--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: if you take passionate interest in a…" description: "\"if you take passionate interest in a subject, it is hard not to believe yourself specially equipped for it.\" — Ethel Smyth" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c5/ethel-smyth-28096_believe_if-you-take-passionate-interest-in-a-sub_38164.jpg" --- # if you take passionate interest in a subject, it is hard… ![“if you take passionate interest in a subject, it is hard not to believe yourself specially equipped for it.” quote by Ethel Smyth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c5/ethel-smyth-28096_believe_if-you-take-passionate-interest-in-a-sub_38164.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c5/ethel-smyth-28096_believe_if-you-take-passionate-interest-in-a-sub_38164.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c5/ethel-smyth-28096_believe_if-you-take-passionate-interest-in-a-sub_38164.jpg) > “if you take passionate interest in a subject, it is hard not to believe yourself specially equipped for it.” [Ethel Smyth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethel-smyth/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Passion creates confidence, making you feel uniquely qualified for a field. **In simple terms:** Passion fuels self‑belief. Key Takeaway Passion can be a self‑fulfilling prophecy. Themes confidence motivation identity expertise self‑efficacy Mood inspired optimistic Type motivational reflective When to use this quote - starting a new hobby - choosing a career - pursuing research - joining a community - teaching a class Key Concepts intrinsic motivation self‑concept skill perception Practical Applications - career counseling - personal development workshops Questions to Reflect On - How does passion shape your perception of competence? - Can enthusiasm compensate for lack of experience? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Believe Yourself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe-yourself/) [Interest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interest/) [Passionate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/passionate/) [Talent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/talent/) ## Related quotes > [I don't want to do stories that don't have a heart. I'm just not going to be satisfied with stories where I can't be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-huey/i-don-t-want-to-do-stories-that-don-t-have-a-heart-i-m-just-not-going/) [Aaron Huey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-huey/) > [So I try to re-invent my own eye every time I tackle a new subject. But it's hard, because everybody has style. You can't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-spielberg/so-i-try-to-re-invent-my-own-eye-every-time-i-tackle-a-new-subject/) [Steven Spielberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-spielberg/) > [I don't get nervous talking about my films, but if I'm the subject, it's hard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sydney-pollack/i-don-t-get-nervous-talking-about-my-films-but-if-i-m-the-subject-it/) [Sydney Pollack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sydney-pollack/) > [When people have no interest in a subject, it's very hard to get them to laugh about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-meyer/when-people-have-no-interest-in-a-subject-it-s-very-hard-to-get-them/) [George Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-meyer/) > [“Probably no subject is too hard if people take the trouble to think and write and read clearly.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-knowlton-zinsser/probably-no-subject-is-too-hard-if-people-take-the-trouble-to-think/) [William Knowlton Zinsser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-knowlton-zinsser/) > [You are what you believe yourself to be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/you-are-what-you-believe-yourself-to-be/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [It is rewarding to find someone you like, but it is essential to like yourself. It is quickening to recognize that someone is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jo-coudert/it-is-rewarding-to-find-someone-you-like-but-it-is-essential-to-like/) [Jo Coudert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jo-coudert/) > [And identity is funny being yourself is funny as you are never yourself to yourself except as you remember yourself and then of course…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-stein/and-identity-is-funny-being-yourself-is-funny-as-you-are-never/) [Gertrude Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-stein/) > [What you believe yourself to be, you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-m-bristol/what-you-believe-yourself-to-be-you-are/) [Claude M. Bristol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-m-bristol/) > [You are as beautiful as you believe yourself to be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zara-mcdermott/you-are-as-beautiful-as-you-believe-yourself-to-be/) [Zara McDermott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zara-mcdermott/) > [“Remember that I have power; you believe yourself miserable, but I can make you so wretched that the light of day will be hateful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-shelley/remember-that-i-have-power-you-believe-yourself-miserable-but-i-can/) [Mary Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-shelley/) > [“the fourth obstacle: the fear of realizing the dream for which we fought all our lives. Oscar Wilde said: “Each man kills the thing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/the-fourth-obstacle-the-fear-of-realizing-the-dream-for-which-we/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [“Six Ways to Turn Desires into Gold. The method by which desire for riches can be transmuted into its financial equivalent, consists of six…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/six-ways-to-turn-desires-into-gold-the-method-by-which-desire-for/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [“PERSUASION TIP 9 Display confidence (either real or faked) to improve your persuasiveness. You have to believe yourself, or at least appear as if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-adams/persuasion-tip-9-display-confidence-either-real-or-faked-to-improve/) [Scott Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-adams/) > [“So long as you believe yourself to be 'only human' you have accepted life in a prison cell whose door remains locked only by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-nordby/so-long-as-you-believe-yourself-to-be-only-human-you-have-accepted/) [Jacob Nordby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-nordby/) ## More by Ethel Smyth > [No doubt other writers have often put a thing more brilliantly, more subtly than even a very cunning artist in words can hope to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethel-smyth/no-doubt-other-writers-have-often-put-a-thing-more-brilliantly-more/) [Ethel Smyth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethel-smyth/) > [If some people are right, artists are put into this world not to practice their art, but to talk about it. And judging by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethel-smyth/if-some-people-are-right-artists-are-put-into-this-world-not-to/) [Ethel Smyth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethel-smyth/) > [The habit some writers indulge in of perpetual quotation is one it behooves lovers of good literature to protest against, for it is an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethel-smyth/the-habit-some-writers-indulge-in-of-perpetual-quotation-is-one-it/) [Ethel Smyth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethel-smyth/) > [Because I have conducted my own operas and love sheep-dogs; because I generally dress in tweeds, and sometimes, at winter afternoon concerts, have even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethel-smyth/because-i-have-conducted-my-own-operas-and-love-sheep-dogs-because-i/) [Ethel Smyth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethel-smyth/) > [If a young dog strays up the aisle during church no one says anything, no one does anything, but, none the less, he soon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethel-smyth/if-a-young-dog-strays-up-the-aisle-during-church-no-one-says-anything/) [Ethel Smyth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethel-smyth/) > [I have often noticed that when Fate has a phenomenal run of ill luck in store for you, she begins by dropping a rare…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethel-smyth/i-have-often-noticed-that-when-fate-has-a-phenomenal-run-of-ill-luck/) [Ethel Smyth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethel-smyth/) > [I loved dancing with a delirious 'I wish I could die' passion, especially when the music appealed to me ... but alas! only one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethel-smyth/i-loved-dancing-with-a-delirious-i-wish-i-could-die-passion/) [Ethel Smyth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethel-smyth/) > [I can imagine nothing more tiresome than always to speak of people as if they were listening at the door.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethel-smyth/i-can-imagine-nothing-more-tiresome-than-always-to-speak-of-people-as/) [Ethel Smyth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethel-smyth/) > [night after night I went to sleep murmuring, 'To-morrow I will be easy, strong, quick, supple, accurate, dashing and self-controlled all at once!' For…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethel-smyth/night-after-night-i-went-to-sleep-murmuring-to-morrow-i-will-be-easy/) [Ethel Smyth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethel-smyth/) > [no one is more trustworthy than the repentant sinner who has been found out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethel-smyth/no-one-is-more-trustworthy-than-the-repentant-sinner-who-has-been/) [Ethel Smyth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethel-smyth/) > [the majority of critical, and plenty of uncritical, readers find quotations a bore.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethel-smyth/the-majority-of-critical-and-plenty-of-uncritical-readers-find/) [Ethel Smyth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethel-smyth/) > [when I came to know Greek art I instantly understood that excess and perfection are enemies; yet on the other hand this world and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethel-smyth/when-i-came-to-know-greek-art-i-instantly-understood-that-excess-and/) [Ethel Smyth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethel-smyth/) > [The charms of seclusion are seldom combined with the conveniences of civilization.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethel-smyth/the-charms-of-seclusion-are-seldom-combined-with-the-conveniences-of/) [Ethel Smyth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethel-smyth/) > [crawling about the floor like half-dead November flies is one thing, and dancing reels another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethel-smyth/crawling-about-the-floor-like-half-dead-november-flies-is-one-thing/) [Ethel Smyth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethel-smyth/) > [ \[On golf:\] ... though aware I could never be more than a humble potterer, it was impossible to repress the wild upsurgings of hope… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethel-smyth/on-golf-though-aware-i-could-never-be-more-than-a-humble-potterer-it/) [Ethel Smyth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethel-smyth/) [Explore all 19 Ethel Smyth quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethel-smyth/) ## More Believe quotes > [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. You have to be hyper, hyper aware of what's going on around you. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-moore/i-actually-think-acting-is-a-form-of-self-hypnosis-you-have-to-be/) [Julianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-moore/) > [Some people still believe you should just fall in line with what's going on - and that's scary. It makes a mockery of freedom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-robison/some-people-still-believe-you-should-just-fall-in-line-with-what-s/) [Emily Robison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-robison/) > [The truth seems to be that propaganda on its own cannot force its way into unwilling minds; neither can it inculcate something wholly new;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/the-truth-seems-to-be-that-propaganda-on-its-own-cannot-force-its-way/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [Resist discouragement by speaking His Word over your future. Keep standing. Keep hoping; keep believing because He is working behind the scenes. He's going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/resist-discouragement-by-speaking-his-word-over-your-future-keep/) [Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/) > [I can't believe that I'm sitting in meetings with Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, and Annette Bening. I want to take on that responsibility to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-can-t-believe-that-i-m-sitting-in-meetings-with-steven-spielberg/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [There is no such word as item girl in the dictionary. People have created this word and I don't believe that I am an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shefali-zariwala/there-is-no-such-word-as-item-girl-in-the-dictionary-people-have/) [Shefali Zariwala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shefali-zariwala/) > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [I don't really like too much credit. I know nobody's going to believe this, but I'd rather be able to score goals and nobody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradley-wright-phillips/i-don-t-really-like-too-much-credit-i-know-nobody-s-going-to-believe/) [Bradley Wright-Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradley-wright-phillips/) > [“What I have a problem with is not so much religion or god, but faith. When you say you believe something in your heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/what-i-have-a-problem-with-is-not-so-much-religion-or-god-but-faith/) [Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) > [Bush reiterated his stand to conservatives opposing his decision on stem cell research. He said today he believes life begins at conception and ends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/bush-reiterated-his-stand-to-conservatives-opposing-his-decision-on/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [Never underestimate the power of the human mind to believe what it wants to believe, no matter the conflicting evidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-herbert/never-underestimate-the-power-of-the-human-mind-to-believe-what-it/) [Brian Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-herbert/) > [To believe in love, to be ready to give up anything for it, to be willing to risk your life for it, is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/to-believe-in-love-to-be-ready-to-give-up-anything-for-it-to-be/) [Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/) > [That's why I don't generally talk about endorsements because I don't believe we have to tell people who to vote for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-iii/that-s-why-i-don-t-generally-talk-about-endorsements-because-i-don-t/) [Martin Luther King III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-iii/) > [Mankind have been slow to believe that order reigns in the universe-that the world is a cosmos and a chaos.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-garfield/mankind-have-been-slow-to-believe-that-order-reigns-in-the-universe/) [James A. Garfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-garfield/) > [We instantly believe everything we think. Isn't that insane? It's good for us to explore the depravity of our minds, so we know we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krishna-das/we-instantly-believe-everything-we-think-isn-t-that-insane-it-s-good/) [Krishna Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krishna-das/) Browse all 47,704 Believe quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "if you take passionate interest in a subject, it is hard not to believe yourself specially equipped for it.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ethel Smyth" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethel-smyth/if-you-take-passionate-interest-in-a-subject-it-is-hard-not-to/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Believe" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethel-smyth/if-you-take-passionate-interest-in-a-subject-it-is-hard-not-to/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c5/ethel-smyth-28096_believe_if-you-take-passionate-interest-in-a-sub_38164.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c5/ethel-smyth-28096_believe_if-you-take-passionate-interest-in-a-sub_38164.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c5/ethel-smyth-28096_believe_if-you-take-passionate-interest-in-a-sub_38164.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“if you take passionate interest in a subject, it is hard not to believe yourself specially equipped for it.” — Ethel Smyth", "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": "Ethel Smyth", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethel-smyth/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "if you take passionate interest in...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethel-smyth/if-you-take-passionate-interest-in-a-subject-it-is-hard-not-to/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethel-smyth/if-you-take-passionate-interest-in-a-subject-it-is-hard-not-to/#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 } } ] } ```