch/we-should-have-a-conversation-when-we-hang-up/) [Benedict Cumberbatch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benedict-cumberbatch/) > [Sing like no one's listening, love like you've never been hurt, dance like nobody's watching, and live like its heaven on earth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/sing-like-no-one-s-listening-love-like-you-ve-never-been-hurt-dance/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [A poet is wounded into speech, and he examines these wounds, meticulously, to discover how to heal them. The bad poet harangues at the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-r-delany/a-poet-is-wounded-into-speech-and-he-examines-these-wounds/) [Samuel R. Delany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-r-delany/) > [“To engage in dialogue is to serve others via whatever is real inside you; to engage in debate is to ultimately serve the illusions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oli-anderson/to-engage-in-dialogue-is-to-serve-others-via-whatever-is-real-inside/) [Oli Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oli-anderson/) > [What it comes down to for me is this: Will the technologies of communication in our culture, serve to enlighten us and help us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-waters/what-it-comes-down-to-for-me-is-this-will-the-technologies-of/) [Roger Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-waters/) > [In dialogue, there is opposition, yes, but no head-on collision. Smashing heads does not open minds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-tannen/in-dialogue-there-is-opposition-yes-but-no-head-on-collision-smashing/) [Deborah Tannen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-tannen/) > [A dialogue is very important. It is a form of communication in which question and answer continue till a question is left without an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/a-dialogue-is-very-important-it-is-a-form-of-communication-in-which/) [Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/) > [I get afraid of the dark if I'm in a great deal of dark, and I have to move around inside of that fear...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emil-ferris/i-get-afraid-of-the-dark-if-i-m-in-a-great-deal-of-dark-and-i-have-to/) [Emil Ferris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emil-ferris/) > [I've been in a serious conversation with one of my children, and a fan has come up. I've been in a public bathroom and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-reddy/i-ve-been-in-a-serious-conversation-with-one-of-my-children-and-a-fan/) [Helen Reddy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-reddy/) > [Life as we know it is fundamentally unsatisfying. I think most folks feel this to be true. They know that a life of aimless…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-yates/life-as-we-know-it-is-fundamentally-unsatisfying-i-think-most-folks/) [Michael Yates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-yates/) > [Disability, in general, hasn't been included in the conversation about inclusivity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-winston-george/disability-in-general-hasn-t-been-included-in-the-conversation-about/) [Jason Winston George](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-winston-george/) > [“Women will be at least 50 percent of the communications community workforce … from executive suite to interns. Why? 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