Talent Quotes | Beyond Motive 2/7

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Talent Quotes

"I was given talent, and if you are given it, it is your obligation to use it."

"I was given talent, and if you are given it, it is your obligation to use it."

Dennis Potter, British Dramatist

Talent, Obligation

19

"Every act I see, their whole act is choreographed. I'm sick of seeing these dancers. The only reason they have them is they don't have enough talent to get people dancing themselves."

"Every act I see, their whole act is choreographed. I'm sick of seeing these dancers. The only reason they have them is they don't have enough talent to get people dancing themselves."

Ronnie Spector, American Musician

Talent, People, Act, Dancing

19

"In Mozart and Salieri we see the contrast between the genius which does what it must and the talent which does what it can."

"In Mozart and Salieri we see the contrast between the genius which does what it must and the talent which does what it can."

Maurice Baring, British Writer

Talent, Genius, Contrast

19

"I think it is an inborn talent - just luck. Some people can learn languages; some can throw a ball. Most people have something. My talent is drawing and painting."

"I think it is an inborn talent - just luck. Some people can learn languages; some can throw a ball. Most people have something. My talent is drawing and painting."

Mike Thompson, American Politician

Talent, People, Luck, Painting

19

"It's called talent. I just have it. I can't explain it. You either have it or you don't."

"It's called talent. I just have it. I can't explain it. You either have it or you don't."

Barry Bonds, American Athlete

19

"It's like a novelist writing far out things. If it makes a point and makes sense, then people like to read that. But if it's off in left field and goes over the edge, you lose it. The same with musical talent, I think."

"It's like a novelist writing far out things. If it makes a point and makes sense, then people like to read that. But if it's off in left field and goes over the edge, you lose it. The same with musical talent, I think."

Johnny Cash, American Musician

Talent, People, Sense, Writing

19

"Stupidity is a talent for misconception."

"Stupidity is a talent for misconception."

Edgar Allan Poe, American Poet

Talent, Stupidity

18

"Talent is only the starting point."

"Talent is only the starting point."

Irving Berlin, American Musician

18

"A book is never a masterpiece: it becomes one. Genius is the talent of a dead man."

"A book is never a masterpiece: it becomes one. Genius is the talent of a dead man."

Carl Sandburg, American Poet

Talent, Genius, Man

18

"All fiction becomes autobiographical when the author has true talent."

"All fiction becomes autobiographical when the author has true talent."

Jeanne Moreau, French Actress

Talent, Fiction

18

"I think I do too many voices in these shows. I think it's because we have trouble getting voice talent."

"I think I do too many voices in these shows. I think it's because we have trouble getting voice talent."

Mike Judge, American Producer

Talent, Trouble, Voice

18

"People often remark that I'm pretty lucky. Luck is only important in so far as getting the chance to sell yourself at the right moment. After that, you've got to have talent and know how to use it."

"People often remark that I'm pretty lucky. Luck is only important in so far as getting the chance to sell yourself at the right moment. After that, you've got to have talent and know how to use it."

Frank Sinatra, American Musician

Talent, People, Chance, Luck

17

"Talent is like a faucet, while it is open, one must write."

"Talent is like a faucet, while it is open, one must write."

Jean Anouilh, French Playwright

17

"There's tons of people with talent; it's the system that's all screwed up."

"There's tons of people with talent; it's the system that's all screwed up."

John Kricfalusi, Canadian Artist

17

"The primary function of a theater is not to please itself, or even to please its audience. It is to serve talent."

"The primary function of a theater is not to please itself, or even to please its audience. It is to serve talent."

Robert Brustein, American Educator

Talent, Theater

17

"Talent will come out."

"Talent will come out."

Ray Walston, American Actor

17

"Hollywood has a way of sucking the world's talent to it."

"Hollywood has a way of sucking the world's talent to it."

Richard Linklater, American Director

Talent, Hollywood, World

17

"The one great thing about a continuing collaboration is that they know you. And if you're really lucky, they really believe in you and think that your talent has some unending bounds to it."

"The one great thing about a continuing collaboration is that they know you. And if you're really lucky, they really believe in you and think that your talent has some unending bounds to it."

Mark Ruffalo, American Actor

Talent, Collaboration

17

"I simply did not want my face to be my talent."

"I simply did not want my face to be my talent."

Gene Tierney, American Actress

17

"As far as talent goes, we had pretty much everything, and I think that's why this year was so successful."

"As far as talent goes, we had pretty much everything, and I think that's why this year was so successful."

Carrie Underwood, American Musician

Talent, Successful, Pretty

17

"Genius is the talent for seeing things straight."

"Genius is the talent for seeing things straight."

Maude Adams, American Actress

17

"I wish I had a talent for dropping things as well as taking on new ones. It gets to be quite a clutter after a while."

"I wish I had a talent for dropping things as well as taking on new ones. It gets to be quite a clutter after a while."

Joshua Lederberg, American Scientist

17

"I studied economics and made it my career for two reasons. The subject was and is intellectually fascinating and challenging, particularly to someone with taste and talent for theoretical reasoning and quantitative analysis."

"I studied economics and made it my career for two reasons. The subject was and is intellectually fascinating and challenging, particularly to someone with taste and talent for theoretical reasoning and quantitative analysis."

James Tobin, American Economist

Talent, Career, Economics, Taste

17

"Ed Sullivan will be around as long as someone else has talent."

"Ed Sullivan will be around as long as someone else has talent."

Fred Allen, American Comedian

16

"During my participation in the Manhattan Project and subsequent research at Los Alamos, encompassing a period of fifteen years, I worked in the company of perhaps the greatest collection of scientific talent the world has ever known."

"During my participation in the Manhattan Project and subsequent research at Los Alamos, encompassing a period of fifteen years, I worked in the company of perhaps the greatest collection of scientific talent the world has ever known."

Frederick Reines, American Physicist

Talent, Company, Participation, Project

16

"I've known Shawn for several years. And he's just an amazing talent. He's a great writer, a marvelous, marvelous guitar player, and plays really good fiddle."

"I've known Shawn for several years. And he's just an amazing talent. He's a great writer, a marvelous, marvelous guitar player, and plays really good fiddle."

Guy Clark, American Musician

Talent, Guitar, Writer, Years

16

"Talent is a matter of quantity. Talent does not write on page, it writes three hundred."

"Talent is a matter of quantity. Talent does not write on page, it writes three hundred."

Jules Renard, French Dramatist

Talent, Quantity

16

"Concealed talent brings no reputation."

"Concealed talent brings no reputation."

Desiderius Erasmus, Dutch Philosopher

Talent, Reputation

16

"And I told her point blank, you've got everything to live for. You've got such talent. You're back singing great, lose the weight. And she went and did it, and look at her now!"

"And I told her point blank, you've got everything to live for. You've got such talent. You're back singing great, lose the weight. And she went and did it, and look at her now!"

David Gest, American Celebrity

Talent, Singing, Weight

16

"No one respects a talent that is concealed."

"No one respects a talent that is concealed."

Desiderius Erasmus, Dutch Philosopher

16

"The ability to get ahead in an organization is simply another talent, like the ability to play chess, paint pictures, do coronary bypass operations or pick pockets."

"The ability to get ahead in an organization is simply another talent, like the ability to play chess, paint pictures, do coronary bypass operations or pick pockets."

Robert Shea, American Author

Talent, Ability, Chess, Play

16

"I do not want to die... until I have faithfully made the most of my talent and cultivated the seed that was placed in me until the last small twig has grown."

"I do not want to die... until I have faithfully made the most of my talent and cultivated the seed that was placed in me until the last small twig has grown."

Kathe Kollwitz, German Artist

16

"To do easily what is difficult for others is the mark of talent. To do what is impossible for talent is the mark of genius."

"To do easily what is difficult for others is the mark of talent. To do what is impossible for talent is the mark of genius."

Henri Frederic Amiel, Swiss Philosopher

16

"My bad habits aren't my title. My strengths and my talent are my title."

"My bad habits aren't my title. My strengths and my talent are my title."

Layne Staley, American Musician

16

"I think people of lesser talent will become stars."

"I think people of lesser talent will become stars."

Howard Stern, American Entertainer

Talent, People, Stars, Will

16

"Every human being has hundreds of separate people living under his skin. The talent of a writer is his ability to give them their separate names, identities, personalities and have them relate to other characters living with him."

"Every human being has hundreds of separate people living under his skin. The talent of a writer is his ability to give them their separate names, identities, personalities and have them relate to other characters living with him."

Mel Brooks, American Comedian

Talent, People, Ability, Being

16

"Jackie had a keen eye for talent, and like an elephant never forgot. And, he was always right on the mark."

"Jackie had a keen eye for talent, and like an elephant never forgot. And, he was always right on the mark."

Audrey Meadows, American Actress

Talent, Eye, Right

16

"What impresses me is the young actors with terrific talent arriving on the scene. They'd have blown us all away in the old days. Guys like Brad Pitt."

"What impresses me is the young actors with terrific talent arriving on the scene. They'd have blown us all away in the old days. Guys like Brad Pitt."

Robert Wagner, American Actor

Talent, Actors, Old

16

"Most of the dogmatic religions have exhibited a perverse talent for taking the wrong side on the most important concepts in the material universe, from the structure of the solar system to the origin of man."

"Most of the dogmatic religions have exhibited a perverse talent for taking the wrong side on the most important concepts in the material universe, from the structure of the solar system to the origin of man."

George G. Simpson, American Paleontologist

Talent, Man, Universe, Wrong

16

"I don't want my body to be a distraction from my talent or my brain."

"I don't want my body to be a distraction from my talent or my brain."

Shania Twain, Canadian Musician

Talent, Body, Want

16

"As great minds have the faculty of saying a great deal in a few words, so lesser minds have a talent of talking much, and saying nothing."

"As great minds have the faculty of saying a great deal in a few words, so lesser minds have a talent of talking much, and saying nothing."

Francois de La Rochefoucauld, French Writer

Talent, Nothing, Saying, Talking

16

"I have feelings too. I am still human. All I want is to be loved, for myself and for my talent."

"I have feelings too. I am still human. All I want is to be loved, for myself and for my talent."

Marilyn Monroe, American Actress

Talent, Feelings, Want

16

"He had a wonderful talent for packing thought close, and rendering it portable."

"He had a wonderful talent for packing thought close, and rendering it portable."

Thomas B. Macaulay, English Historian

Talent, Thought

15

"Talent does what it can; genius does what it must."

"Talent does what it can; genius does what it must."

Edward G. Bulwer-Lytton, British Novelist

15

"You may not have any extra talent, but maybe you are just paying more attention to what you are doing."

"You may not have any extra talent, but maybe you are just paying more attention to what you are doing."

Alan Shepard, American Astronaut

Talent, Attention, May

15

"I still have my talent to produce and direct."

"I still have my talent to produce and direct."

Marc Wallice, American Actor

15

"I began as a boy with artistic talent... as a visual artist... I thought that was what I'd become and in my late teens drifted into reading serious literature."

"I began as a boy with artistic talent... as a visual artist... I thought that was what I'd become and in my late teens drifted into reading serious literature."

Russell Banks, American Author

Talent, Thought, Artist, Literature

15

"When I was a young actor... the more different you were from the part you played, the more talent it reflected."

"When I was a young actor... the more different you were from the part you played, the more talent it reflected."

Dirk Benedict, American Actor

15

"There is no spray can called 'Instant Stardom,' only talent can keep you at the top."

"There is no spray can called 'Instant Stardom,' only talent can keep you at the top."

Jim Dale, British Musician

15

"Sundance was started as a mechanism for the discovery of new voices and new talent."

"Sundance was started as a mechanism for the discovery of new voices and new talent."

Robert Redford, American Actor

Talent, Discovery

15

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