--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Talent is full of thoughts, Genius is…" description: "\"Talent is full of thoughts, Genius is thought. Talent is a cistern, Genius a fountain.\" — Edwin Percy Whipple" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/63e/edwin-percy-whipple-8845_fountain_talent-is-full-of-thoughts-genius-is-tho_1613997.jpg" --- # Talent is full of thoughts, Genius is thought. Talent is a… ![“Talent is full of thoughts, Genius is thought. Talent is a cistern, Genius a fountain.” quote by Edwin Percy Whipple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/63e/edwin-percy-whipple-8845_fountain_talent-is-full-of-thoughts-genius-is-tho_1613997.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/63e/edwin-percy-whipple-8845_fountain_talent-is-full-of-thoughts-genius-is-tho_1613997.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/63e/edwin-percy-whipple-8845_fountain_talent-is-full-of-thoughts-genius-is-tho_1613997.jpg) > “Talent is full of thoughts, Genius is thought. Talent is a cistern, Genius a fountain.” [Edwin Percy Whipple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-percy-whipple/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Talent stores ideas like a container, while genius constantly generates new ideas, likening talent to a cistern and genius to a fountain. **In simple terms:** Talent holds ideas; genius creates them. Key Takeaway Cultivate both talent and creative flow. Themes talent genius creativity ideas Mood inspirational thoughtful Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - career development - educational mentorship - artistic practice Key Concepts philosophy of art personal development creative process Questions to Reflect On - How can you nurture genius within yourself? - What practices turn talent into creative output? A Different Perspective Focusing solely on talent may limit innovation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Fountain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fountain/) [Genius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/genius/) [Genius Thought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/genius-thought-376323/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Philosophy of Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophy-of-mind/) [Talent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/talent/) [Talent Cistern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/talent-cistern-6156130/) [Talent Thoughts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/talent-thoughts-6156131/) [Thought Talent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thought-talent-2120957/) ## Related quotes > [There was never a genius who was not thought a fool until he disclosed himself; whereas he is a fool then only.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/there-was-never-a-genius-who-was-not-thought-a-fool-until-he/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [“I always thought talent was everything, but maybe it was always money. Or even class. Or if not class exactly, connections.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meg-wolitzer/i-always-thought-talent-was-everything-but-maybe-it-was-always-money/) [Meg Wolitzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meg-wolitzer/) > [I've always known I was a genius. But I never thought I was a star.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/syd/i-ve-always-known-i-was-a-genius-but-i-never-thought-i-was-a-star/) [Syd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/syd/) > [I thought I saw him for what he was-or what I thought he was. And he was talented, no doubt about that. But, he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fay-wray/i-thought-i-saw-him-for-what-he-was-or-what-i-thought-he-was-and-he/) [Fay Wray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fay-wray/) > [The word-coining genius, as if thought plunged into a sea of words and came up dripping.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/the-word-coining-genius-as-if-thought-plunged-into-a-sea-of-words-and/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [I thought I had a talent for alienating people, but I have no idea what it is that doesn't go over.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nellie-mckay/i-thought-i-had-a-talent-for-alienating-people-but-i-have-no-idea/) [Nellie McKay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nellie-mckay/) > [“The Maker was a genius, he thought. Infinity resulted in insolence. But transience was the way one treasured what one had been given.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-ward/the-maker-was-a-genius-he-thought-infinity-resulted-in-insolence-but/) [J.R. Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-ward/) > [The manuals we got from IBM would show examples of programs and I knew I could do a heck of a lot better than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-knuth/the-manuals-we-got-from-ibm-would-show-examples-of-programs-and-i/) [Donald Knuth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-knuth/) > [“Who's the genius who thought replacing Dick Clark with Ryan Seacrest was a good idea?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-r-a-decandido/who-s-the-genius-who-thought-replacing-dick-clark-with-ryan-seacrest/) [Keith R.A. DeCandido](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-r-a-decandido/) > [“I had not until then fully realized that I was odd, that there was anything strange about growing up with a single-parent genius. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spider-robinson/i-had-not-until-then-fully-realized-that-i-was-odd-that-there-was/) [Spider Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spider-robinson/) > [I thought my talent would transcend my outspokenness. I was wrong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mickey-rourke/i-thought-my-talent-would-transcend-my-outspokenness-i-was-wrong/) [Mickey Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mickey-rourke/) > [The worst thing in this business is to be thought of as a no-talent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-stiller/the-worst-thing-in-this-business-is-to-be-thought-of-as-a-no-talent/) [Jerry Stiller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-stiller/) > [The foundation of the Christian's peace is everlasting; it is what no time, no change can destroy. It will remain when the body dies;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-edwards/the-foundation-of-the-christian-s-peace-is-everlasting-it-is-what-no/) [Jonathan Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-edwards/) > [May God bless each of us in our calls to serve. May our faith strengthen as we serve in righteousness, faithfully keeping the commandments.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-tom-perry/may-god-bless-each-of-us-in-our-calls-to-serve-may-our-faith/) [L. Tom Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-tom-perry/) > [ When the fountains of government \[borrowing\] abundance began to dry up, when through lack of funds and the impossibility of negotiating fresh loans the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-t-flynn/when-the-fountains-of-government-borrowing-abundance-began-to-dry-up/) [John T. Flynn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-t-flynn/) ## More by Edwin Percy Whipple > [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/) > [The minister's brain is often the "poor-box" of the church.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-percy-whipple/the-minister-s-brain-is-often-the-poor-box-of-the-church/) [Edwin Percy Whipple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-percy-whipple/) > [A true teacher should penetrate to whatever is vital in his pupil, and develop that by the light and heat of his own intelligence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-percy-whipple/a-true-teacher-should-penetrate-to-whatever-is-vital-in-his-pupil-and/) [Edwin Percy Whipple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-percy-whipple/) > [Felicity, not fluency of language, is a merit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-percy-whipple/felicity-not-fluency-of-language-is-a-merit/) [Edwin Percy Whipple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-percy-whipple/) > [A politician weakly and amiably in the right is no match for a politician tenaciously and pugnaciously in the wrong. You cannot, by tying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-percy-whipple/a-politician-weakly-and-amiably-in-the-right-is-no-match-for-a/) [Edwin Percy Whipple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-percy-whipple/) > [A thought embodied and embrained in fit words walks the earth a living being.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-percy-whipple/a-thought-embodied-and-embrained-in-fit-words-walks-the-earth-a/) [Edwin Percy Whipple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-percy-whipple/) > [Nature and society are so replete with startling contrasts that wit often consists in the mere statement and comparison of facts, as when Hume…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-percy-whipple/nature-and-society-are-so-replete-with-startling-contrasts-that-wit/) [Edwin Percy Whipple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-percy-whipple/) > [The bitterest satires and noblest eulogies on married life have come from poets.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-percy-whipple/the-bitterest-satires-and-noblest-eulogies-on-married-life-have-come/) [Edwin Percy Whipple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-percy-whipple/) > [Genius is not a single power, but a combination of great powers. It reasons, but it is not reasoning; it judges, but it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-percy-whipple/genius-is-not-a-single-power-but-a-combination-of-great-powers-it/) [Edwin Percy Whipple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-percy-whipple/) > [Nature does not capriciously scatter her secrets as golden gifts to lazy pets and luxurious darlings, but imposes tasks when she presents opportunities, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-percy-whipple/nature-does-not-capriciously-scatter-her-secrets-as-golden-gifts-to/) [Edwin Percy Whipple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-percy-whipple/) > [Even in social life, it is persistency which attracts confidence, more than talents and accomplishments.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-percy-whipple/even-in-social-life-it-is-persistency-which-attracts-confidence-more/) [Edwin Percy Whipple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-percy-whipple/) > [A nation may be in a tumult to-day for a thought which the timid Erasmus placidly penned in his study more than two centuries…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-percy-whipple/a-nation-may-be-in-a-tumult-to-day-for-a-thought-which-the-timid/) [Edwin Percy Whipple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-percy-whipple/) > [God is glorified, not by our groans, but by our thanksgivings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-percy-whipple/god-is-glorified-not-by-our-groans-but-by-our-thanksgivings/) [Edwin Percy Whipple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-percy-whipple/) > [As men neither fear nor respect what has been made contemptible, all honor to him who makes oppression laughable as well as detestable. Armies…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-percy-whipple/as-men-neither-fear-nor-respect-what-has-been-made-contemptible-all/) [Edwin Percy Whipple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-percy-whipple/) > [What a man does with his wealth depends upon his idea of happiness. Those who draw prizes in life are apt to spend tastelessly,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-percy-whipple/what-a-man-does-with-his-wealth-depends-upon-his-idea-of-happiness/) [Edwin Percy Whipple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-percy-whipple/) [Explore all 77 Edwin Percy Whipple quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-percy-whipple/) ## More Fountain quotes > [ When the fountains of government \[borrowing\] abundance began to dry up, when through lack of funds and the impossibility of negotiating fresh loans the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-t-flynn/when-the-fountains-of-government-borrowing-abundance-began-to-dry-up/) [John T. Flynn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-t-flynn/) > [May God bless each of us in our calls to serve. May our faith strengthen as we serve in righteousness, faithfully keeping the commandments.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-tom-perry/may-god-bless-each-of-us-in-our-calls-to-serve-may-our-faith/) [L. Tom Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-tom-perry/) > [The foundation of the Christian's peace is everlasting; it is what no time, no change can destroy. It will remain when the body dies;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-edwards/the-foundation-of-the-christian-s-peace-is-everlasting-it-is-what-no/) [Jonathan Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-edwards/) > [...O my heart! Love God as the chatrik loves the rain drops, Who even when fountains are full and the land green, Is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guru-nanak/o-my-heart-love-god-as-the-chatrik-loves-the-rain-drops-who-even-when/) [Guru Nanak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guru-nanak/) > [The thing that awakens the deepest fountain of gratitude in a human being is that God has forgiven his sin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/the-thing-that-awakens-the-deepest-fountain-of-gratitude-in-a-human/) [Oswald Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-chambers/) > [The fountain of youth is like the monkey's paw in the W. W. Jacobs story. It never ends well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-monette/the-fountain-of-youth-is-like-the-monkey-s-paw-in-the-w-w-jacobs/) [Sarah Monette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-monette/) > [It is the property of things seen for the first time, or for the first time after long, like the flowers in spring, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-louis-stevenson/it-is-the-property-of-things-seen-for-the-first-time-or-for-the-first/) [Robert Louis Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-louis-stevenson/) > [Thus parents, by humouring and cockering them when little, corrupt the principles of nature in their children, and wonder afterwards to taste the bitter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-locke/thus-parents-by-humouring-and-cockering-them-when-little-corrupt-the/) [John Locke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-locke/) > [Managing our emotions increases intuition and clarity. It helps us self-regulate our brain chemicals and internal hormones. It gives us natural highs, the real…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doc-childre/managing-our-emotions-increases-intuition-and-clarity-it-helps-us/) [Doc Childre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doc-childre/) > [The Bible is the fountain of truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-franklin-rutherford/the-bible-is-the-fountain-of-truth/) [Joseph Franklin Rutherford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-franklin-rutherford/) > [Men cannot labor on always. They must have intervals of relaxation. They cannot sleep through these intervals. What are they to do? Why, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orville-dewey/men-cannot-labor-on-always-they-must-have-intervals-of-relaxation/) [Orville Dewey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orville-dewey/) > [The media, of course, loves to make claims about the fountain of youth. Don't believe it. No one has it. But we're getting close.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michio-kaku/the-media-of-course-loves-to-make-claims-about-the-fountain-of-youth/) [Michio Kaku](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michio-kaku/) > [The fountain of my heart dried up within me,-- With nought that loved me, and with nought to love, I stood upon the desert…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-robert-maturin/the-fountain-of-my-heart-dried-up-within-me-with-nought-that-loved-me/) [Charles Robert Maturin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-robert-maturin/) > [They were dancing around the fountain, arm in arm, in an old Dutch dance, their cheeks touching, their hands entwined. They had no music;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-helprin/they-were-dancing-around-the-fountain-arm-in-arm-in-an-old-dutch/) [Mark Helprin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-helprin/) > [“But is it such a bad thing to live like this for just a little while? Just for a few months of one’s life,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/but-is-it-such-a-bad-thing-to-live-like-this-for-just-a-little-while/) [Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/) [Browse all 585 Fountain quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fountain/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Talent is full of thoughts, Genius is thought. 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