--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Thus, the lesson we should draw from…" description: "\"“Thus, the lesson we should draw from these people is not that each person's talents are infinitely malleable or that they can be anything they want to..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/022/donald-o-clifton-14648_change-your-life_thus-the-lesson-we-should-draw-from-thes_214204.jpg" --- # Thus, the lesson we should draw from these people is not… ![“Thus, the lesson we should draw from these people is not that each person's talents are infinitely malleable or that they can be anything they want to be if they just apply themselves. Rather, the lesson is that talents, like intelligence, are value neutral. If you want to change your life so that…” quote by Donald O. Clifton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/022/donald-o-clifton-14648_change-your-life_thus-the-lesson-we-should-draw-from-thes_214204.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/022/donald-o-clifton-14648_change-your-life_thus-the-lesson-we-should-draw-from-thes_214204.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/022/donald-o-clifton-14648_change-your-life_thus-the-lesson-we-should-draw-from-thes_214204.jpg) > ““Thus, the lesson we should draw from these people is not that each person's talents are infinitely malleable or that they can be anything they want to be if they just apply themselves. Rather, the lesson is that talents, like intelligence, are value neutral. If you want to change your life so that others may benefit from your strengths, then change your values. Don't waste time trying to change your talents.”” [Donald O. Clifton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-o-clifton/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Talents are fixed; to impact others you must shift your values, not your innate abilities. **In simple terms:** Change values, not talents. Key Takeaway Focus on aligning values with strengths. Themes values talents impact Mood thoughtful inspirational Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - career planning - leadership - volunteering - community service Key Concepts psychology personal development Questions to Reflect On - How can you align your values with your strengths? - What values could you adopt to benefit others? A Different Perspective Changing values can be difficult and may face resistance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Change Talents](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change-talents-2203757/) [Change your life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change-your-life/) [Intelligence Value](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intelligence-value-2203759/) [Lesson Talents](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lesson-talents-2203758/) [Person Talents](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/person-talents-577584/) [Talent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/talent/) [Talents](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/talents/) [Trying to change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trying-to-change/) ## Related quotes > [“1. Each person's talents are enduring and unique. 2. Each person's greatest room for growth is in the areas of his or her greatest strength.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-o-clifton/1-each-person-s-talents-are-enduring-and-unique-2-each-person-s/) [Donald O. Clifton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-o-clifton/) > [“Since each person's talents are enduring, you should spend a great deal of time and money selecting people properly in the first place. This…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-o-clifton/since-each-person-s-talents-are-enduring-you-should-spend-a-great/) [Donald O. Clifton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-o-clifton/) > [“best practices are useful reference points, but they must come with a warning label : The more you rely on external intelligence, the less…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gyan-nagpal/best-practices-are-useful-reference-points-but-they-must-come-with-a/) [Gyan Nagpal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gyan-nagpal/) > [I would never tie in creative with a talent's contract. To me, that is insanity. Creative needs change, talents evolve or not, and to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-ross/i-would-never-tie-in-creative-with-a-talent-s-contract-to-me-that-is/) [Jim Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-ross/) > [A lazy person, whatever the talents with which he starts out, have condemned himself to second-rate thoughts, and to second-rate friends](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cyril-connolly/a-lazy-person-whatever-the-talents-with-which-he-starts-out-have/) [Cyril Connolly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cyril-connolly/) > [A lazy person, whatever the talents with which he set out, will have condemned himself to second-hand thoughts and to second-rate friends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cyril-connolly/a-lazy-person-whatever-the-talents-with-which-he-set-out-will-have/) [Cyril Connolly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cyril-connolly/) > [“Our research into human strengths does not support the extreme, and extremely misleading, assertion that 'you can play any role you set your mind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-o-clifton/our-research-into-human-strengths-does-not-support-the-extreme-and/) [Donald O. Clifton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-o-clifton/) > [“Talents are your naturally recurring patterns of thought, feeling, or behavior.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-o-clifton/talents-are-your-naturally-recurring-patterns-of-thought-feeling-or/) [Donald O. Clifton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-o-clifton/) > [“To develop a strength in any activity requires certain natural talents.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-o-clifton/to-develop-a-strength-in-any-activity-requires-certain-natural-talents/) [Donald O. Clifton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-o-clifton/) > [You don't have to be satisfied with America as you find it. You can change it. I didn't like the way I found America…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/upton-sinclair/you-don-t-have-to-be-satisfied-with-america-as-you-find-it-you-can/) [Upton Sinclair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/upton-sinclair/) > [I don't like lyrics to be overbearing. I like them to say something. But I'm not trying to change the world overnight. Something simple…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-rodgers/i-don-t-like-lyrics-to-be-overbearing-i-like-them-to-say-something/) [Paul Rodgers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-rodgers/) > [I noticed you didnt care, so I left. Now your trying to change..I'm sorry i've moved on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tierra-williams/i-noticed-you-didnt-care-so-i-left-now-your-trying-to-change-i-m/) [Tierra Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tierra-williams/) > [God doesnt try to change the situation because hes trying to change you not only you but god is trying to change your heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalya-johnson/god-doesnt-try-to-change-the-situation-because-hes-trying-to-change/) [Natalya Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalya-johnson/) > [“What if I believed that God Himself was the One who decreed I would be a quiet person? What if I believed that God…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-rajnus/what-if-i-believed-that-god-himself-was-the-one-who-decreed-i-would/) [Julie Rajnus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-rajnus/) > [“it is a federal system of sadistic torture, vivisection, and animal genocide, which has been carried on for decades under the fraudulent guise of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-tobias/it-is-a-federal-system-of-sadistic-torture-vivisection-and-animal/) [Michael Tobias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-tobias/) ## More by Donald O. Clifton > [“The bottom line on skills is this: A skill is designed to make the secrets of the best easily transferable. If you learn a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-o-clifton/the-bottom-line-on-skills-is-this-a-skill-is-designed-to-make-the/) [Donald O. 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Clifton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-o-clifton/) > [“Such questions are labeled 'ipsative,' which means that if in reality you have both, the question makes it impossible for you to show up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-o-clifton/such-questions-are-labeled-ipsative-which-means-that-if-in-reality/) [Donald O. Clifton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-o-clifton/) > [“Since each person's talents are enduring, you should spend a great deal of time and money selecting people properly in the first place. This…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-o-clifton/since-each-person-s-talents-are-enduring-you-should-spend-a-great/) [Donald O. Clifton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-o-clifton/) > [“First, he became aware of it. Many of us don't seem able to take even this step. Second, and most significant, he chose not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-o-clifton/first-he-became-aware-of-it-many-of-us-don-t-seem-able-to-take-even/) [Donald O. 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Clifton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-o-clifton/) > [“To develop a strength in any activity requires certain natural talents.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-o-clifton/to-develop-a-strength-in-any-activity-requires-certain-natural-talents/) [Donald O. Clifton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-o-clifton/) > [“But if you find yourself thinking in the future, if you find yourself actually anticipating the activity-'When can I do this again?'-it is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-o-clifton/but-if-you-find-yourself-thinking-in-the-future-if-you-find-yourself/) [Donald O. Clifton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-o-clifton/) > [What leaders have in common is that each really knows their strengths, has developed their strengths, and can call on the right strength at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-o-clifton/what-leaders-have-in-common-is-that-each-really-knows-their-strengths/) [Donald O. Clifton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-o-clifton/) > [“Satisfactions provide the last clue to talent. As we described in the previous chapter, your strongest synaptic connections are designed so that when you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-o-clifton/satisfactions-provide-the-last-clue-to-talent-as-we-described-in-the/) [Donald O. Clifton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-o-clifton/) [Explore all 46 Donald O. Clifton quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-o-clifton/) ## More Change your life quotes > [“Amazing how a small choice can change your life forever.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-c-dockens/amazing-how-a-small-choice-can-change-your-life-forever/) [Randy C. 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