--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If we want to be happier, we should shift…" description: "\"“If we want to be happier, we should shift our attention to those special people, many of whom are probably not anywhere in your social network, but wh..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d6a/tony-crabbe-33709_happier_if-we-want-to-be-happier-we-should-shift_503503.jpg" --- # If we want to be happier, we should shift our attention to… ![“If we want to be happier, we should shift our attention to those special people, many of whom are probably not anywhere in your social network, but who are central to your existence.” quote by Tony Crabbe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d6a/tony-crabbe-33709_happier_if-we-want-to-be-happier-we-should-shift_503503.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d6a/tony-crabbe-33709_happier_if-we-want-to-be-happier-we-should-shift_503503.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d6a/tony-crabbe-33709_happier_if-we-want-to-be-happier-we-should-shift_503503.jpg) > ““If we want to be happier, we should shift our attention to those special people, many of whom are probably not anywhere in your social network, but who are central to your existence.”” [Tony Crabbe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-crabbe/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Happiness comes from focusing on key relationships beyond our immediate network, recognizing their deep impact on our lives. **In simple terms:** Focus on important people, not just those you know. Key Takeaway Prioritize meaningful connections. Themes relationships well‑being focus Mood reflective optimistic Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - family gatherings - mentor meetings - community events - online networking Key Concepts social centrality emotional health Questions to Reflect On - Who are the central figures you ignore? - How does shifting focus change your mood? A Different Perspective Limited by personal bias; you may overlook invisible influences. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Happier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happier/) [Happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Social network](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/social-network/) ## Related quotes > [If I hadn't been an actor, I probably would have been a social worker.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierce-brosnan/if-i-hadn-t-been-an-actor-i-probably-would-have-been-a-social-worker/) [Pierce Brosnan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierce-brosnan/) > [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. 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Moore > [One of the best parts of the holiday season is spending time with the special people in your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/one-of-the-best-parts-of-the-holiday-season-is-spending-time-with-the/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Whenever when I sit all alone reminiscing about those people that build up my world, then your thought come to my mind instantly because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/usman-ismaheel/whenever-when-i-sit-all-alone-reminiscing-about-those-people-that/) [Usman Ismaheel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/usman-ismaheel/) > [I've been very lucky with having a run of working with very special people and it just makes you work harder.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dervla-kirwan/i-ve-been-very-lucky-with-having-a-run-of-working-with-very-special/) [Dervla Kirwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dervla-kirwan/) > [I think Chicago people are very special people, and the Midwest's confluence of East Coast-meets-Midwest sensibilities had to, on a formative level, inform me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-sunjata/i-think-chicago-people-are-very-special-people-and-the-midwest-s/) [Daniel Sunjata](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-sunjata/) > [Sometimes special people come into your life only to teach you how to live alone without them. Sad but true.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/sometimes-special-people-come-into-your-life-only-to-teach-you-how-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Tony Crabbe > [“It's easier to simply react; to choose to try to do everything, rather than make the difficult decisions and unchoose things -- it takes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-crabbe/it-s-easier-to-simply-react-to-choose-to-try-to-do-everything-rather/) [Tony Crabbe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-crabbe/) > [“Wear your life more lightly. There is a ridiculousness to much in ourselves and our lives; we notice this with startling clarity at times…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-crabbe/wear-your-life-more-lightly-there-is-a-ridiculousness-to-much-in/) [Tony Crabbe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-crabbe/) > [“Mastery is found in what we choose to do -- our outputs -- not from our inputs.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-crabbe/mastery-is-found-in-what-we-choose-to-do-our-outputs-not-from-our/) [Tony Crabbe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-crabbe/) > [“Unless we can realign our belief system about how we will achieve happy, satisfying lives, we are in grave danger of defaulting to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-crabbe/unless-we-can-realign-our-belief-system-about-how-we-will-achieve/) [Tony Crabbe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-crabbe/) > [“Your inputs are relatively random; unprioritised, they have little or no connection to what you hope to achieve, and so are ineffective guides to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-crabbe/your-inputs-are-relatively-random-unprioritised-they-have-little-or/) [Tony Crabbe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-crabbe/) > [“We will not lead completely happy lives unless we can be completely engaged in our activity; and quietly content in our idleness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-crabbe/we-will-not-lead-completely-happy-lives-unless-we-can-be-completely/) [Tony Crabbe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-crabbe/) > [“In this world of too much, we are simultaneously overstimulated and bored, enriched and empty, connected yet isolated and alone.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-crabbe/in-this-world-of-too-much-we-are-simultaneously-overstimulated-and/) [Tony Crabbe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-crabbe/) > [“Beating busy isn't easy, but it's a fight worth having. 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It is deep engagement in activities that really matter to us, or in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-crabbe/the-opposite-of-busy-in-today-s-world-is-sustained-focused-attention/) [Tony Crabbe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-crabbe/) [Explore all 14 Tony Crabbe quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-crabbe/) ## More Happier quotes > [“If we can focus on making clear what parts of our day are within our control and what parts are not, we will not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-holiday/if-we-can-focus-on-making-clear-what-parts-of-our-day-are-within-our/) [Ryan Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holiday/) > [Smile and show him that life is still going on and is happier without him..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bhumika/smile-and-show-him-that-life-is-still-going-on-and-is-happier-without/) [Bhumika](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bhumika/) > [“I am happier when I love than when I am loved. I adore my husband, my son, and my grandchildren, my mother, my dog,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isabel-allende/i-am-happier-when-i-love-than-when-i-am-loved-i-adore-my-husband-my/) [Isabel Allende](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isabel-allende/) > [Things don't go on forever, and the quicker you accept that change is inevitable, the happier you're gonna be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trey-anastasio/things-don-t-go-on-forever-and-the-quicker-you-accept-that-change-is/) [Trey Anastasio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trey-anastasio/) > [“I do think everyone would be a lot happier if we laid eggs on our own and could just have friendship and didn't need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-ames/i-do-think-everyone-would-be-a-lot-happier-if-we-laid-eggs-on-our-own/) [Jonathan Ames](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-ames/) > [Only surround yourself with positive people that bring out the best in you and you'll be surprised at how much happier you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/only-surround-yourself-with-positive-people-that-bring-out-the-best/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The world would be happier if men had the same capacity to be silent that they have to speak.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baruch-spinoza/the-world-would-be-happier-if-men-had-the-same-capacity-to-be-silent/) [Baruch Spinoza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baruch-spinoza/) > [You have to be fulfilled in order for everyone else to be fulfilled. I'm a way happier, more pleasant person to be around when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenna-dewan/you-have-to-be-fulfilled-in-order-for-everyone-else-to-be-fulfilled-i/) [Jenna Dewan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenna-dewan/) > [Yes, Im a New Yorker, born and bred. While Im not quite the L.A. snob that Woody Allen is, I do find myself happier…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/corey-stoll/yes-im-a-new-yorker-born-and-bred-while-im-not-quite-the-l-a-snob/) [Corey Stoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/corey-stoll/) > [I was much happier when I had less responsibility... when my only responsibility was to my work and to myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-rauschenberg/i-was-much-happier-when-i-had-less-responsibility-when-my-only/) [Robert Rauschenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-rauschenberg/) > [The most you can do is stand up for what you believe in. I'm much happier since coming out to my friends and family.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-collins/the-most-you-can-do-is-stand-up-for-what-you-believe-in-i-m-much/) [Jason Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-collins/) > [“Sophia, you’re the best thing that could have happened to Alistair. I’ve never seen him happier than he is now.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cristiane-serruya/sophia-you-re-the-best-thing-that-could-have-happened-to-alistair-i/) [Cristiane Serruya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cristiane-serruya/) > [Low-cost gear can make restless people like myself feel marginally happier.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alissa-quart/low-cost-gear-can-make-restless-people-like-myself-feel-marginally/) [Alissa Quart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alissa-quart/) > [I'm certainly much happier when I feel that the work is good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/june-diane-raphael/i-m-certainly-much-happier-when-i-feel-that-the-work-is-good/) [June Diane Raphael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/june-diane-raphael/) > [We feel much happier and more secure when we think we know precisely what to do, no matter what happens, then when we have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-kingdon-clifford/we-feel-much-happier-and-more-secure-when-we-think-we-know-precisely/) [William Kingdon Clifford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-kingdon-clifford/) [Browse all 940 Happier quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happier/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“If we want to be happier, we should shift our attention to those special people, many of whom are probably not anywhere in your social network, but who are central to your existence.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Tony Crabbe" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-crabbe/if-we-want-to-be-happier-we-should-shift-our-attention-to-those/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Happier" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-crabbe/if-we-want-to-be-happier-we-should-shift-our-attention-to-those/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d6a/tony-crabbe-33709_happier_if-we-want-to-be-happier-we-should-shift_503503.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d6a/tony-crabbe-33709_happier_if-we-want-to-be-happier-we-should-shift_503503.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d6a/tony-crabbe-33709_happier_if-we-want-to-be-happier-we-should-shift_503503.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If we want to be happier, we should shift our attention to those special people, many of whom are probably…” — Tony Crabbe", "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": "Tony Crabbe", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-crabbe/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“If we want to be happier,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-crabbe/if-we-want-to-be-happier-we-should-shift-our-attention-to-those/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-crabbe/if-we-want-to-be-happier-we-should-shift-our-attention-to-those/#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 } } ] } ```