--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A passion for learning...isn't something…" description: "\"A passion for learning...isn't something you have to inspire with; it's something you have to keep from extinguishing.\" — Deborah Meier" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0f0/deborah-meier-33167_education_a-passion-for-learning-isn-t-something-y_1908787.png" --- # A passion for learning...isn't something you have to… ![“A passion for learning...isn't something you have to inspire with; it's something you have to keep from extinguishing.” quote by Deborah Meier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0f0/deborah-meier-33167_education_a-passion-for-learning-isn-t-something-y_1908787.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0f0/deborah-meier-33167_education_a-passion-for-learning-isn-t-something-y_1908787.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0f0/deborah-meier-33167_education_a-passion-for-learning-isn-t-something-y_1908787.png) > “A passion for learning...isn't something you have to inspire with; it's something you have to keep from extinguishing.” [Deborah Meier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-meier/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Learning requires continual nurturing, not just initial inspiration. **In simple terms:** Keep learning alive, don’t let it die. Key Takeaway Cultivate ongoing curiosity. Themes learning inspiration sustainability Mood inspired thoughtful Type philosophical educational When to use this quote - classroom teaching - professional development - personal hobbies - skill acquisition Key Concepts education theory motivation lifelong learning Questions to Reflect On - What fuels your love of learning? - How can you protect it from burnout? A Different Perspective External factors can stifle curiosity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education/) [Inspiration](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspiration/) [Inspire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspire/) [Inspire Extinguishing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspire-extinguishing-2861155/) [Learning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/learning/) [Learning Isn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/learning-isn-2861156/) [Passion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/passion/) [Passion Learning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/passion-learning-1213011/) ## Related quotes > [Develop a passion for learning. If you do, you will never cease to grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-j-d-angelo/develop-a-passion-for-learning-if-you-do-you-will-never-cease-to-grow/) [Anthony J. D'Angelo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-j-d-angelo/) > [Our passion for learning ... is our tool for survival.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/our-passion-for-learning-is-our-tool-for-survival/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [Exploring many different avenues, especially setting new challenges, has always fueled my passion for learning something new.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mya/exploring-many-different-avenues-especially-setting-new-challenges/) [Mya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mya/) > [“For my part, the more I went forward in the study of letters, and ever more easily, the greater became the ardour of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-abelard/for-my-part-the-more-i-went-forward-in-the-study-of-letters-and-ever/) [Peter Abelard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-abelard/) > [I hit a ball for a living, but I have that passion to keep learning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-sharapova/i-hit-a-ball-for-a-living-but-i-have-that-passion-to-keep-learning/) [Maria Sharapova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-sharapova/) > [“The thing about learning that someone isn't who they said they were is that you start to wonder if you ever really had a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristin-cashore/the-thing-about-learning-that-someone-isn-t-who-they-said-they-were/) [Kristin Cashore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristin-cashore/) > [Learning isn't just K-12. It starts prenatally. If you get a bead on what your children are and aren't being exposed to at school,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathy-hirsh-pasek/learning-isn-t-just-k-12-it-starts-prenatally-if-you-get-a-bead-on/) [Kathy Hirsh-Pasek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathy-hirsh-pasek/) > [Learning isn't something you should only do solo.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoff-mulgan/learning-isn-t-something-you-should-only-do-solo/) [Geoff Mulgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoff-mulgan/) > [Learning isn't a means to an end; it is an end in itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/learning-isn-t-a-means-to-an-end-it-is-an-end-in-itself/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [“Unfortunately, I also found out the hard way in my youth. But I guess that's how most learning is done, isn't it?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-ann-wirtz/unfortunately-i-also-found-out-the-hard-way-in-my-youth-but-i-guess/) [Karen Ann Wirtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-ann-wirtz/) > [“Ease of learning isn’t the primary force in language evolution.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-chiang/ease-of-learning-isn-t-the-primary-force-in-language-evolution/) [Ted Chiang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-chiang/) > [Learning isn't a luxury; it's a stewardship issue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-batterson/learning-isn-t-a-luxury-it-s-a-stewardship-issue/) [Mark Batterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-batterson/) > [Learning isn't acquiring knowledge so much as it is trimming information that has already been acquired.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/learning-isn-t-acquiring-knowledge-so-much-as-it-is-trimming/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) > [“Real kings and queens are people whose heads are crowned with dreams as they sit on the throne of passion. They rule with visions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/real-kings-and-queens-are-people-whose-heads-are-crowned-with-dreams/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [It is not the poet's business to save man's soul but to make it worth saving . . . However, few poets have written…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-elroy-flecker/it-is-not-the-poet-s-business-to-save-man-s-soul-but-to-make-it-worth/) [James Elroy Flecker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-elroy-flecker/) ## More by Deborah Meier > [Mindset changes are not happening from change in legislation. Like desegregation. We legally got rid of legal segregation, but schools are still segregated. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-meier/mindset-changes-are-not-happening-from-change-in-legislation-like/) [Deborah Meier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-meier/) > [It's the curiosity that drives me. It's making a difference in the world that prevents me from ever giving up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-meier/it-s-the-curiosity-that-drives-me-it-s-making-a-difference-in-the/) [Deborah Meier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-meier/) > [Teaching is mostly listening, and learning is mostly telling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-meier/teaching-is-mostly-listening-and-learning-is-mostly-telling/) [Deborah Meier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-meier/) > [There's a radical - and wonderful - new idea here... that all children could and should be inventors of their own theories, critics of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-meier/there-s-a-radical-and-wonderful-new-idea-here-that-all-children-could/) [Deborah Meier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-meier/) > [I take enormous pleasure every time I see something that I've done that cannot be wiped out. In some way ... I guess it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-meier/i-take-enormous-pleasure-every-time-i-see-something-that-i-ve-done/) [Deborah Meier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-meier/) > [Good schools, like good societies and good families, celebrate and cherish diversity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-meier/good-schools-like-good-societies-and-good-families-celebrate-and/) [Deborah Meier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-meier/) > [We are all carriers of our own stories. We have never trusted our own voices. Reforms came, but we don't make them. They were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-meier/we-are-all-carriers-of-our-own-stories-we-have-never-trusted-our-own/) [Deborah Meier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-meier/) > [Teaching is listening, learning is talking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-meier/teaching-is-listening-learning-is-talking/) [Deborah Meier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-meier/) > [The art of good teaching begins when we can answer the questions our students are really trying to ask us, if only they knew…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-meier/the-art-of-good-teaching-begins-when-we-can-answer-the-questions-our/) [Deborah Meier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-meier/) > [ The only thing they \[government\] want is better data. But data doesn't tell people someone is well educated. It's a vicious circle. There is… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-meier/the-only-thing-they-government-want-is-better-data-but-data-doesn-t/) [Deborah Meier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-meier/) > [Some people thought that if you put pressure on kids, parents, and teachers and schools, the pressure alone would produce results. It appealed to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-meier/some-people-thought-that-if-you-put-pressure-on-kids-parents-and/) [Deborah Meier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-meier/) > [Only secretly rebellious teachers have ever done right by our least advantaged kids.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-meier/only-secretly-rebellious-teachers-have-ever-done-right-by-our-least/) [Deborah Meier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-meier/) > [If you ask me, taking on risk and being more daring is a real important part of creativity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-meier/if-you-ask-me-taking-on-risk-and-being-more-daring-is-a-real/) [Deborah Meier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-meier/) > [If you define yourself as someone fixing education, there's nothing short-range you can do to fix education directly. It's labor intensive. You have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-meier/if-you-define-yourself-as-someone-fixing-education-there-s-nothing/) [Deborah Meier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-meier/) [Explore all 15 Deborah Meier quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-meier/) ## More Education quotes > [I put myself in the student's place and remember the frustrations, doubts, determination, and desires I felt when I was going through the initial…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-martinez/i-put-myself-in-the-student-s-place-and-remember-the-frustrations/) [Ted Martinez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-martinez/) > [“In school you are taught to obey and not to think straight for your own good. Otherwise the world would be full of millionaires…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mwanandeke-kindembo/in-school-you-are-taught-to-obey-and-not-to-think-straight-for-your/) [Mwanandeke Kindembo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mwanandeke-kindembo/) > [For successful education there must always be a certain freshness in the knowledge dealt with. It must be either new in itself or invested…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-north-whitehead/for-successful-education-there-must-always-be-a-certain-freshness-in/) [Alfred North Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-north-whitehead/) > [Where I grew up, learning was a collective activity. But when I got to school and tried to share learning with other students that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-giroux/where-i-grew-up-learning-was-a-collective-activity-but-when-i-got-to/) [Henry Giroux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-giroux/) > [There's no authoritarian structure at Reed College, but the education is conservative. So what you have is a lot of students who are very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-miller/there-s-no-authoritarian-structure-at-reed-college-but-the-education/) [Donald Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-miller/) > [“What's the best thing about being in college? Good teachers. They inspire you, they entertain you, and you end up learning a ton even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/what-s-the-best-thing-about-being-in-college-good-teachers-they/) [Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/) > [“If one has not a head of steel it will burst; if he has not within it a brain of liquid quicksilver, he will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ioannes-amos-commenius/if-one-has-not-a-head-of-steel-it-will-burst-if-he-has-not-within-it/) [Ioannes Amos Commenius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ioannes-amos-commenius/) > [“let us not teach / what we have learned badly / and not profited by”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-d-hilda-doolittle/let-us-not-teach-what-we-have-learned-badly-and-not-profited-by/) [H.D. (Hilda Doolittle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-d-hilda-doolittle/) > [“It took me years to learn to sit at my desk for more than two minutes at a time, to put up with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erica-jong/it-took-me-years-to-learn-to-sit-at-my-desk-for-more-than-two-minutes/) [Erica Jong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erica-jong/) > [According to Plato, we don't learn anything. Our soul has lived so many lives that we know everything. Teachers and education can only remind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-palahniuk/according-to-plato-we-don-t-learn-anything-our-soul-has-lived-so-many/) [Chuck Palahniuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-palahniuk/) > [“I only began to enjoy studying after I got through the educational system and became a so-called member of society. If something interested me,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-only-began-to-enjoy-studying-after-i-got-through-the-educational/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If you had made the acquiring of ignorance the study of your life, you could not have graduated with higher honor than you could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/if-you-had-made-the-acquiring-of-ignorance-the-study-of-your-life-you/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [How wonderful it would be, I thought, if only we could practice the teachings of the Buddha as he really taught them from his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dzogchen-ponlop-rinpoche/how-wonderful-it-would-be-i-thought-if-only-we-could-practice-the/) [Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dzogchen-ponlop-rinpoche/) > [English teachers tend to put more thought in the books than the author did](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/english-teachers-tend-to-put-more-thought-in-the-books-than-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When will society, like a mother, take care of all her children?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horace-mann/when-will-society-like-a-mother-take-care-of-all-her-children/) [Horace Mann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horace-mann/) [Browse all 37,666 Education quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "A passion for learning...isn't something you have to inspire with; it's something you have to keep from extinguishing.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Deborah Meier" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-meier/a-passion-for-learning-isn-t-something-you-have-to-inspire-with-it-s/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Education" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-meier/a-passion-for-learning-isn-t-something-you-have-to-inspire-with-it-s/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0f0/deborah-meier-33167_education_a-passion-for-learning-isn-t-something-y_1908787.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0f0/deborah-meier-33167_education_a-passion-for-learning-isn-t-something-y_1908787.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0f0/deborah-meier-33167_education_a-passion-for-learning-isn-t-something-y_1908787.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“A passion for learning...isn't something you have to inspire with; it's something you have to keep from…” — Deborah Meier", "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": "Deborah Meier", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-meier/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "A passion for learning...isn't something you...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-meier/a-passion-for-learning-isn-t-something-you-have-to-inspire-with-it-s/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-meier/a-passion-for-learning-isn-t-something-you-have-to-inspire-with-it-s/#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 } } ] } ```