--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Lack of genius never held anyone back…" description: "\"Lack of genius never held anyone back. Only time wasted on resentment and daydreaming can do that.\" — Dorothy Dunnett" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ca2/dorothy-dunnett-1876_can-do_lack-of-genius-never-held-anyone-back-on_136587.jpg" --- # Lack of genius never held anyone back. Only time wasted on… ![“Lack of genius never held anyone back. Only time wasted on resentment and daydreaming can do that.” quote by Dorothy Dunnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ca2/dorothy-dunnett-1876_can-do_lack-of-genius-never-held-anyone-back-on_136587.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ca2/dorothy-dunnett-1876_can-do_lack-of-genius-never-held-anyone-back-on_136587.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ca2/dorothy-dunnett-1876_can-do_lack-of-genius-never-held-anyone-back-on_136587.jpg) > “Lack of genius never held anyone back. Only time wasted on resentment and daydreaming can do that.” [Dorothy Dunnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-dunnett/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Lack of talent isn’t a barrier; wasted time on resentment and fantasies is. **In simple terms:** Talent isn’t the only factor; time matters. Key Takeaway Use time wisely, avoid resentment. Themes productivity mindset self‑growth Mood determined motivated Type practical inspirational When to use this quote - career development - creative pursuits Key Concepts time management personal responsibility Questions to Reflect On - What habits waste your time? - How can you turn dreams into action? A Different Perspective Talent still influences opportunities. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Genius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/genius/) [Intelligence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intelligence/) [Resentment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/resentment/) [Time wasted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time-wasted/) [Wasting time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wasting-time/) ## Related quotes > [The man of genius possesses, like everything else, the complete female in himself; but woman herself is only a part of the Universe, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/otto-weininger/the-man-of-genius-possesses-like-everything-else-the-complete-female/) [Otto Weininger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/otto-weininger/) > [“If I could do this book properly it would be one of the really fine books and a truly American book. But I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/if-i-could-do-this-book-properly-it-would-be-one-of-the-really-fine/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [“... nothing is easier than to distance ourselves from great figures, whether through a negative interpretation or through idealization. Denigration and idealization are twins…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/myron-sharaf/nothing-is-easier-than-to-distance-ourselves-from-great-figures/) Myron Sharaf > [“almost nothing was more annoying than having our wasted time wasted on something not worth wasting it on”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-ferris/almost-nothing-was-more-annoying-than-having-our-wasted-time-wasted/) [Joshua Ferris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-ferris/) > [He believed that he must, that he could and would recover the good things, the happy things, the easy tranquil things of life. He…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saul-bellow/he-believed-that-he-must-that-he-could-and-would-recover-the-good/) [Saul Bellow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saul-bellow/) > [Creativity is the residue of time wasted.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/creativity-is-the-residue-of-time-wasted/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [Time is never wasted when you're wasted all the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-zandonella/time-is-never-wasted-when-you-re-wasted-all-the-time/) Catherine Zandonella > [“Wasting time over wasted time is just more wasted time...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/animesh-singh/wasting-time-over-wasted-time-is-just-more-wasted-time/) Animesh Singh > [time wasted is not always a waste of time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terri-blackstock/time-wasted-is-not-always-a-waste-of-time/) [Terri Blackstock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terri-blackstock/) > [If you enjoyed the time you wasted, then it wasn't wasted time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennon/if-you-enjoyed-the-time-you-wasted-then-it-wasn-t-wasted-time/) [John Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennon/) > [Time is never wasted when youre wasted all the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/time-is-never-wasted-when-youre-wasted-all-the-time/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It is a waste of time to see people who have only a social surface to show. I will make every effort to find…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/may-sarton/it-is-a-waste-of-time-to-see-people-who-have-only-a-social-surface-to/) [May Sarton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/may-sarton/) > [Among life's regrets is all the time wasted being early for everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-breault/among-life-s-regrets-is-all-the-time-wasted-being-early-for-everything/) [Robert Breault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-breault/) > [Evelyn Waugh was in error when he said that in New York there was a neurosis in the air which the inhabitants mistook for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/evelyn-waugh-was-in-error-when-he-said-that-in-new-york-there-was-a/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [Regret for time wasted can become a power for good in the time that remains, if we will only stop the waste and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-brisbane/regret-for-time-wasted-can-become-a-power-for-good-in-the-time-that/) [Arthur Brisbane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-brisbane/) ## More by Dorothy Dunnett > [“I echo like a mynah, that’s why.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-dunnett/i-echo-like-a-mynah-that-s-why/) [Dorothy Dunnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-dunnett/) > [“Haven't I been worth five years' excellent gossip to you? Are you not all waiting agog to see me seize my sister-in-law by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-dunnett/haven-t-i-been-worth-five-years-excellent-gossip-to-you-are-you-not/) [Dorothy Dunnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-dunnett/) > [“Where are the links of the chain ... joining us to the past?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-dunnett/where-are-the-links-of-the-chain-joining-us-to-the-past/) [Dorothy Dunnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-dunnett/) > [“Standing safely on the opposite bank with her dry maid, her dry escort, and a company of streaming horsemen, Philippa said scathingly, ‘That’s men…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-dunnett/standing-safely-on-the-opposite-bank-with-her-dry-maid-her-dry-escort/) [Dorothy Dunnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-dunnett/) > [“It wasna a man,’ said Andrew Kerr broadly. ‘T’was my aunty. I tellt ye. 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I don't like the cold-blooded scheming at the beginning and the carnage at the end and the grumbling and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-dunnett/i-don-t-like-this-war-i-don-t-like-the-cold-blooded-scheming-at-the/) [Dorothy Dunnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-dunnett/) > [“It is not easy for Brehons to decide concerning bees that have taken up their lodging in the trees of a noble dignitary; with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-dunnett/it-is-not-easy-for-brehons-to-decide-concerning-bees-that-have-taken/) [Dorothy Dunnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-dunnett/) > [“Go away and bleed to death,’ said his onetime saviour sharply. ‘On behalf of the female sex I feel I may cheer every lesion.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-dunnett/go-away-and-bleed-to-death-said-his-onetime-saviour-sharply-on-behalf/) [Dorothy Dunnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-dunnett/) > [“What do you hope for that you haven’t got? What can that child give you?’ There was a little silence. ‘A virgin audience for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-dunnett/what-do-you-hope-for-that-you-haven-t-got-what-can-that-child-give/) [Dorothy Dunnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-dunnett/) > [Did I ever tell you,’ said Lymond pausing on the afterthought, on his way to the flap, ‘that that aunt of mine once hatched…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-dunnett/did-i-ever-tell-you-said-lymond-pausing-on-the-afterthought-on-his/) [Dorothy Dunnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-dunnett/) > [“Which reminds me -' 'The new ladies have arrived,' said Adam grimly. 'Guaranteed of clean stock, and inured to Russian practices. Osep has announced…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-dunnett/which-reminds-me-the-new-ladies-have-arrived-said-adam-grimly/) [Dorothy Dunnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-dunnett/) > [“So: ‘Why did you laugh?’ demanded Philippa, and shook Jerott’s hand off her arm. ‘Oh, that?’ said Lymond. ‘But, my dear child, the picture…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-dunnett/so-why-did-you-laugh-demanded-philippa-and-shook-jerott-s-hand-off/) [Dorothy Dunnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-dunnett/) > [It seems to me,’ said Philippa prosaically, ‘that on the whole we run more risks with Mr Crawford’s protection than without it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-dunnett/it-seems-to-me-said-philippa-prosaically-that-on-the-whole-we-run/) [Dorothy Dunnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-dunnett/) > [“Gabriel,’ said Jerott firmly, ‘is now at Birgu, Malta, engaged in a life-and-death struggle for the Grand Mastership of the Order of St John.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-dunnett/gabriel-said-jerott-firmly-is-now-at-birgu-malta-engaged-in-a-life/) [Dorothy Dunnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-dunnett/) > [“It was a French Christmas; a debonair Christmas full of frolic and folly; a spry, Gallic unctuous Christmas. Henry of France, at last roused…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-dunnett/it-was-a-french-christmas-a-debonair-christmas-full-of-frolic-and/) [Dorothy Dunnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-dunnett/) [Explore all 201 Dorothy Dunnett quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-dunnett/) ## More Can do quotes > [Changes before your eyes, things you can do and things you can't. My attitude is always let it keep rolling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terrence-malick/changes-before-your-eyes-things-you-can-do-and-things-you-can-t-my/) [Terrence Malick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terrence-malick/) > [The happy medium is television. And if you find a good suitor, you can do it for years. 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That's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shauna-niequist/what-i-can-do-is-offer-myself-wholehearted-and-present-to-walk-with/) [Shauna Niequist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shauna-niequist/) > [Whether that's speaking up in your job or asking for a promotion or saying, 'I think I can do that.' Using your voice in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-shriver/whether-that-s-speaking-up-in-your-job-or-asking-for-a-promotion-or/) [Maria Shriver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-shriver/) > [The average ordinary citizen can do a lot of different things when it comes to the climate crisis.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-bender/the-average-ordinary-citizen-can-do-a-lot-of-different-things-when-it/) [Lawrence Bender](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-bender/) > [A professional is a man who can do his job when he doesn't feel like it. 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