--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Making efforts was not exactly my forte…" description: "\"“Making efforts was not exactly my forte. I always had great ideas, of course. I would have been perfect for a think tank. Think tanks are a thing, rig..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e49/aaron-starmer-31273_great-ideas_making-efforts-was-not-exactly-my-forte_1534120.jpg" --- # Making efforts was not exactly my forte. I always had… ![“Making efforts was not exactly my forte. I always had great ideas, of course. I would have been perfect for a think tank. Think tanks are a thing, right? Organizations where people sit around and come up with solutions to the world’s problems? I would have been a shoo-in for one of those. However…” quote by Aaron Starmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e49/aaron-starmer-31273_great-ideas_making-efforts-was-not-exactly-my-forte_1534120.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e49/aaron-starmer-31273_great-ideas_making-efforts-was-not-exactly-my-forte_1534120.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e49/aaron-starmer-31273_great-ideas_making-efforts-was-not-exactly-my-forte_1534120.jpg) > ““Making efforts was not exactly my forte. I always had great ideas, of course. I would have been perfect for a think tank. Think tanks are a thing, right? Organizations where people sit around and come up with solutions to the world’s problems? I would have been a shoo-in for one of those. However, if do-tanks are also a thing—as in, organizations that actually do shit—then you would have had to count me out. On account of, well, laziness.”” [Aaron Starmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-starmer/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker admits they excel at ideas but lack the drive to execute, highlighting a gap between imagination and action. **In simple terms:** Ideas are easy; doing is hard. Key Takeaway Recognize and address your own inertia. Themes laziness creativity execution Mood reflective humorous Type self‑deprecating motivational When to use this quote - career planning - team projects - personal goals - entrepreneurship - academic work Key Concepts self-awareness motivation productivity Questions to Reflect On - How can you turn a good idea into action? - What habits could reduce your laziness? A Different Perspective Ideas alone cannot solve problems without effort. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Great ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-ideas/) [Organizations Actually](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/organizations-actually-5699958/) [Tank Think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tank-think-363688/) [Think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think/) [Think Tank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think-tank-381653/) [Think Tanks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think-tanks-258466/) ## Related quotes > [I've still got a lot left in the tank. 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If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-akadjian/if-we-want-to-see-more-progress-on-tactical-policies-we-should-be/) [David Akadjian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-akadjian/) > [Washington, D.C. is full of think tanks, theoreticians and advocacy groups. Governors are the ones whose feet are on the ground.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-bredesen/washington-d-c-is-full-of-think-tanks-theoreticians-and-advocacy/) [Phil Bredesen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-bredesen/) > [When the so-called think tanks began to replace the thought processes of human beings, I called them the aseptic tanks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erwin-chargaff/when-the-so-called-think-tanks-began-to-replace-the-thought-processes/) [Erwin Chargaff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erwin-chargaff/) > [But the thought leaders on talk radio and Fox do more than shape opinion. Backed by their own wing of the book-publishing industry and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-frum/but-the-thought-leaders-on-talk-radio-and-fox-do-more-than-shape/) [David Frum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-frum/) > [“The whole ideological assembly line that Richard Fink and Charles Koch had envisioned decades earlier, including the entire conservative media sphere, was enlisted in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-mayer/the-whole-ideological-assembly-line-that-richard-fink-and-charles/) [Jane Mayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-mayer/) > [If the big banks expect to buy influence when they give money to favored think tanks, then the public has a right to know.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-warren/if-the-big-banks-expect-to-buy-influence-when-they-give-money-to/) [Elizabeth Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-warren/) > [I think that there's been an unfortunate tendency for right wing think tanks to dominate these discussions. They often produce very shoddy studies and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juan-cole/i-think-that-there-s-been-an-unfortunate-tendency-for-right-wing/) [Juan Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juan-cole/) > [You have think tanks like the widely respected Atlantic Council that have published reports in the past year that have called Afghanistan a failing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khaled-hosseini/you-have-think-tanks-like-the-widely-respected-atlantic-council-that/) [Khaled Hosseini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khaled-hosseini/) > [“If it were profitable to have indentured servants in the modern world, I'm sure that Richard Scaife's think tanks would have no trouble finding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-krugman/if-it-were-profitable-to-have-indentured-servants-in-the-modern-world/) [Paul Krugman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-krugman/) > [Conservative think tanks like the Heritage Foundation and Cato Institute have criticized Bush for his big increases in spending, which far exceed those of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-cooper/conservative-think-tanks-like-the-heritage-foundation-and-cato/) [Jim Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-cooper/) > [Ruling elite have think tanks, they have research institutes, they've invaded universities, they've monopolized the cultural apparatuses.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-giroux/ruling-elite-have-think-tanks-they-have-research-institutes-they-ve/) [Henry Giroux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-giroux/) > [I think the universities have co-opted the intellectual, by and large. But there is an emerging intellectual set coming out of Washington think tanks…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-rodriguez/i-think-the-universities-have-co-opted-the-intellectual-by-and-large/) [Richard Rodriguez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-rodriguez/) > [At one time, the Left had a monopoly not merely of the media and academia, but also of the world of policy think tanks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-sykes/at-one-time-the-left-had-a-monopoly-not-merely-of-the-media-and/) [Charlie Sykes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-sykes/) ## More by Aaron Starmer > [“It won’t surprise you to hear that I’m a skeptical person. I don’t even believe half the garbage that tumbles from my own mouth.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-starmer/it-won-t-surprise-you-to-hear-that-i-m-a-skeptical-person-i-don-t/) [Aaron Starmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-starmer/) > [“Ashes to ashes, dust to dust, all that stuff. Death takes everyone. Most of us too early, a few of us not early enough.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-starmer/ashes-to-ashes-dust-to-dust-all-that-stuff-death-takes-everyone-most/) [Aaron Starmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-starmer/) > [“He reached his hands toward the door and I figured what the hell. I’d never been in a silo before, and while that’s not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-starmer/he-reached-his-hands-toward-the-door-and-i-figured-what-the-hell-i-d/) [Aaron Starmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-starmer/) > [“In books, even the very best boy detectives are dismissed with a laugh. In real life, they're sent to psychologists.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-starmer/in-books-even-the-very-best-boy-detectives-are-dismissed-with-a-laugh/) [Aaron Starmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-starmer/) > [“The more time you spend with someone, the more you realize they’re not perfect. Everyone comes from a different place with different problems.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-starmer/the-more-time-you-spend-with-someone-the-more-you-realize-they-re-not/) [Aaron Starmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-starmer/) > [“Kilgore here will keep the record straight.” “Kilgore?” “The tape recorder. I name things. If you name things, then you treat them better.” Fiona…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-starmer/kilgore-here-will-keep-the-record-straight-kilgore-the-tape-recorder/) [Aaron Starmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-starmer/) > [“Riverman, Riverman, blood to ice.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-starmer/riverman-riverman-blood-to-ice/) [Aaron Starmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-starmer/) > [“Her bone-white face lit up like she was at a surprise party. “Hear that, Dwyer? He called me ma’am! Stay forever if you want,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-starmer/her-bone-white-face-lit-up-like-she-was-at-a-surprise-party-hear-that/) [Aaron Starmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-starmer/) > [“It’s in those moments of admitting and accepting your own terribleness that you realize other people can be terrible too. And if they can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-starmer/it-s-in-those-moments-of-admitting-and-accepting-your-own/) [Aaron Starmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-starmer/) > [“War will change people.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-starmer/war-will-change-people/) [Aaron Starmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-starmer/) > [“Rumors are as important as anything. Even if they’re not true, they end up turning people into who they are.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-starmer/rumors-are-as-important-as-anything-even-if-they-re-not-true-they-end/) [Aaron Starmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-starmer/) > [“Do you want to be saved?” I asked. Keri cocked an eyebrow. “Like Jesus?” “Like Lancelot.” “I hang my hair out the window every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-starmer/do-you-want-to-be-saved-i-asked-keri-cocked-an-eyebrow-like-jesus/) [Aaron Starmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-starmer/) > [“If you name things, then you treat them better.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-starmer/if-you-name-things-then-you-treat-them-better/) [Aaron Starmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-starmer/) > [“We were weirdos, Fiona and I. Creative minds like ours were the minds of aliens. And the soul-suckers, the plagiarists, the malicious people like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-starmer/we-were-weirdos-fiona-and-i-creative-minds-like-ours-were-the-minds/) [Aaron Starmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-starmer/) > [“He’s not a bad guy, deep down,” I said. My dad slipped the key into the door. “Deep down, no one is. But you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-starmer/he-s-not-a-bad-guy-deep-down-i-said-my-dad-slipped-the-key-into-the/) [Aaron Starmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-starmer/) [Explore all 16 Aaron Starmer quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-starmer/) ## More Great ideas quotes > [“Yes, read about jobs and your hours and wages. Yes, you must strike, you must have better lives. But you must read also about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-poole/yes-read-about-jobs-and-your-hours-and-wages-yes-you-must-strike-you/) [Ernest Poole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-poole/) > [The realization that my problem was one that concerned all men, a problem of living and thinking, suddenly swept over me and I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/the-realization-that-my-problem-was-one-that-concerned-all-men-a/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [Great ideas behave like the Sun. Even in the middle of nowhere, they find people and shine on them!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/great-ideas-behave-like-the-sun-even-in-the-middle-of-nowhere-they/) [Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [Great ideas get even better when you share them](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/loesje/great-ideas-get-even-better-when-you-share-them/) [Loesje](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/loesje/) > [“Inspiration is the seed of imagination, where great ideas bloom”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-sodini/inspiration-is-the-seed-of-imagination-where-great-ideas-bloom/) [Jennifer Sodini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-sodini/) > [I do value my work awfully; but in reality only consider this: all this world of ours is nothing but a speck of mildew,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/i-do-value-my-work-awfully-but-in-reality-only-consider-this-all-this/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [“You do not say someone is holy because he puts forth great ideas concerning the knowledge of God and the attributes of God.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-molinos/you-do-not-say-someone-is-holy-because-he-puts-forth-great-ideas/) [Michael Molinos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-molinos/) > [Most people who have kids are, "Hey, I want another me. I like me. I'm pretty cool, and I've got really great ideas, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-cross/most-people-who-have-kids-are-hey-i-want-another-me-i-like-me-i-m/) [David Cross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-cross/) > [All the ideas in the universe can be described by words. Therefore, if you simply take all the words and rearrange them randomly enough…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/all-the-ideas-in-the-universe-can-be-described-by-words-therefore-if/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I don't love great ideas. I love the little human being.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/svetlana-alexievich/i-don-t-love-great-ideas-i-love-the-little-human-being/) [Svetlana Alexievich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/svetlana-alexievich/) > [I often think of a quote from entrepreneur Jim Rohn: 'You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-ohanian/i-often-think-of-a-quote-from-entrepreneur-jim-rohn-you-are-the/) [Alexis Ohanian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-ohanian/) > [Since many things we see were once an idea, let us create good ideas today because they will be the realities of tomorrow! When…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/since-many-things-we-see-were-once-an-idea-let-us-create-good-ideas/) [Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [Any leader who asks the right questions of the right people has the potential to discover and develop great ideas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-maxwell/any-leader-who-asks-the-right-questions-of-the-right-people-has-the/) [John C. Maxwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-maxwell/) > [With God's help, I've not had a drink in nine and a half years. That's my whole story right there. And because of that,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ringo-starr/with-god-s-help-i-ve-not-had-a-drink-in-nine-and-a-half-years-that-s/) [Ringo Starr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ringo-starr/) > [we can't be creative if we refuse to be confused. Change always starts with confusion; cherished interpretations must dissolve to make way for what's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-j-wheatley/we-can-t-be-creative-if-we-refuse-to-be-confused-change-always-starts/) [Margaret J. Wheatley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-j-wheatley/) [Browse all 254 Great ideas quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-ideas/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Making efforts was not exactly my forte. I always had great ideas, of course. I would have been perfect for a think tank. Think tanks are a thing, right? Organizations where people sit around and come up with solutions to the world’s problems? I would have been a shoo-in for one of those. However, if do-tanks are also a thing—as in, organizations that actually do shit—then you would have had to count me out. 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