“Natural ability without education has more often attained glory and virtue than education without natural ability.”
~ Cicero
Arthur Schopenhauer on Genius
“Talent hits a target no one else can hit. Genius hits a target no one else can see.”
~ Arthur Schopenhauer
Pico Iyer on Luck
Ambition or talent: which matters more to success?
Luck is more important than either. Talent is indispensable — and the discipline to make use of it. Ambition seems to me counter-productive — winning the battle to lose the war.
~ Pico Iyer / Financial Times, 06 September, 2019
Karine Polwart on Success
Ambition or talent: which matters more to success?
Ambition without purpose is empty. Talent without focus is often squandered. A lot of what matters is turning up, being persistent and taking opportunities. And believing you’re entitled to try.
~ Karine Polwart / Financial Times, August 16th 2019
James Baldwin on Talent
“Talent is insignificant. I know a lot of talented ruins.”
~ James Baldwin.
Francis Spufford on Success
Ambition or talent: which matters more to success?
I suppose there must be an irreducible minimum of talent required to make things with words, but after that a lot of it is learnt skills, and a willingness to go on playing with patterns. You also need, if not ambition, then chutzpah: an unreasonable determination to do it because you want to. You can’t be authorised to write books. You have to appoint yourself to it.
~ Francis Spufford / Financial Times, October 13, 2017
Chris Riddell on Success
Ambition or talent: which matters more to success?
My friend Neil Gaiman says that, as a freelance, you need talent, you need to be dependable and you’ve got to be likeable. Neil says two out of the three will lead to success.
~ Chris Riddell
Randy Newman on Ambition
Ambition or talent: which matters more to success?
Ambition. People I’ve met who’ve been enormously successful, mainly in music, have really wanted it a great deal. They also had talent, but I think it was their drive that propelled them forward.
~ Randy Newman / Financial Times, August 04, 2017
Jools Holland on Success
Ambition or talent: which matters more to success?
People who are successful have a certain sort of determination. You need a bit of luck as well. And a little bit of couldn’t-care-less-ness.
~ Jools Holland / Financial Times, July 27, 2018
Rona Munro on Success
Ambition or talent: which matters more to success?
Graft and talent are the two things you need. Ambition can lead you to some false summits.
~ Rona Munro / Financial Times, May 03, 2019
Lena Headey on Success
Ambition or talent: which matters more to success?
I think it’s resilience. Ambition can trip you up, talent doesn’t always get recognised.
~ Lena Headey / Financial Times, April 12 2019