54 Focus Quotes to Guide and Improve Your Attention
Is your mind wandering when working or studying? Then, this article is for you! Focus is an essential ingredient for productivity, regardless of your goal. Without it, it is impossible to make progress. That's why we have prepared a collection of focus quotes below, reminding us why it is worth the effort to hone this life skill. So let's work on our goals with eagle's eyes!
While it can be hard to concentrate on any one thing for an extended period, with practice, we can master it. Fortunately, many wise and practical words from motivational speakers, athletes, investors, and business people can help us retain it. Hone your focus skills as you read the quotes below.
Quick links to our selection of focus quotes:
Best Focus Quotes
Focusing too much on one thing can become exhausting and cause our brain circuits to overwork, leading to an inability to process information accurately. Therefore, focusing and unfocusing is critical to ensure our brain prevents mental fatigue.
One way to recharge is to take breaks throughout the day. Additionally, engaging in activities that allow us to focus on something other than the task at hand can be beneficial.
For example, reading a book, going for a walk, connecting with nature, and other low-key activities can reduce the amount of stress in our brains1. Focusing and unfocusing will also develop our resilience, creativity, and decision-making.
After completing a task, unwind by reading the focus quotes below.
Helpful Focus Quotes About Being Positive
Focus on the positive! That might sound invalidating, but we should always try to go back to thinking positively after processing any information and emotions we have. Whether the reality is good or bad, we should reframe our mindset and focus on potential solutions and things we can control.
It might be challenging, but when we master a positive attitude, our future selves will thank us. Why? Researchers found that focusing on the positive can help us be less likely to experience memory decline2. While another study found that optimism can aid cardiovascular health3 and improve blood sugar levels.
Put your full attention to where it matters as you read the next set of focus quotes.
Focus Quotes To Keep You Away From Distractions
One of the evident distractions in the workplace is technology, such as smartphones, tablets, and computers. Technology can be an excellent tool for getting work done but can also be a distraction when misused.
Unfortunately, 48% of Americans consider themselves addicted to digital devices, based on a 2022 survey by Statista. Being tempted by notifications and getting rewarded with a funny video, a like, or a retweet traps us in a dopamine loop. To break this cycle, first, we can modify the notification settings on our devices. We can set time blocks to check our phones and put our gadgets out of reach during work hours.
Further, it can be challenging to differentiate between being easily distracted and a mental health issue like attention deficit hyperactivity disorder or ADHD. What's more, the typical external causes of lack of focus, like distractions, tiredness, or lack of motivation, could be mistaken as ADHD by untrained eyes.
But, in fact, inattention is only one symptom of the disorder. The American Psychiatric Association (APA) said that about 2.5 percent of adults and 8.4 percent of children in the United States have it. Therefore, seeking help from mental health professionals as early as possible is crucial to determine the best course of action.
Gadgets, food, people, whatever distracts you, be aware of it and make efforts to manage it. Start by getting insights from our focus quotes below.
Related read: Distraction Quotes to remind you why you need to stay focused 🙂
Motivating Quotes About Focus To Push You To Reach Your Dreams
The ability to stay focused and motivated is often the difference between success and failure. By committing to practicing deep work, we can improve our ability to focus and reach our goals.
The deep work concept is a brainchild of Cal Newport, born in his 2012 blog post that became the 2016 bestselling book Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World (available here on Amazon).
Newport's book gave actionable plans to readers, which he laid out in four rules:
- Work deeply.
- Embrace boredom.
- Quit social media.
- Drain the shallows.
The method pertains to activities requiring intense concentration without distractions or multitasking, which results in higher productivity. After getting inspiration from our focus quotes below, dive deeper into Newport's method.
Famous Focus Quotes By Successful People
"I can accept failure; everyone fails at something. But I can't accept not trying."
~ Michael Jordan.
Michael Jordan is an excellent example of how focus can lead to success. Throughout his career, he lost 300 games and missed nearly 9000 shots, including 26 game-winning throws. Yet, despite that, his mindset towards failure and his focus on what is essential led him to become the legendary basketball player known to every man on earth.
After being moved by the focus quotes from other successful people below, discover and learn from their life experiences.
And a few more...
For the moment I'm just focusing on my own stuff.
~ Cheryl James
Only through focus can you do world-class things, no matter how capable you are.
~ Bill Gates
Realize deeply that the present moment is all you ever have. Make the Now the primary focus of your life.
~ Eckhart Tolle
One of the keys to thinking big is total focus. I think of it almost as a controlled neurosis, which is a quality I've noticed in many highly successful entrepreneurs.
~ Donald Trump
1 | Long, J., Xie, Q., Ma, Q. et al. Distinct Interactions between Fronto-Parietal and Default Mode Networks in Impaired Consciousness. Sci Rep 6, 38866 (2016). |
2 | Hittner, E. F., Stephens, J. E., Turiano, N. A., Gerstorf, D., Lachman, M. E., & Haase, C. M. (2020). Positive Affect Is Associated With Less Memory Decline: Evidence From a 9-Year Longitudinal Study. Psychological Science, 31(11), 1386–1395. |
3 | Hernandez R, Kershaw KN, Siddique J, Boehm JK, Kubzansky LD, Diez-Roux A, Ning H, Lloyd-Jones DM. Optimism and Cardiovascular Health: Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA). Health Behav Policy Rev. 2015 Jan;2(1):62-73. |
Isabela is a determined millennial passionate about continuously seeking out ways to make an impact. With a bachelor of science degree in civil engineering with honors, Isabela’s research expertise and interest in artistic works, coupled with a creative mindset, offers readers a fresh take on different environmental, social, and personal development topics.