--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Give me a man with an average ability but…" description: "\"Give me a man with an average ability but a burning desire to succeed and I will give you a winner in exchange every time.\" — Andrew Carnegie" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a7d/andrew-carnegie-2115_ability_give-me-a-man-with-an-average-ability-bu_784081.jpg" --- # Give me a man with an average ability but a burning desire… ![“Give me a man with an average ability but a burning desire to succeed and I will give you a winner in exchange every time.” quote by Andrew Carnegie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a7d/andrew-carnegie-2115_ability_give-me-a-man-with-an-average-ability-bu_784081.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a7d/andrew-carnegie-2115_ability_give-me-a-man-with-an-average-ability-bu_784081.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a7d/andrew-carnegie-2115_ability_give-me-a-man-with-an-average-ability-bu_784081.jpg) > “Give me a man with an average ability but a burning desire to succeed and I will give you a winner in exchange every time.” [Andrew Carnegie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-carnegie/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A modest talent combined with relentless ambition consistently produces success. **In simple terms:** Average skill plus burning desire yields winners. Key Takeaway Cultivate drive over talent alone. Themes motivation success determination Mood motivational pragmatic Type inspirational practical When to use this quote - career advancement - entrepreneurship - sports training - academic pursuits Key Concepts growth mindset self‑efficacy Questions to Reflect On - What drives your daily actions? - Can desire compensate for skill gaps? A Different Perspective Talent without effort rarely succeeds; desire alone may not guarantee resources. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/) [Burning desire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/burning-desire/) [Desire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desire/) [Desire to succeed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desire-to-succeed/) [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/) [Winner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/winner/) ## Related quotes > [You can develop a burning desire to succeed. How? Keep your mind on the things you want and off the things you don't want.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-clement-stone/you-can-develop-a-burning-desire-to-succeed-how-keep-your-mind-on-the/) [W. Clement Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-clement-stone/) > [What’s the secret to success? It’s no secret. You need a winning attitude, honesty and integrity, and a burning desire to succeed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-thomas/what-s-the-secret-to-success-it-s-no-secret-you-need-a-winning/) [Dave Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-thomas/) > [“A person's success is often limited by the level of their desire to succeed”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-w-boyer/a-person-s-success-is-often-limited-by-the-level-of-their-desire-to/) [Mark W Boyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-w-boyer/) > [I stand ready to lead us down a different path where we're lifted up by our desire to succeed, not dragged down by a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitt-romney/i-stand-ready-to-lead-us-down-a-different-path-where-we-re-lifted-up/) [Mitt Romney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitt-romney/) > [The only thing that keeps me from giving up is my intense desire to succeed, and that desire is fueled by my extremely intense…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishan-panwar/the-only-thing-that-keeps-me-from-giving-up-is-my-intense-desire-to/) [Nishan Panwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishan-panwar/) > [Is your fear of failure greater than your desire to succeed?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zig-ziglar/is-your-fear-of-failure-greater-than-your-desire-to-succeed/) [Zig Ziglar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zig-ziglar/) > [“The starting place for your greatness is desire. The desire to succeed, to serve others, to keep on going no matter what; the desire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/assegid-habtewold/the-starting-place-for-your-greatness-is-desire-the-desire-to-succeed/) [Assegid Habtewold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/assegid-habtewold/) > [Never Allow The Possibility Of Failure To Stop You From Reaching Your Objectives. When You Have A Strong Belief In Your Actions And Desire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pacifiersucker/never-allow-the-possibility-of-failure-to-stop-you-from-reaching-your/) Pacifiersucker > [The desire to succeed has a lot less compulsion than the fear of failure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-seymour/the-desire-to-succeed-has-a-lot-less-compulsion-than-the-fear-of/) [Gerald Seymour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-seymour/) > [The will to win, the desire to succeed, the urge to reach your full potential... these are the keys that will unlock the door…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-will-to-win-the-desire-to-succeed-the-urge-to-reach-your-full/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The keys to attain personal excellence are determination, desire to succeed, positive attitude and the urge to reach on top.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anurag-prakash-ray/the-keys-to-attain-personal-excellence-are-determination-desire-to/) [Anurag Prakash Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anurag-prakash-ray/) > [“Your desire to succeed must overpower your fear of failure!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorii-myers/your-desire-to-succeed-must-overpower-your-fear-of-failure/) [Lorii Myers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorii-myers/) > [To become a positive person one must have a strong mindset & desire to succeed .](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dranil-kr-sinha/to-become-a-positive-person-one-must-have-a-strong-mindset-desire-to/) [DrAnil Kr Sinha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dranil-kr-sinha/) > [Your desire to succeed must overpower your fear of failure. From 3 Off the Tee: Make it Happen (2012)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorii-myers/your-desire-to-succeed-must-overpower-your-fear-of-failure-from-3-off/) [Lorii Myers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorii-myers/) > [“One day your drive to make a name for yourself will begin to drift away. It won't be that important anymore. But when you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abbi-glines/one-day-your-drive-to-make-a-name-for-yourself-will-begin-to-drift/) [Abbi Glines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abbi-glines/) ## More by Andrew Carnegie > [Immense power is acquired by assuring yourself in your secret reveries that you were born to control affairs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-carnegie/immense-power-is-acquired-by-assuring-yourself-in-your-secret/) [Andrew Carnegie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-carnegie/) > [Strong men don't compromise, it is said, and principles should never be compromised.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-carnegie/strong-men-don-t-compromise-it-is-said-and-principles-should-never-be/) [Andrew Carnegie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-carnegie/) > [The battle of life is already half won by the young man who is brought in contact with high officials; and the great aim…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-carnegie/the-battle-of-life-is-already-half-won-by-the-young-man-who-is/) [Andrew Carnegie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-carnegie/) > [Be king in your dreams. Make your vow that you will reach that position, with untarnished reputation, and make no other vow to distract…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-carnegie/be-king-in-your-dreams-make-your-vow-that-you-will-reach-that/) [Andrew Carnegie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-carnegie/) > [“ You cannot push anyone up a ladder unless he is willing to climb a little. ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-carnegie/you-cannot-push-anyone-up-a-ladder-unless-he-is-willing-to-climb-a/) [Andrew Carnegie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-carnegie/) > [“A man who acquires the ability to take full possession of his own mind may take possession of anything else to which he is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-carnegie/a-man-who-acquires-the-ability-to-take-full-possession-of-his-own/) [Andrew Carnegie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-carnegie/) > [The secret of happiness is renunciation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-carnegie/the-secret-of-happiness-is-renunciation/) [Andrew Carnegie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-carnegie/) > [Give me the life of the boy whose mother is nurse, seamstress, washerwoman, cook, teacher, angel, and saint, all in one, and whose father…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-carnegie/give-me-the-life-of-the-boy-whose-mother-is-nurse-seamstress/) [Andrew Carnegie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-carnegie/) > [Wealth is not to feed our egos but to feed the hungry and to help people help themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-carnegie/wealth-is-not-to-feed-our-egos-but-to-feed-the-hungry-and-to-help/) [Andrew Carnegie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-carnegie/) > [You cannot push anyone up the ladder unless he is willing to climb.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-carnegie/you-cannot-push-anyone-up-the-ladder-unless-he-is-willing-to-climb/) [Andrew Carnegie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-carnegie/) > [The more difficult a problem becomes, the more interesting it is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-carnegie/the-more-difficult-a-problem-becomes-the-more-interesting-it-is/) [Andrew Carnegie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-carnegie/) > [Teamwork is the ability to work together toward a common vision. The ability to direct individual accomplishments toward organizational objectives. It is the fuel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-carnegie/teamwork-is-the-ability-to-work-together-toward-a-common-vision-the/) [Andrew Carnegie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-carnegie/) > [The Republic may not give wealth or happiness, she has not promised these. It is the freedom to pursue these, not their realization, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-carnegie/the-republic-may-not-give-wealth-or-happiness-she-has-not-promised/) [Andrew Carnegie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-carnegie/) > [The price which society pays for the law of competition, like the price it pays for cheap comforts and luxuries, is great; but the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-carnegie/the-price-which-society-pays-for-the-law-of-competition-like-the/) [Andrew Carnegie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-carnegie/) > [The problem of our age is the proper administration of wealth, so that the ties of brotherhood may still bind together the rich and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-carnegie/the-problem-of-our-age-is-the-proper-administration-of-wealth-so-that/) [Andrew Carnegie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-carnegie/) [Explore all 184 Andrew Carnegie quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-carnegie/) ## More Ability quotes > [I don't think there's a direct correlation between my sexuality and my skiing ability. But I think because I was so concerned about it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gus-kenworthy/i-don-t-think-there-s-a-direct-correlation-between-my-sexuality-and/) [Gus Kenworthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gus-kenworthy/) > [“the importance of ability. The things that make a great job great, I discovered, are rare and valuable. If you want them in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-newport/the-importance-of-ability-the-things-that-make-a-great-job-great-i/) [Cal Newport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-newport/) > [Ambition drives you on, ability certainly helps, but the fickle finger of fate and luck are great things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fergus-henderson/ambition-drives-you-on-ability-certainly-helps-but-the-fickle-finger/) [Fergus Henderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fergus-henderson/) > [The ability of the gospel to unite us on common strengths and common truths is one of the great miracles . . . of the gospel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-r-holland/the-ability-of-the-gospel-to-unite-us-on-common-strengths-and-common/) [Jeffrey R. Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-r-holland/) > [Maybe law enforcement would like the ability to turn on the camera on your Mac.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-cook/maybe-law-enforcement-would-like-the-ability-to-turn-on-the-camera-on/) [Tim Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-cook/) > [I've seen guys come along with more ability - they've been faster or bigger or stronger - but they never worked hard to develop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-largent/i-ve-seen-guys-come-along-with-more-ability-they-ve-been-faster-or/) [Steve Largent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-largent/) > [The youth of India has the strength to move the entire World with a click of a mouse, we have generated that ability!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/narendra-modi/the-youth-of-india-has-the-strength-to-move-the-entire-world-with-a/) [Narendra Modi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/narendra-modi/) > [Time hath not yet so dried this blood of mine, Nor age so eat up my invention, Nor fortune made such havoc of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/time-hath-not-yet-so-dried-this-blood-of-mine-nor-age-so-eat-up-my/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [An absolutely necessary part of a writer's equipment, almost as necessary as talent, is the ability to stand up under punishment, both the punishment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irwin-shaw/an-absolutely-necessary-part-of-a-writer-s-equipment-almost-as/) [Irwin Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irwin-shaw/) > [I'd be more frightened by not using whatever abilities I'd been given. I'd be more frightened by procrastination and laziness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denzel-washington/i-d-be-more-frightened-by-not-using-whatever-abilities-i-d-been-given/) [Denzel Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denzel-washington/) > [Bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. Take what I cannot give: my heart, body, thoughts, time, abilities, money, health, strength,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-prentiss/bring-into-captivity-every-thought-to-the-obedience-of-christ-take/) [Elizabeth Prentiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-prentiss/) > [You can only do the work to the very best of your ability.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-baranski/you-can-only-do-the-work-to-the-very-best-of-your-ability/) [Christine Baranski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-baranski/) > [Judge a person not by his ability to make money but by his ability to retain it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/judge-a-person-not-by-his-ability-to-make-money-but-by-his-ability-to/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [Balance is the ability to be happy in the midst of the most chaotic or even boring or transient circumstance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/balance-is-the-ability-to-be-happy-in-the-midst-of-the-most-chaotic/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Bobby had faith in my ability as a singer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-london/bobby-had-faith-in-my-ability-as-a-singer/) [Julie London](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-london/) [Browse all 9,990 Ability quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Give me a man with an average ability but a burning desire to succeed and I will give you a winner in exchange every time.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Andrew Carnegie" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-carnegie/give-me-a-man-with-an-average-ability-but-a-burning-desire-to-succeed/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Ability" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-carnegie/give-me-a-man-with-an-average-ability-but-a-burning-desire-to-succeed/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a7d/andrew-carnegie-2115_ability_give-me-a-man-with-an-average-ability-bu_784081.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a7d/andrew-carnegie-2115_ability_give-me-a-man-with-an-average-ability-bu_784081.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a7d/andrew-carnegie-2115_ability_give-me-a-man-with-an-average-ability-bu_784081.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Give me a man with an average ability but a burning desire to succeed and I will give you a winner in…” — Andrew Carnegie", "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": "Andrew Carnegie", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-carnegie/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Give me a man with an...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-carnegie/give-me-a-man-with-an-average-ability-but-a-burning-desire-to-succeed/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-carnegie/give-me-a-man-with-an-average-ability-but-a-burning-desire-to-succeed/#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 } } ] } ```