--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A perseverative interest is an interest…" description: "\"“A perseverative interest is an interest so powerful that it consumes most of an autistic's thoughts. Some interests can seem quite bizarre to people w..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5a2/thomas-d-taylor-7968_focus_a-perseverative-interest-is-an-interest_2581495.jpg" --- # A perseverative interest is an interest so powerful that… ![“A perseverative interest is an interest so powerful that it consumes most of an autistic's thoughts. Some interests can seem quite bizarre to people who are not autistic (e.g. safety pins, doorknobs, a specific kind of bug). Some autistics have interests that distract them to such a degree that…” quote by Thomas D. Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5a2/thomas-d-taylor-7968_focus_a-perseverative-interest-is-an-interest_2581495.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5a2/thomas-d-taylor-7968_focus_a-perseverative-interest-is-an-interest_2581495.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5a2/thomas-d-taylor-7968_focus_a-perseverative-interest-is-an-interest_2581495.jpg) > ““A perseverative interest is an interest so powerful that it consumes most of an autistic's thoughts. Some interests can seem quite bizarre to people who are not autistic (e.g. safety pins, doorknobs, a specific kind of bug). Some autistics have interests that distract them to such a degree that they may not be able to focus on other things that require their attention. These”” [Thomas D. Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-d-taylor/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Describes intense, consuming interests of autistic individuals, noting they can appear unusual and dominate focus. **In simple terms:** Strong, consuming interests in autism. Key Takeaway Understand and support focused passions. Themes autism focus neurodiversity Mood empathetic informative Type educational psychological When to use this quote - education - therapy - personal development Key Concepts intense interest cognitive patterns Questions to Reflect On - How can balance be achieved? - What supports diverse interests? A Different Perspective May hinder other tasks. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Autistic Thoughts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/autistic-thoughts-1782053/) [Autistics Interests](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/autistics-interests-1782052/) [Focus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/focus/) [Interests Distract](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interests-distract-1378386/) [Perseverative Powerful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/perseverative-powerful-1782055/) [Thoughts Interests](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thoughts-interests-1782054/) ## Related quotes > [“Many Christians are "devoured" by worldly interests that distract them from spiritual service to God.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-h-ernest/many-christians-are-devoured-by-worldly-interests-that-distract-them/) [Victor H Ernest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-h-ernest/) > [All I'm focused on is playing my game. Everything else will take care of itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grigor-dimitrov/all-i-m-focused-on-is-playing-my-game-everything-else-will-take-care/) [Grigor Dimitrov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grigor-dimitrov/) > [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/) > [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/) > [If you ask another competitor, they may tell you they felt very competitive towards me. But I can tell you that my biggest competition…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-kwan/if-you-ask-another-competitor-they-may-tell-you-they-felt-very/) [Michelle Kwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-kwan/) > [Too many times we flitter our energy into too many goals and in the process don't achieve much. Focus is very important in life.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vaishali-kasture/too-many-times-we-flitter-our-energy-into-too-many-goals-and-in-the/) [Vaishali Kasture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vaishali-kasture/) > [“This is Galileo,” said Aristotle. “He advocates understanding the world through observation and experiment. He is an unimaginative thinker, but his results demand our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liu-cixin/this-is-galileo-said-aristotle-he-advocates-understanding-the-world/) [Liu Cixin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liu-cixin/) > [I think I've had the longest career of strength, focus, and still being able to sell records. 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I actually discovered…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/flume/music-is-a-job-but-i-figured-out-ways-to-get-my-mind-into-a-place/) [Flume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/flume/) > [If you take your eye off the ball or lose focus for even a minute you can lose a game against any team.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/felipe-anderson/if-you-take-your-eye-off-the-ball-or-lose-focus-for-even-a-minute-you/) [Felipe Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/felipe-anderson/) ## More by Thomas D. Taylor > [“Unfortunately, by this time it didn't matter. Self-diagnosed autistics and fakers were asking diagnosed autistics whether or not they had a diagnosis, and if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-d-taylor/unfortunately-by-this-time-it-didn-t-matter-self-diagnosed-autistics/) [Thomas D. Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-d-taylor/) > [“Be that as it may, some of those that would no longer be diagnosed “autistic” today were diagnosed on the autism spectrum and accepted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-d-taylor/be-that-as-it-may-some-of-those-that-would-no-longer-be-diagnosed/) [Thomas D. Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-d-taylor/) > [“This hardly needs to be stated, but if a faith healer tries to “heal” an autistic person, the implied message is that the “healer”…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-d-taylor/this-hardly-needs-to-be-stated-but-if-a-faith-healer-tries-to-heal-an/) [Thomas D. Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-d-taylor/) > [“Whom a person in the autism community is friends with is very important. Alliances are forged against people who have certain friends, and these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-d-taylor/whom-a-person-in-the-autism-community-is-friends-with-is-very/) [Thomas D. Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-d-taylor/) > [“The person generally agreed upon by many to be the founder of Applied Behavior Analysis, Dr. O. Ivar Lovaas, described autistics as “Little Monsters”…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-d-taylor/the-person-generally-agreed-upon-by-many-to-be-the-founder-of-applied/) [Thomas D. Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-d-taylor/) > [“It seems as though autism is being portrayed in literature less as a diagnosis, and more as a minority lifestyle. Sometimes it is even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-d-taylor/it-seems-as-though-autism-is-being-portrayed-in-literature-less-as-a/) [Thomas D. Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-d-taylor/) > [“Recently, Temple Grandin's mother, Eustacia Cutler, wrote and article that tried to explain why some autistic men seem to have a sexual preoccupation with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-d-taylor/recently-temple-grandin-s-mother-eustacia-cutler-wrote-and-article/) [Thomas D. Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-d-taylor/) > [“The problem with this theory is that   ◦         Thimerosal is not mercury itself, but a mercury compound   ◦         Thimerosal is not the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-d-taylor/the-problem-with-this-theory-is-that-thimerosal-is-not-mercury-itself/) [Thomas D. Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-d-taylor/) > [“Hypersensitivities occur when sensitivities are strongly heightened, many times uncomfortably so. Hypo-sensitivities occur when there is a lesser reaction to a sensation than one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-d-taylor/hypersensitivities-occur-when-sensitivities-are-strongly-heightened/) [Thomas D. Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-d-taylor/) > [“Because “cold” mothers exhibit traits (possibly as the result of genetic makeup) similar to those displayed by autistic children, it was at one time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-d-taylor/because-cold-mothers-exhibit-traits-possibly-as-the-result-of-genetic/) [Thomas D. Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-d-taylor/) > [“An additional problem occurs when people may infer they have synesthesia when they really do not, or they may pretend to have it when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-d-taylor/an-additional-problem-occurs-when-people-may-infer-they-have/) [Thomas D. Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-d-taylor/) > [“It has happened that a group of autistics, who were considered radical by many, attempted to petition the United Nations to recognize autistics as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-d-taylor/it-has-happened-that-a-group-of-autistics-who-were-considered-radical/) [Thomas D. Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-d-taylor/) > [“To call oneself a journalist when one has no established qualifications is “bad”, but to tack the “autistic” qualifier onto title is worse in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-d-taylor/to-call-oneself-a-journalist-when-one-has-no-established/) [Thomas D. Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-d-taylor/) > [“The amount of bickering that most autistics engage in over politics is probably no greater than the bickering seen between people who do not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-d-taylor/the-amount-of-bickering-that-most-autistics-engage-in-over-politics/) [Thomas D. Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-d-taylor/) > [“Assuming aliens do exist, the only problem with scientifically proving the genetic connection between autism and aliens is that no alien DNA has been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-d-taylor/assuming-aliens-do-exist-the-only-problem-with-scientifically-proving/) [Thomas D. Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-d-taylor/) [Explore all 85 Thomas D. Taylor quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-d-taylor/) ## More Focus quotes > [If you take your eye off the ball or lose focus for even a minute you can lose a game against any team.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/felipe-anderson/if-you-take-your-eye-off-the-ball-or-lose-focus-for-even-a-minute-you/) [Felipe Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/felipe-anderson/) > [Music is a job, but I figured out ways to get my mind into a place where I could be creative. I actually discovered…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/flume/music-is-a-job-but-i-figured-out-ways-to-get-my-mind-into-a-place/) [Flume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/flume/) > [“If you're focused, you can't get bored.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alin-sav/if-you-re-focused-you-can-t-get-bored/) [Alin Sav](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alin-sav/) > [There are more important things to focus on in life than how you look.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arden-cho/there-are-more-important-things-to-focus-on-in-life-than-how-you-look/) [Arden Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arden-cho/) > [Focus on becoming more to achieve more while doing less](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hal-elrod/focus-on-becoming-more-to-achieve-more-while-doing-less/) [Hal Elrod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hal-elrod/) > [I don't think about the press or the crowds or the other leaders of the race. The focus is only on myself. As soon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/magdalena-neuner/i-don-t-think-about-the-press-or-the-crowds-or-the-other-leaders-of/) [Magdalena Neuner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/magdalena-neuner/) > [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/) > [I think I've had the longest career of strength, focus, and still being able to sell records. I think I'm that guy. I'm still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nas/i-think-i-ve-had-the-longest-career-of-strength-focus-and-still-being/) [Nas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nas/) > [“This is Galileo,” said Aristotle. “He advocates understanding the world through observation and experiment. He is an unimaginative thinker, but his results demand our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liu-cixin/this-is-galileo-said-aristotle-he-advocates-understanding-the-world/) [Liu Cixin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liu-cixin/) > [Too many times we flitter our energy into too many goals and in the process don't achieve much. Focus is very important in life.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vaishali-kasture/too-many-times-we-flitter-our-energy-into-too-many-goals-and-in-the/) [Vaishali Kasture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vaishali-kasture/) > [If you ask another competitor, they may tell you they felt very competitive towards me. 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Everything else will take care of itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grigor-dimitrov/all-i-m-focused-on-is-playing-my-game-everything-else-will-take-care/) [Grigor Dimitrov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grigor-dimitrov/) > [Focus on being productive instead of busy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-ferriss/focus-on-being-productive-instead-of-busy/) [Tim Ferriss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-ferriss/) [Browse all 11,734 Focus quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/focus/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“A perseverative interest is an interest so powerful that it consumes most of an autistic's thoughts. Some interests can seem quite bizarre to people who are not autistic (e.g. safety pins, doorknobs, a specific kind of bug). Some autistics have interests that distract them to such a degree that they may not be able to focus on other things that require their attention. 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