--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In every field, even the most eminent…" description: "\"“In every field, even the most eminent creators typically produce a large quantity of work that’s technically sound but considered unremarkable by expe..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/79a/adam-m-grant-1427_classical-music_in-every-field-even-the-most-eminent-cre_1557636.jpg" --- # In every field, even the most eminent creators typically… ![“In every field, even the most eminent creators typically produce a large quantity of work that’s technically sound but considered unremarkable by experts and audiences. When the London Philharmonic Orchestra chose the 50 greatest pieces of classical music, the list included six pieces by Mozart…” quote by Adam M. Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/79a/adam-m-grant-1427_classical-music_in-every-field-even-the-most-eminent-cre_1557636.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/79a/adam-m-grant-1427_classical-music_in-every-field-even-the-most-eminent-cre_1557636.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/79a/adam-m-grant-1427_classical-music_in-every-field-even-the-most-eminent-cre_1557636.jpg) > ““In every field, even the most eminent creators typically produce a large quantity of work that’s technically sound but considered unremarkable by experts and audiences. When the London Philharmonic Orchestra chose the 50 greatest pieces of classical music, the list included six pieces by Mozart, five by Beethoven, and three by Bach.14 To generate a handful of masterworks, Mozart composed more than 600 pieces before his death at thirty-five, Beethoven produced 650 in his lifetime, and Bach wrote over a thousand.”” [Adam M. Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-m-grant/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Even top creators produce many competent works, but only a few become celebrated masterpieces. **In simple terms:** Quantity doesn’t guarantee fame. Key Takeaway Focus on honing craft, not just output. Themes creativity mastery effort Mood analytical inspirational Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - writing - music composition - software development - research Key Concepts quality vs quantity expert judgment Questions to Reflect On - How can you balance productivity with excellence? - What criteria define a masterpiece for you? A Different Perspective High output can dilute focus and lead to mediocrity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Classical music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/classical-music/) [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) ## Related quotes > [Obviously there are pieces of classical music that are some of the most beautiful music ever written, for me anyway is a lot of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryce-dessner/obviously-there-are-pieces-of-classical-music-that-are-some-of-the/) [Bryce Dessner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryce-dessner/) > [Mozart composed his music not for the elite, but for everybody.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-rieu/mozart-composed-his-music-not-for-the-elite-but-for-everybody/) [Andre Rieu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-rieu/) > [Mozart never composed anything, ever! He copied what was written on his soul.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-chagall/mozart-never-composed-anything-ever-he-copied-what-was-written-on-his/) [Marc Chagall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marc-chagall/) > [Kolkata is a musical city. What I like about people here is the lack of diplomacy. Some of the best Indian classical musicians belong…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sukhwinder-singh/kolkata-is-a-musical-city-what-i-like-about-people-here-is-the-lack/) [Sukhwinder Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sukhwinder-singh/) > [“Finally, every society develops a system of aesthetic standards that get manifested in everything from decorative art, music, and dance to the architecture and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-livermore/finally-every-society-develops-a-system-of-aesthetic-standards-that/) [David Livermore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-livermore/) > [I know this will blow your mind, but most people would probably never ever get it, but I listen to classical music when nobody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vanilla-ice/i-know-this-will-blow-your-mind-but-most-people-would-probably-never/) [Vanilla Ice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vanilla-ice/) > [I have never heard enough classical music to be able to enjoy it; & the simple truth is, I detest it. Not mildly, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/i-have-never-heard-enough-classical-music-to-be-able-to-enjoy-it-the/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [I love Adele and Lykke Li. I also listen to classical music as well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/birdy/i-love-adele-and-lykke-li-i-also-listen-to-classical-music-as-well/) [Birdy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/birdy/) > [I have been exposed to different kinds of Marathi and Hindi music, classical music, and English songs since childhood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/urmila-matondkar/i-have-been-exposed-to-different-kinds-of-marathi-and-hindi-music/) [Urmila Matondkar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/urmila-matondkar/) > [You know how some people seem to think that their love for classical music makes them spiritual or at least something quite special? And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-stout/you-know-how-some-people-seem-to-think-that-their-love-for-classical/) [Ruth Stout](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-stout/) > [My roots are in classical music and jazz, and I want the freedom of being able to improvise. This freedom is possible only in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adnan-sami/my-roots-are-in-classical-music-and-jazz-and-i-want-the-freedom-of/) [Adnan Sami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adnan-sami/) > [My influences are jazz, blues, European classical music; they are rock music and pop music. So many kinds of music. World music from different…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rokia-traore/my-influences-are-jazz-blues-european-classical-music-they-are-rock/) [Rokia Traore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rokia-traore/) > [I listen to classical music very much. There's a lot of jazz that I don't enjoy listening to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-konitz/i-listen-to-classical-music-very-much-there-s-a-lot-of-jazz-that-i/) [Lee Konitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-konitz/) > [It's something he used to say when he was happy. It could be a very, very simple day. We might be sitting out on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-grant/it-s-something-he-used-to-say-when-he-was-happy-it-could-be-a-very/) [Jennifer Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-grant/) > [I'm very fond of classical music, especially Mozart. I find it relaxes me and helps me concentrate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guler-sabanci/i-m-very-fond-of-classical-music-especially-mozart-i-find-it-relaxes/) [Guler Sabanci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guler-sabanci/) ## More by Adam M. Grant > [“the higher the psychological safety in a unit, the fewer errors they made. Why? In the units that lacked psychological safety, health care professionals…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-m-grant/the-higher-the-psychological-safety-in-a-unit-the-fewer-errors-they/) [Adam M. Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-m-grant/) > [“And in the long run, research shows that the mistakes we regret are not errors of commission, but errors of omission. If we could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-m-grant/and-in-the-long-run-research-shows-that-the-mistakes-we-regret-are/) [Adam M. Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-m-grant/) > [“Although many successful givers start from the default of trusting others’ intentions, they’re also careful to scan their environments to screen for potential takers,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-m-grant/although-many-successful-givers-start-from-the-default-of-trusting/) [Adam M. Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-m-grant/) > [“I want to debunk the myth that originality requires extreme risk taking and persuade you that originals are actually far more ordinary than we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-m-grant/i-want-to-debunk-the-myth-that-originality-requires-extreme-risk/) [Adam M. Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-m-grant/) > [“the change of context brought renewed energy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-m-grant/the-change-of-context-brought-renewed-energy/) [Adam M. Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-m-grant/) > [“I was dismayed to discover that even today, speaking while female remains notoriously difficult. Across cultures, there’s a rich body of evidence showing that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-m-grant/i-was-dismayed-to-discover-that-even-today-speaking-while-female/) [Adam M. Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-m-grant/) > [“Setting high expectations is so important,” Skender says. “You have to push people, make them stretch and do more than they think possible.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-m-grant/setting-high-expectations-is-so-important-skender-says-you-have-to/) [Adam M. Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-m-grant/) > [“analysts were more likely to maintain their star performance if they worked with high-quality colleagues in their teams and departments. The star analysts relied…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-m-grant/analysts-were-more-likely-to-maintain-their-star-performance-if-they/) [Adam M. Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-m-grant/) > [“Speak softly, but carry a big stick. —Theodore Roosevelt, U.S. president”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-m-grant/speak-softly-but-carry-a-big-stick-theodore-roosevelt-u-s-president/) [Adam M. Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-m-grant/) > [“Talented people are attracted to those who care about them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-m-grant/talented-people-are-attracted-to-those-who-care-about-them/) [Adam M. Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-m-grant/) > [“When our audiences are skeptical, the more we try to dominate them, the more they resist. Even with a receptive audience, dominance is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-m-grant/when-our-audiences-are-skeptical-the-more-we-try-to-dominate-them-the/) [Adam M. Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-m-grant/) > [“Whereas success is zero-sum in a group of takers, in groups of givers, it may be true that the whole is greater than the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-m-grant/whereas-success-is-zero-sum-in-a-group-of-takers-in-groups-of-givers/) [Adam M. Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-m-grant/) > [“Tim Long adds that “there’s something magical about getting the reputation as someone who cares about others more than yourself. It redounds to your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-m-grant/tim-long-adds-that-there-s-something-magical-about-getting-the/) [Adam M. Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-m-grant/) > [“In a classic experiment, when people received help from one peer, they were more likely to give help to another peer, matching by following…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-m-grant/in-a-classic-experiment-when-people-received-help-from-one-peer-they/) [Adam M. Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-m-grant/) > [“A new scientific truth does not triumph by convincing its opponents and making them see the light, but rather because its opponents eventually die.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-m-grant/a-new-scientific-truth-does-not-triumph-by-convincing-its-opponents/) [Adam M. Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-m-grant/) [Explore all 241 Adam M. Grant quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-m-grant/) ## More Classical music quotes > [I'm very fond of classical music, especially Mozart. I find it relaxes me and helps me concentrate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guler-sabanci/i-m-very-fond-of-classical-music-especially-mozart-i-find-it-relaxes/) [Guler Sabanci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guler-sabanci/) > [It's something he used to say when he was happy. It could be a very, very simple day. We might be sitting out on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-grant/it-s-something-he-used-to-say-when-he-was-happy-it-could-be-a-very/) [Jennifer Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-grant/) > [I listen to classical music very much. There's a lot of jazz that I don't enjoy listening to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-konitz/i-listen-to-classical-music-very-much-there-s-a-lot-of-jazz-that-i/) [Lee Konitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-konitz/) > [My influences are jazz, blues, European classical music; they are rock music and pop music. So many kinds of music. World music from different…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rokia-traore/my-influences-are-jazz-blues-european-classical-music-they-are-rock/) [Rokia Traore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rokia-traore/) > [My roots are in classical music and jazz, and I want the freedom of being able to improvise. This freedom is possible only in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adnan-sami/my-roots-are-in-classical-music-and-jazz-and-i-want-the-freedom-of/) [Adnan Sami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adnan-sami/) > [You know how some people seem to think that their love for classical music makes them spiritual or at least something quite special? And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-stout/you-know-how-some-people-seem-to-think-that-their-love-for-classical/) [Ruth Stout](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-stout/) > [I have been exposed to different kinds of Marathi and Hindi music, classical music, and English songs since childhood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/urmila-matondkar/i-have-been-exposed-to-different-kinds-of-marathi-and-hindi-music/) [Urmila Matondkar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/urmila-matondkar/) > [I love Adele and Lykke Li. I also listen to classical music as well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/birdy/i-love-adele-and-lykke-li-i-also-listen-to-classical-music-as-well/) [Birdy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/birdy/) > [I have never heard enough classical music to be able to enjoy it; & the simple truth is, I detest it. Not mildly, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/i-have-never-heard-enough-classical-music-to-be-able-to-enjoy-it-the/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [Obviously there are pieces of classical music that are some of the most beautiful music ever written, for me anyway is a lot of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryce-dessner/obviously-there-are-pieces-of-classical-music-that-are-some-of-the/) [Bryce Dessner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryce-dessner/) > [I know this will blow your mind, but most people would probably never ever get it, but I listen to classical music when nobody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vanilla-ice/i-know-this-will-blow-your-mind-but-most-people-would-probably-never/) [Vanilla Ice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vanilla-ice/) > [“Finally, every society develops a system of aesthetic standards that get manifested in everything from decorative art, music, and dance to the architecture and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-livermore/finally-every-society-develops-a-system-of-aesthetic-standards-that/) [David Livermore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-livermore/) > [Kolkata is a musical city. What I like about people here is the lack of diplomacy. Some of the best Indian classical musicians belong…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sukhwinder-singh/kolkata-is-a-musical-city-what-i-like-about-people-here-is-the-lack/) [Sukhwinder Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sukhwinder-singh/) > [I was able to turn to classical music many people, who saw my programs live and on YouTube, and this is one of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aleksey-igudesman/i-was-able-to-turn-to-classical-music-many-people-who-saw-my-programs/) [Aleksey Igudesman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aleksey-igudesman/) > [I know I’m an African-American, and I know I play the saxophone, but I’m not a jazz musician. I’m not a classical musician, either.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-braxton/i-know-i-m-an-african-american-and-i-know-i-play-the-saxophone-but-i/) [Anthony Braxton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-braxton/) [Browse all 620 Classical music quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/classical-music/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“In every field, even the most eminent creators typically produce a large quantity of work that’s technically sound but considered unremarkable by experts and audiences. When the London Philharmonic Orchestra chose the 50 greatest pieces of classical music, the list included six pieces by Mozart, five by Beethoven, and three by Bach.14 To generate a handful of masterworks, Mozart composed more than 600 pieces before his death at thirty-five, Beethoven produced 650 in his lifetime, and Bach wrote over a thousand.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Adam M. Grant" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-m-grant/in-every-field-even-the-most-eminent-creators-typically-produce-a/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Classical music" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-m-grant/in-every-field-even-the-most-eminent-creators-typically-produce-a/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/79a/adam-m-grant-1427_classical-music_in-every-field-even-the-most-eminent-cre_1557636.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/79a/adam-m-grant-1427_classical-music_in-every-field-even-the-most-eminent-cre_1557636.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/79a/adam-m-grant-1427_classical-music_in-every-field-even-the-most-eminent-cre_1557636.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“In every field, even the most eminent creators typically produce a large quantity of work that’s technically…” — Adam M. Grant", "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": "Adam M. Grant", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-m-grant/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“In every field, even the most...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-m-grant/in-every-field-even-the-most-eminent-creators-typically-produce-a/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-m-grant/in-every-field-even-the-most-eminent-creators-typically-produce-a/#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 } } ] } ```