--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What you learn at university is a good…" description: "\"What you learn at university is a good discipline but has little relevance to a real job.\" — Chris Liddell" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/58a/chris-liddell-44512_discipline_what-you-learn-at-university-is-a-good-d_1823014.jpg" --- # What you learn at university is a good discipline but has… ![“What you learn at university is a good discipline but has little relevance to a real job.” quote by Chris Liddell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/58a/chris-liddell-44512_discipline_what-you-learn-at-university-is-a-good-d_1823014.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/58a/chris-liddell-44512_discipline_what-you-learn-at-university-is-a-good-d_1823014.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/58a/chris-liddell-44512_discipline_what-you-learn-at-university-is-a-good-d_1823014.jpg) > “What you learn at university is a good discipline but has little relevance to a real job.” [Chris Liddell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-liddell/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The skills taught in academia often lack direct application to workplace tasks, creating a gap between theory and practice. **In simple terms:** University lessons can be unrelated to job needs. Key Takeaway Seek practical experience alongside study. Themes education career relevance Mood reflective pragmatic Type advice observational When to use this quote - internships - project work - mentorship - on‑the‑job training Key Concepts skill transfer theory vs practice Questions to Reflect On - How can you bridge theory and practice? - What real‑world skills do you need? A Different Perspective Academic knowledge alone may not guarantee job success. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Discipline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/discipline/) [Education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education/) [Good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good/) [Good discipline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-discipline/) [Job](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/job/) [Learn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/learn/) [Learn University](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/learn-university-740293/) [Little](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/little/) [Little Relevance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/little-relevance-2209341/) [Real](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/real/) [Real job](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/real-job/) [Relevance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/relevance/) [University](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/university/) [University Good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/university-good-1237403/) [You](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/you/) ## Related quotes > [Whether you actually can or can't fight city hall is of little relevance. Either way, when the need arises, you must!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derek-r-audette/whether-you-actually-can-or-can-t-fight-city-hall-is-of-little/) [Derek R. Audette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derek-r-audette/) > [I worry that people think you have to go to a university to be a good writer, which is categorically untrue. I don't think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samantha-shannon/i-worry-that-people-think-you-have-to-go-to-a-university-to-be-a-good/) [Samantha Shannon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samantha-shannon/) > [Princeton is a sublime undergraduate university. It has a good architecture school.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emilio-ambasz/princeton-is-a-sublime-undergraduate-university-it-has-a-good/) [Emilio Ambasz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emilio-ambasz/) > [“It is unlikely that your life’s work will be found by studying at a university, college, or other educational institute. Knowledge is only a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-hetherington/it-is-unlikely-that-your-life-s-work-will-be-found-by-studying-at-a/) [Michael Hetherington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-hetherington/) > [Writing is something you'll never learn in any university or at any school. It's something that is within you, and if it isn't there,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harper-lee/writing-is-something-you-ll-never-learn-in-any-university-or-at-any/) [Harper Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-lee/) > [There are some things you can't learn at any university, except for one, the University of Life. The only college where everyone is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/there-are-some-things-you-can-t-learn-at-any-university-except-for/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Having a think about whether you can afford 'this' or 'that' is a good discipline to have, to maximise what you can achieve to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cameron-mackintosh/having-a-think-about-whether-you-can-afford-this-or-that-is-a-good/) [Cameron Mackintosh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cameron-mackintosh/) > [The main source of good discipline is growing up in a loving family, being loved and learning to love in return.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-spock/the-main-source-of-good-discipline-is-growing-up-in-a-loving-family/) [Benjamin Spock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-spock/) > [The popular masses are like water, and the army is like a fish. How then can it be said that when there is water,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mao-zedong/the-popular-masses-are-like-water-and-the-army-is-like-a-fish-how/) [Mao Zedong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mao-zedong/) > [In certain areas I don't function well and in other areas I function very well. I'm very good professionally. I have good discipline, I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woody-allen/in-certain-areas-i-don-t-function-well-and-in-other-areas-i-function/) [Woody Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woody-allen/) > [Few men are brave by nature, but good discipline and experience make many so.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/few-men-are-brave-by-nature-but-good-discipline-and-experience-make/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [“While formally or structurally speaking, there are mechanisms of discipline operative in both the convent and the prison, in both the factory and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-k-a-smith/while-formally-or-structurally-speaking-there-are-mechanisms-of/) [James K.A. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-k-a-smith/) > [Relaxing with something as familiar as loneliness is good discipline for realizing the profundity of the unresolved moments of our lives. We are cheating…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pema-ch-dr-n/relaxing-with-something-as-familiar-as-loneliness-is-good-discipline/) [Pema Chodron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/) > [Hunger is good discipline.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/hunger-is-good-discipline/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [If you can't be honest or don't have integrity, then you won't have a high standards without good discipline.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wazim-shaw/if-you-can-t-be-honest-or-don-t-have-integrity-then-you-won-t-have-a/) [Wazim Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wazim-shaw/) ## More by Chris Liddell > [I don't have a tolerance for long meetings. I generally expect to get things over with quickly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-liddell/i-don-t-have-a-tolerance-for-long-meetings-i-generally-expect-to-get/) [Chris Liddell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-liddell/) > [Engineering is a fantastic base for any career.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-liddell/engineering-is-a-fantastic-base-for-any-career/) [Chris Liddell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-liddell/) > [I switch on and off very easily; I'm inherently lucky in that sense. I sleep well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-liddell/i-switch-on-and-off-very-easily-i-m-inherently-lucky-in-that-sense-i/) [Chris Liddell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-liddell/) > [Each of my career decisions has been very much about doing what I wanted to achieve in the role and then finding another challenge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-liddell/each-of-my-career-decisions-has-been-very-much-about-doing-what-i/) [Chris Liddell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-liddell/) > [My day, normally speaking, is: I go the gym in the morning, I go and work for 10 or 12 hours, I have dinner,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-liddell/my-day-normally-speaking-is-i-go-the-gym-in-the-morning-i-go-and-work/) [Chris Liddell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-liddell/) > [I don't sit down and relax very much. I don't desire to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-liddell/i-don-t-sit-down-and-relax-very-much-i-don-t-desire-to/) [Chris Liddell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-liddell/) > [I've always found diversity more interesting than specialisation. I like mixing it up across years, within days, within weeks - that's what stimulates me,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-liddell/i-ve-always-found-diversity-more-interesting-than-specialisation-i/) [Chris Liddell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-liddell/) > [So, what genetic disposition do you need to be a CFO? Essentially, you need to be miserable, you need to be the sort of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-liddell/so-what-genetic-disposition-do-you-need-to-be-a-cfo-essentially-you/) [Chris Liddell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-liddell/) [Explore all 9 Chris Liddell quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-liddell/) ## More Discipline quotes > [Christianity was never meant to be defined by its disciplines, but by its passions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-johnson/christianity-was-never-meant-to-be-defined-by-its-disciplines-but-by/) [Bill Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-johnson/) > [Grit and self-control are related, but they're not the same thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-duckworth/grit-and-self-control-are-related-but-they-re-not-the-same-thing/) [Angela Duckworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-duckworth/) > [“Peace requires a discipline more iron than war. - Easter, 1939 ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-j-turner/peace-requires-a-discipline-more-iron-than-war-easter-1939/) [W.J. Turner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-j-turner/) > [You can't have the fruits without the roots. It's the principle of sequencing: Private Victories proceed Public Victories. Self-mastery and self-discipline are the foundation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-covey/you-can-t-have-the-fruits-without-the-roots-it-s-the-principle-of/) [Stephen Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-covey/) > [Like a child exploring the attic of an old house on a rainy day, discovering a trunk full of treasure and then calling all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-h-peterson/like-a-child-exploring-the-attic-of-an-old-house-on-a-rainy-day/) [Eugene H. Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-h-peterson/) > [Exercise teaches you the pleasure of discipline.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-fonda/exercise-teaches-you-the-pleasure-of-discipline/) [Jane Fonda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-fonda/) > [I'm always writing. I'm an obsessive. It's not because I'm a disciplined person. It's because I'm crazy about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hanif-kureishi/i-m-always-writing-i-m-an-obsessive-it-s-not-because-i-m-a/) [Hanif Kureishi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hanif-kureishi/) > [“I felt like praying or something, when I was in bed, but I couldn't do it. I can't always pray when I feel like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-salinger/i-felt-like-praying-or-something-when-i-was-in-bed-but-i-couldn-t-do/) [J.D. Salinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-salinger/) > [The undisciplined child enters into discipline by working in the company of others; not being told he is naughty.” “Discipline is, therefore, primarily a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-montessori/the-undisciplined-child-enters-into-discipline-by-working-in-the/) [Maria Montessori](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-montessori/) > [“Proverbs from the East: The wind howls, but the mountain remains still. Even though I make no special attempt to observe the discipline of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-cain/proverbs-from-the-east-the-wind-howls-but-the-mountain-remains-still/) [Susan Cain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-cain/) > [To behave creatively in art means behavior with skill; and skill comes from discipline, not derangement. The artist who knows the rules -and proportion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burne-hogarth/to-behave-creatively-in-art-means-behavior-with-skill-and-skill-comes/) [Burne Hogarth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/burne-hogarth/) > [Self-discipline is an act of cultivation. It require you to connect today's actions to tomorrow's results. There's a season for sowing a season for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-ryan-blair/self-discipline-is-an-act-of-cultivation-it-require-you-to-connect/) [Gary Ryan Blair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-ryan-blair/) > [The individual, by means of the discipline imposed on him by sport, not only plays and finds relaxation from the various compulsions to which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-ellul/the-individual-by-means-of-the-discipline-imposed-on-him-by-sport-not/) [Jacques Ellul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-ellul/) > [Cheerfulness in most cheerful people is the rich and satisfying result of strenuous discipline.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-percy-whipple/cheerfulness-in-most-cheerful-people-is-the-rich-and-satisfying/) [Edwin Percy Whipple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-percy-whipple/) > [Stay in your seat come times of trouble. Its only people who jump off the roller coaster who get hurt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-harvey/stay-in-your-seat-come-times-of-trouble-its-only-people-who-jump-off/) [Paul Harvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-harvey/) [Browse all 5,597 Discipline quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/discipline/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "What you learn at university is a good discipline but has little relevance to a real job.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Chris Liddell" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-liddell/what-you-learn-at-university-is-a-good-discipline-but-has-little/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Discipline" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-liddell/what-you-learn-at-university-is-a-good-discipline-but-has-little/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/58a/chris-liddell-44512_discipline_what-you-learn-at-university-is-a-good-d_1823014.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/58a/chris-liddell-44512_discipline_what-you-learn-at-university-is-a-good-d_1823014.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/58a/chris-liddell-44512_discipline_what-you-learn-at-university-is-a-good-d_1823014.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“What you learn at university is a good discipline but has little relevance to a real job.” — Chris Liddell", "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": "Chris Liddell", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-liddell/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "What you learn at university is...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-liddell/what-you-learn-at-university-is-a-good-discipline-but-has-little/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-liddell/what-you-learn-at-university-is-a-good-discipline-but-has-little/#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 } } ] } ```