--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We can be sure of talent; We can only…" description: "\"“We can be sure of talent; We can only pray for genius”\" — Arthur C. Clarke" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b63/arthur-c-clarke-640_genius_we-can-be-sure-of-talent-we-can-only-pra_830041.jpg" --- # We can be sure of talent; We can only pray for genius ![“We can be sure of talent; We can only pray for genius” quote by Arthur C. Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b63/arthur-c-clarke-640_genius_we-can-be-sure-of-talent-we-can-only-pra_830041.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b63/arthur-c-clarke-640_genius_we-can-be-sure-of-talent-we-can-only-pra_830041.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b63/arthur-c-clarke-640_genius_we-can-be-sure-of-talent-we-can-only-pra_830041.jpg) > ““We can be sure of talent; We can only pray for genius”” [Arthur C. Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-c-clarke/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Talent can be developed, but true genius is rare and unpredictable. **In simple terms:** Talent is learnable; genius is rare. Key Takeaway Cultivate talent, accept genius may be limited. Themes talent genius potential Mood thoughtful inspirational Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - education - career planning - creative projects - leadership Key Concepts human ability exceptional creativity Questions to Reflect On - How do you nurture talent versus seeking genius? - Can genius be cultivated? A Different Perspective Genius may be over‑emphasized, ignoring effort. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Genius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/genius/) [Intelligence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intelligence/) [Pray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pray/) [Pray Genius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pray-genius-550498/) [Prayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prayer/) [Sure Talent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sure-talent-550499/) [Talent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/talent/) [Talent Pray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/talent-pray-550497/) ## Related quotes > [“As Solomon himself had remarked, 'We can be sure of talent, we can only pray for genius.' But it was a reasonable hope that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-c-clarke/as-solomon-himself-had-remarked-we-can-be-sure-of-talent-we-can-only/) [Arthur C. Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-c-clarke/) > [“We can be sure of tale; We can only pray for genius”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-c-clarke/we-can-be-sure-of-tale-we-can-only-pray-for-genius/) [Arthur C. Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-c-clarke/) > [The peril of every fine faculty is the delight of playing with it for pride. Talent is commonly developed at the expense of character,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/the-peril-of-every-fine-faculty-is-the-delight-of-playing-with-it-for/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [“A native genius or talent is something that people do, not only exceptionally well, but absolutely naturally. They do it easily (without extra effort)…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liz-wiseman/a-native-genius-or-talent-is-something-that-people-do-not-only/) [Liz Wiseman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liz-wiseman/) > [A talent for drama is not a talent for writing, but is ability to articulate human relationships.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/a-talent-for-drama-is-not-a-talent-for-writing-but-is-ability-to/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [God gives talent. Work transforms talent into genius.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-pavlova/god-gives-talent-work-transforms-talent-into-genius/) [Anna Pavlova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-pavlova/) > [The life's story of great geniuses is a sad one, without much tangible reward, which does not inspire future generations to face a similar…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-haydn/the-life-s-story-of-great-geniuses-is-a-sad-one-without-much-tangible/) [Joseph Haydn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-haydn/) > [probably the greatest concentration of talent and genius in this house except for perhaps those times when Thomas Jefferson ate alone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kennedy/probably-the-greatest-concentration-of-talent-and-genius-in-this/) [John F. Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kennedy/) > [It is not because the touch of genius has roused genius to production, but because the admiration of genius has made talent ambitious, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-fuller/it-is-not-because-the-touch-of-genius-has-roused-genius-to-production/) [Margaret Fuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-fuller/) > [There's a lot of controversy online, some people say i'm a genius and other say i'm hugely talented.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-kindler/there-s-a-lot-of-controversy-online-some-people-say-i-m-a-genius-and/) [Andy Kindler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-kindler/) > [Genius points the way, talent takes it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/genius-points-the-way-talent-takes-it/) [Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/) > [In spite of their obvious differences, folk art and popular art have much in common; they are easy to understand, they are romantic, patriotic,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-seldes/in-spite-of-their-obvious-differences-folk-art-and-popular-art-have/) [Gilbert Seldes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-seldes/) > [But I don't think I have any particular talent for prediction, because when you have three or four elements in hand, you don't have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonio-tabucchi/but-i-don-t-think-i-have-any-particular-talent-for-prediction-because/) [Antonio Tabucchi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonio-tabucchi/) > [Genius differs from talent not by the amount of original thoughts, but by making the latter fertile and by positioning them properly, in other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-grillparzer/genius-differs-from-talent-not-by-the-amount-of-original-thoughts-but/) [Franz Grillparzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-grillparzer/) > [Mediocrity knows nothing higher than itself, but talent instantly recognizes genius.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-conan-doyle/mediocrity-knows-nothing-higher-than-itself-but-talent-instantly/) [Arthur Conan Doyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-conan-doyle/) ## More by Arthur C. Clarke > [Science can destroy religion by ignoring it as well as by disproving its tenets. No one ever demonstrated, so far as I am aware,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-c-clarke/science-can-destroy-religion-by-ignoring-it-as-well-as-by-disproving/) [Arthur C. Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-c-clarke/) > [We cannot predict the new forces, powers, and discoveries that will be disclosed to us when we reach the other planets and set up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-c-clarke/we-cannot-predict-the-new-forces-powers-and-discoveries-that-will-be/) [Arthur C. Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-c-clarke/) > [I am unable to distinguish clearly between your religious ceremonies and apparently identical behavior at the sporting and cultural functions you have transmitted to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-c-clarke/i-am-unable-to-distinguish-clearly-between-your-religious-ceremonies/) [Arthur C. Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-c-clarke/) > [I don't believe in astrology; I'm a Sagittarius and we're skeptical.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-c-clarke/i-don-t-believe-in-astrology-i-m-a-sagittarius-and-we-re-skeptical/) [Arthur C. Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-c-clarke/) > [You can't have it both ways. You can't have both free will and a benevolent higher power who protects you from yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-c-clarke/you-can-t-have-it-both-ways-you-can-t-have-both-free-will-and-a/) [Arthur C. Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-c-clarke/) > [Astronomy, as nothing else can do, teaches men humility.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-c-clarke/astronomy-as-nothing-else-can-do-teaches-men-humility/) [Arthur C. Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-c-clarke/) > [Nowhere in space will we rest our eyes upon the familiar shapes of trees and plants, or any of the animals that share our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-c-clarke/nowhere-in-space-will-we-rest-our-eyes-upon-the-familiar-shapes-of/) [Arthur C. Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-c-clarke/) > [“The universe is full of energy, but much of it is at equilibrium. At equilibrium no energy can flow, and therefore it cannot be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-c-clarke/the-universe-is-full-of-energy-but-much-of-it-is-at-equilibrium-at/) [Arthur C. Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-c-clarke/) > [“Here the trees surrounded them with an invisible, anechoic blanket, so that every word seemed sucked into silence the moment it was uttered.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-c-clarke/here-the-trees-surrounded-them-with-an-invisible-anechoic-blanket-so/) [Arthur C. Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-c-clarke/) > [“I’m a scientific expert; that means I know nothing about absolutely everything.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-c-clarke/i-m-a-scientific-expert-that-means-i-know-nothing-about-absolutely/) [Arthur C. Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-c-clarke/) > [There were some things that only time could cure. Evil men could be destroyed, but nothing could be done with good men who were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-c-clarke/there-were-some-things-that-only-time-could-cure-evil-men-could-be/) [Arthur C. Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-c-clarke/) > [“Pure coincidence, of course, but a sensible man makes coincidences work for him.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-c-clarke/pure-coincidence-of-course-but-a-sensible-man-makes-coincidences-work/) [Arthur C. Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-c-clarke/) > [They will have time enough, in those endless aeons, to attempt all things, and to gather all knowledge no Gods imagined by our minds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-c-clarke/they-will-have-time-enough-in-those-endless-aeons-to-attempt-all/) [Arthur C. Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-c-clarke/) > [“One thing seems certain. Our galaxy is now in the brief springtime of its life—a springtime made glorious by such brilliant blue-white stars as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-c-clarke/one-thing-seems-certain-our-galaxy-is-now-in-the-brief-springtime-of/) [Arthur C. Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-c-clarke/) > [Now I understand,” said the last man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-c-clarke/now-i-understand-said-the-last-man/) [Arthur C. Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-c-clarke/) [Explore all 415 Arthur C. Clarke quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-c-clarke/) ## More Genius quotes > [“If people fully understand you, they will think of you as a normal, if they half understand you, will think of you as a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-f-moonzajer/if-people-fully-understand-you-they-will-think-of-you-as-a-normal-if/) [M.F. Moonzajer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-f-moonzajer/) > [Woman, in short, has an unconscious life, man a conscious life, and the genius the most conscious life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/otto-weininger/woman-in-short-has-an-unconscious-life-man-a-conscious-life-and-the/) [Otto Weininger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/otto-weininger/) > [ Next came the Patent laws. These began in England in 1624; and, in this country, with the adoption of our constitution. Before then \[these?\],… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/next-came-the-patent-laws-these-began-in-england-in-1624-and-in-this/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [The truth is I've just never had any kind of plan at all for my career, which is probably not a very flattering thing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ty-burrell/the-truth-is-i-ve-just-never-had-any-kind-of-plan-at-all-for-my/) [Ty Burrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ty-burrell/) > [What we shall need is not geniuses, or cynics, or misanthropes, or clever tacticians, but plain, honest, straghtforward men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/what-we-shall-need-is-not-geniuses-or-cynics-or-misanthropes-or/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [I have no physical genius about me. I can't dribble a ball and run at the same time, I can't do lay-ups - I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-mullins/i-have-no-physical-genius-about-me-i-can-t-dribble-a-ball-and-run-at/) [Rich Mullins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-mullins/) > [I have known many chess players, but among them there has been only one genius - Capablanca!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emanuel-lasker/i-have-known-many-chess-players-but-among-them-there-has-been-only/) [Emanuel Lasker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emanuel-lasker/) > [A time will come when the science of destruction shall bend before the arts of peace; when the genius which multiplies our powers, which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-arago/a-time-will-come-when-the-science-of-destruction-shall-bend-before/) [Francois Arago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-arago/) > [One is not born a genius, one becomes a genius; and the feminine situation has up to the present rendered this becoming practically impossible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-de-beauvoir/one-is-not-born-a-genius-one-becomes-a-genius-and-the-feminine/) [Simone de Beauvoir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-de-beauvoir/) > [The beginning of genius is being scared shitless.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-ferdinand-celine/the-beginning-of-genius-is-being-scared-shitless/) [Louis-Ferdinand Celine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-ferdinand-celine/) > [Treason implies responsibility for something, control over something, influence upon something, knowledge of something. Treason in our time is a proof of genius. Why,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/treason-implies-responsibility-for-something-control-over-something/) [Antoine de Saint-Exupery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/) > [Mediocrity knows nothing higher than itself, but talent instantly recognizes genius.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-conan-doyle/mediocrity-knows-nothing-higher-than-itself-but-talent-instantly/) [Arthur Conan Doyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-conan-doyle/) > [With the proper training, I could've been an evil genius.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/with-the-proper-training-i-could-ve-been-an-evil-genius/) [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) > [Never try to judge any one](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajat-dogra/never-try-to-judge-any-one/) [Rajat Dogra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajat-dogra/) > [“genius is a path that we can all take and derive much benefit, happiness, fulfillment, and success from...not a genetic windfall or divine gift.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-patrick/genius-is-a-path-that-we-can-all-take-and-derive-much-benefit/) [Sean Patrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-patrick/) [Browse all 5,125 Genius quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/genius/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“We can be sure of talent; We can only pray for genius”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Arthur C. 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