--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You can’t be content with mastery; you…" description: "\"You can’t be content with mastery; you have to push yourself to become a student again.\" — Austin Kleon" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ba/austin-kleon-1835_excellence_you-can-t-be-content-with-mastery-you-ha_1615190.png" --- # You can’t be content with mastery; you have to push… ![“You can’t be content with mastery; you have to push yourself to become a student again.” quote by Austin Kleon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ba/austin-kleon-1835_excellence_you-can-t-be-content-with-mastery-you-ha_1615190.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ba/austin-kleon-1835_excellence_you-can-t-be-content-with-mastery-you-ha_1615190.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ba/austin-kleon-1835_excellence_you-can-t-be-content-with-mastery-you-ha_1615190.png) > “You can’t be content with mastery; you have to push yourself to become a student again.” [Austin Kleon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-kleon/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Mastery can become complacency; continual learning requires humility and renewed curiosity. **In simple terms:** Never stop being a student. Key Takeaway Embrace lifelong learning. Themes growth humility learning Mood reflective motivational Type inspirational philosophical When to use this quote - career advancement - creative practice - skill acquisition - personal development Key Concepts self‑improvement continuous development Questions to Reflect On - What can you unlearn to grow? - How does humility fuel progress? A Different Perspective New skills demand effort and may feel like regression. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Excellence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/excellence/) [Happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness/) [Mastery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mastery/) [Push yourself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/push-yourself/) [Student](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/student/) [Students](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/students/) ## Related quotes > [“When you get rid of old material, you push yourself further and come up with something better. When you throw out old work, what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-kleon/when-you-get-rid-of-old-material-you-push-yourself-further-and-come-2/) [Austin Kleon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-kleon/) > [“When you get rid of old material, you push yourself further and come up with something better.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-kleon/when-you-get-rid-of-old-material-you-push-yourself-further-and-come/) [Austin Kleon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-kleon/) > [“Beethoven said that it's better to hit the wrong note confidently, than hit the right note unconfidently. Never be afraid to be wrong or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-norton/beethoven-said-that-it-s-better-to-hit-the-wrong-note-confidently/) [Mike Norton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-norton/) > [Believe in yourself. Have faith in yourself because no one else is going to...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-jackson/believe-in-yourself-have-faith-in-yourself-because-no-one-else-is/) [Janet Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-jackson/) > [“You need courage because at various moments in your life you might need to attempt something new, push yourself outside your comfort zone, challenge…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mensah-oteh/you-need-courage-because-at-various-moments-in-your-life-you-might/) [Mensah Oteh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mensah-oteh/) > [When you don't have people in your life pushing you, can you push yourself?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tori-amos/when-you-don-t-have-people-in-your-life-pushing-you-can-you-push/) [Tori Amos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tori-amos/) > [“If you scared, say you scared, and if not then push yourself off of that wall and step into the darkness. That's where success…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noel-dejesus/if-you-scared-say-you-scared-and-if-not-then-push-yourself-off-of/) [Noel DeJesus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noel-dejesus/) > [“For this very short time in your life, and possibly never again, you will be given a very unique gift: a supremely rich environment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-metzler/for-this-very-short-time-in-your-life-and-possibly-never-again-you/) Michael Metzler > [Pushing yourself to extremes blows out the cobwebs of trusted habit. It shakes up what you know to be reliably safe and substitutes the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-genn/pushing-yourself-to-extremes-blows-out-the-cobwebs-of-trusted-habit/) [Robert Genn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-genn/) > [I've recorded a lot of vocals so far and I think they're kinda still in my own world, but I do have that urge…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spencer-krug/i-ve-recorded-a-lot-of-vocals-so-far-and-i-think-they-re-kinda-still/) [Spencer Krug](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spencer-krug/) > [The more you push yourself, the harder you go, the further you excel, the closer you are to your own success. There's no easy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-more-you-push-yourself-the-harder-you-go-the-further-you-excel/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It's very easy for me to say what success is. I think success is connecting with an audience who understands you and having a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-dunham/it-s-very-easy-for-me-to-say-what-success-is-i-think-success-is/) [Lena Dunham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-dunham/) > [Reach for it. Push yourself as far as you can.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christa-mcauliffe/reach-for-it-push-yourself-as-far-as-you-can/) [Christa McAuliffe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christa-mcauliffe/) > [I will say it's nice to train with someone to kind of pace yourself and try to push yourself as well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tayshia-adams/i-will-say-it-s-nice-to-train-with-someone-to-kind-of-pace-yourself/) [Tayshia Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tayshia-adams/) > [Push yourself every single day to continue to work at yourself. And I feel like that's the reason why I made it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-scherzer/push-yourself-every-single-day-to-continue-to-work-at-yourself-and-i/) [Max Scherzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-scherzer/) ## More by Austin Kleon > [“The thing is, you can cut off a couple passions and only focus on one, but after a while, you’ll start to feel phantom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-kleon/the-thing-is-you-can-cut-off-a-couple-passions-and-only-focus-on-one/) [Austin Kleon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-kleon/) > [Don't think of your website as a self-promotion machine, think of it as a self-invention machine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-kleon/don-t-think-of-your-website-as-a-self-promotion-machine-think-of-it/) [Austin Kleon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-kleon/) > [“We want you to take from us. We want you, at first, to steal from us, because you can’t steal. You will take what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-kleon/we-want-you-to-take-from-us-we-want-you-at-first-to-steal-from-us/) [austin kleon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-kleon/) > [“Validation is for parking.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-kleon/validation-is-for-parking/) [Austin Kleon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-kleon/) > [“If you want fans, you have to be a fan first. If you want to be accepted by a community, you have to first…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-kleon/if-you-want-fans-you-have-to-be-a-fan-first-if-you-want-to-be/) [Austin Kleon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-kleon/) > [“Social media sites are the perfect place to share daily updates. Don’t worry about being on every platform; pick and choose based on what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-kleon/social-media-sites-are-the-perfect-place-to-share-daily-updates-don-t/) [Austin Kleon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-kleon/) > [“Writing a page a day doesn't seem like much, but do it for 365 days and you have enough to fill a novel.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-kleon/writing-a-page-a-day-doesn-t-seem-like-much-but-do-it-for-365-days/) [Austin Kleon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-kleon/) > [Be boring. (It’s the only way to get work done.)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-kleon/be-boring-it-s-the-only-way-to-get-work-done/) [Austin Kleon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-kleon/) > [It sounds a little extreme, but in this day and age, if your work isn't online, it doesn't exist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-kleon/it-sounds-a-little-extreme-but-in-this-day-and-age-if-your-work-isn-t/) [Austin Kleon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-kleon/) > [“Don't wait until you know who you are to get started. If I'd waited to know who I was or what I was about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-kleon/don-t-wait-until-you-know-who-you-are-to-get-started-if-i-d-waited-to/) [Austin Kleon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-kleon/) > [Your brain gets too comfortable in your everyday surroundings. You need to make it uncomfortable. You need to spend some time in another land,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-kleon/your-brain-gets-too-comfortable-in-your-everyday-surroundings-you/) [Austin Kleon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-kleon/) > [Nothing is more paralyzing than the idea of limitless possibilities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-kleon/nothing-is-more-paralyzing-than-the-idea-of-limitless-possibilities/) [Austin Kleon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-kleon/) > [“Whenever Picasso learned how to do something, he abandoned it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-kleon/whenever-picasso-learned-how-to-do-something-he-abandoned-it/) [Austin Kleon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-kleon/) > [“The writer Jonathan Lethem has said that when people call something “original,” nine out of ten times they just don’t know the references or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-kleon/the-writer-jonathan-lethem-has-said-that-when-people-call-something/) [Austin Kleon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-kleon/) > [“Stock and flow” is an economic concept that writer Robin Sloan has adapted into a metaphor for media: “Flow is the feed. It’s the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-kleon/stock-and-flow-is-an-economic-concept-that-writer-robin-sloan-has/) [Austin Kleon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-kleon/) [Explore all 204 Austin Kleon quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-kleon/) ## More Excellence quotes > [Imperfections are what make you perfect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nia-tell/imperfections-are-what-make-you-perfect/) [Nia Tellé](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nia-tell/) > [The pursuit of perfection is frustrating and a waste of time, because nothing is ever perfect. The pursuit of excellence is commendable and worthwhile.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-kulwicki/the-pursuit-of-perfection-is-frustrating-and-a-waste-of-time-because/) [Alan Kulwicki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-kulwicki/) > [“But young men have not only this frivolous ambition of being thought masters of execution, inciting them on the one hand, but also their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/but-young-men-have-not-only-this-frivolous-ambition-of-being-thought/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Many humanists have argued that happiness involves a combination of hedonism and creative moral development; that an exuberant life fuses excellence and enjoyment, meaning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-kurtz/many-humanists-have-argued-that-happiness-involves-a-combination-of/) [Paul Kurtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-kurtz/) > [You learn a lot from quality players.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marouane-fellaini/you-learn-a-lot-from-quality-players/) [Marouane Fellaini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marouane-fellaini/) > [Our civilization, bequeathed to us by fierce adventurers, eaters of meat and hunters, is so full of hurry and combat, so busy about many…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-joyce/our-civilization-bequeathed-to-us-by-fierce-adventurers-eaters-of/) [James Joyce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-joyce/) > [“In your goals to go the extra mile, prepare to pay an extra cost. Excellence is to be exceptional, surpassing, more competent and a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/in-your-goals-to-go-the-extra-mile-prepare-to-pay-an-extra-cost/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [We want to promote the great quality of athletics - and maintain it's integrity - all over the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alberto-juantorena/we-want-to-promote-the-great-quality-of-athletics-and-maintain-it-s/) [Alberto Juantorena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alberto-juantorena/) > [“Anytime I see a rainbow, what comes into my mind is how skillful and talented someone was to create an ark that didn't leak…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/anytime-i-see-a-rainbow-what-comes-into-my-mind-is-how-skillful-and/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [If you are the master be sometimes blind, if you are the servant be sometimes deaf.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-buckminster-fuller/if-you-are-the-master-be-sometimes-blind-if-you-are-the-servant-be/) [R. Buckminster Fuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-buckminster-fuller/) > [We may be masters of our every lot By bearing it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virgil/we-may-be-masters-of-our-every-lot-by-bearing-it/) [Virgil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virgil/) > [Quality means doing it right when no one is looking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ford/quality-means-doing-it-right-when-no-one-is-looking/) [Henry Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ford/) > [We cannot all be masters, nor all masters Cannot be truly followed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/we-cannot-all-be-masters-nor-all-masters-cannot-be-truly-followed/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Leadership, pure and simple, is the assumption of responsibility for the pursuit of excellence in group life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-selznick/leadership-pure-and-simple-is-the-assumption-of-responsibility-for/) Philip Selznick > [The basis of all excellence is truth: he that professes love ought to feel its power.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/the-basis-of-all-excellence-is-truth-he-that-professes-love-ought-to/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) [Browse all 4,187 Excellence quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/excellence/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "You can’t be content with mastery; you have to push yourself to become a student again.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Austin Kleon" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-kleon/you-can-t-be-content-with-mastery-you-have-to-push-yourself-to-become/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Excellence" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-kleon/you-can-t-be-content-with-mastery-you-have-to-push-yourself-to-become/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ba/austin-kleon-1835_excellence_you-can-t-be-content-with-mastery-you-ha_1615190.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ba/austin-kleon-1835_excellence_you-can-t-be-content-with-mastery-you-ha_1615190.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ba/austin-kleon-1835_excellence_you-can-t-be-content-with-mastery-you-ha_1615190.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“You can’t be content with mastery; you have to push yourself to become a student again.” — Austin Kleon", "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": "Austin Kleon", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-kleon/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "You can’t be content with mastery;...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-kleon/you-can-t-be-content-with-mastery-you-have-to-push-yourself-to-become/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-kleon/you-can-t-be-content-with-mastery-you-have-to-push-yourself-to-become/#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 } } ] } ```