--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: [...] allowing only ordinary ability and…" description: "\"[...] allowing only ordinary ability and opportunity, we may explain success mainly by one word and that word is WORK! WORK!! WORK!!! WORK!!!! Not tran..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/56b/frederick-douglass-859_ability_allowing-only-ordinary-ability-and-oppor_1706719.png" --- # \[...\] allowing only ordinary ability and opportunity, we… ![“[...] allowing only ordinary ability and opportunity, we may explain success mainly by one word and that word is WORK! WORK!! WORK!!! WORK!!!! Not transient and fitful effort, but patient, enduring, honest, unremitting and indefatigable work into which the whole heart is put[...] There is no royal…” quote by Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/56b/frederick-douglass-859_ability_allowing-only-ordinary-ability-and-oppor_1706719.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/56b/frederick-douglass-859_ability_allowing-only-ordinary-ability-and-oppor_1706719.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/56b/frederick-douglass-859_ability_allowing-only-ordinary-ability-and-oppor_1706719.png) > “\[...\] allowing only ordinary ability and opportunity, we may explain success mainly by one word and that word is WORK! WORK!! WORK!!! WORK!!!! Not transient and fitful effort, but patient, enduring, honest, unremitting and indefatigable work into which the whole heart is put\[...\] There is no royal road to perfection.” [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He argues that true success stems from relentless, honest work, not shortcuts, emphasizing perseverance and integrity. **In simple terms:** Success comes from hard, honest work. Key Takeaway Prioritize diligent, patient effort. Themes work ethic perseverance self‑reliance success Mood inspirational reflective Type motivational philosophical When to use this quote - career advancement - entrepreneurship - education - personal development Key Concepts industriousness integrity self‑discipline Questions to Reflect On - What obstacles can hard work not surmount? - How can society support diligent individuals? A Different Perspective Hard work alone may not overcome systemic barriers. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/) [Effort](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/effort/) [Endure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/endure/) [Excellence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/excellence/) [Explain Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/explain-success-1045678/) [Heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heart/) [Honest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/honest/) [Indefatigable Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/indefatigable-work-1204844/) [May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/may/) [Opportunity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opportunity/) [Ordinary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ordinary/) [Ordinary Ability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ordinary-ability-1204845/) [Patient](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/patient/) [Perfection](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/perfection/) [Royal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/royal/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/) [Success Mainly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success-mainly-1204843/) ## Related quotes > [We may explain success mainly by one word and that word is WORK! WORK!! WORK!!! WORK!!!!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/we-may-explain-success-mainly-by-one-word-and-that-word-is-work-work/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [Each of us is ordinary with the ability to live an extraordinary life. Live your life with passion, leaving no stone unturned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/each-of-us-is-ordinary-with-the-ability-to-live-an-extraordinary-life/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If I could give you information of my life, it would be to show how a woman of very ordinary ability has been led…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/florence-nightingale/if-i-could-give-you-information-of-my-life-it-would-be-to-show-how-a/) [Florence Nightingale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/florence-nightingale/) > [Our success was mainly due to the fact that we stimulated the nerves of animals that easily stood on their own feet and were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ivan-pavlov/our-success-was-mainly-due-to-the-fact-that-we-stimulated-the-nerves/) [Ivan Pavlov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ivan-pavlov/) > [“Success is mainly the result of hard work.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eraldo-banovac/success-is-mainly-the-result-of-hard-work/) [Eraldo Banovac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eraldo-banovac/) > [The vocabulary of my cynical world doesn't allow me to explain the success of 'Lean In.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nell-scovell/the-vocabulary-of-my-cynical-world-doesn-t-allow-me-to-explain-the/) [Nell Scovell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nell-scovell/) > [If you ask me can you explain the success of Facebook or Twitter, its very simple. People want to have the right to speak,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmanuel-petit/if-you-ask-me-can-you-explain-the-success-of-facebook-or-twitter-its/) [Emmanuel Petit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmanuel-petit/) > [We must believe in luck. For how else can we explain the success of those we don't like?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-cocteau/we-must-believe-in-luck-for-how-else-can-we-explain-the-success-of/) [Jean Cocteau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-cocteau/) > [Whenever I meet someone, the topic of conversation always winds around to the question: 'how do you explain your success?' Well, I have no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soupy-sales/whenever-i-meet-someone-the-topic-of-conversation-always-winds-around/) [Soupy Sales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soupy-sales/) > [I believe in luck: how else can you explain the success of those you dislike?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-cocteau/i-believe-in-luck-how-else-can-you-explain-the-success-of-those-you/) [Jean Cocteau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-cocteau/) > [Two factors explain our success. One, MIT's renaissance after World War II as a federally supported research resource. Two, the mathematical revolution in macro-…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-samuelson/two-factors-explain-our-success-one-mit-s-renaissance-after-world-war/) [Paul Samuelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-samuelson/) > [You can't explain success in retrospect. The moment you leap into the void, that moment is impossible to negate, after success.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guillermo-del-toro/you-can-t-explain-success-in-retrospect-the-moment-you-leap-into-the/) [Guillermo del Toro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guillermo-del-toro/) > [I believe in luck: how else can you explain the success of those you don't like?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-cocteau/i-believe-in-luck-how-else-can-you-explain-the-success-of-those-you-2/) [Jean Cocteau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-cocteau/) > [My dad used to love Steely Dan, the Stones, Jethro Tull and all that. There was always Steely Dan going in my dad's car,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-vincent/my-dad-used-to-love-steely-dan-the-stones-jethro-tull-and-all-that/) [St. Vincent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-vincent/) > [The Kennedys have always represented a certain royal quality, Camelot, and they represent a great deal of integrity and strength and perseverance; faith in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-slater/the-kennedys-have-always-represented-a-certain-royal-quality-camelot/) [Christian Slater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-slater/) ## More by Frederick Douglass > [“A treacherous President stood in the way; and it can be easily seen how reluctant good men might be to admit an apostasy which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/a-treacherous-president-stood-in-the-way-and-it-can-be-easily-seen/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [I have observed this in my experience of slavery, - that whenever my condition was improved, instead of its increasing my contentment, it only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/i-have-observed-this-in-my-experience-of-slavery-that-whenever-my/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [“But I should be false in the earliest sentiments of my soul, if I suppressed the opinion. I prefer to be true to myself,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/but-i-should-be-false-in-the-earliest-sentiments-of-my-soul-if-i/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [A man who will enslave his own blood, may not be safely relied on for magnamity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/a-man-who-will-enslave-his-own-blood-may-not-be-safely-relied-on-for/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [“I assert most unhesitatingly, that the religion of the south is a mere covering for the most horrid crimes, - a justifier of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/i-assert-most-unhesitatingly-that-the-religion-of-the-south-is-a-mere/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [I assert most unhesitatingly, that the religion of the South is a mere covering for the most horrid crimes—a justifier of the most appalling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/i-assert-most-unhesitatingly-that-the-religion-of-the-south-is-a-mere-2/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [The limits of tyrants are prescribed by the endurance of those whom they oppose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/the-limits-of-tyrants-are-prescribed-by-the-endurance-of-those-whom/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [Power concedes nothing without a demand. It never did and it never will.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/power-concedes-nothing-without-a-demand-it-never-did-and-it-never-will/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [“We have all met a class of men, very remarkable for their activity, and who yet make but little headway in life; men who,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/we-have-all-met-a-class-of-men-very-remarkable-for-their-activity-and/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [“The fatal poison of irresponsible power was already in her hands, and soon commenced its infernal work. That cheerful eye, under the influence of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/the-fatal-poison-of-irresponsible-power-was-already-in-her-hands-and/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [A battle lost or won is easily described, understood, and appreciated, but the moral growth of a great nation requires reflection, as well as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/a-battle-lost-or-won-is-easily-described-understood-and-appreciated/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [Knowledge makes a man unfit to be a slave.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/knowledge-makes-a-man-unfit-to-be-a-slave/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [I was broken in body, soul, and spirit. My natural elasticity was crushed, my intellect languished, the disposition to read departed, the cheerful spark…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/i-was-broken-in-body-soul-and-spirit-my-natural-elasticity-was/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [I have observed this in my experience of slavery, that whenever my condition was improved, instead of increasing my contentment; it only increased my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/i-have-observed-this-in-my-experience-of-slavery-that-whenever-my-2/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [At a time like this, scorching irony, not convincing argument, is needed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/at-a-time-like-this-scorching-irony-not-convincing-argument-is-needed/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) [Explore all 348 Frederick Douglass quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) ## More Ability quotes > [I don't think there's a direct correlation between my sexuality and my skiing ability. But I think because I was so concerned about it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gus-kenworthy/i-don-t-think-there-s-a-direct-correlation-between-my-sexuality-and/) [Gus Kenworthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gus-kenworthy/) > [“the importance of ability. The things that make a great job great, I discovered, are rare and valuable. If you want them in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-newport/the-importance-of-ability-the-things-that-make-a-great-job-great-i/) [Cal Newport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-newport/) > [Ambition drives you on, ability certainly helps, but the fickle finger of fate and luck are great things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fergus-henderson/ambition-drives-you-on-ability-certainly-helps-but-the-fickle-finger/) [Fergus Henderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fergus-henderson/) > [The ability of the gospel to unite us on common strengths and common truths is one of the great miracles . . . of the gospel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-r-holland/the-ability-of-the-gospel-to-unite-us-on-common-strengths-and-common/) [Jeffrey R. Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-r-holland/) > [Maybe law enforcement would like the ability to turn on the camera on your Mac.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-cook/maybe-law-enforcement-would-like-the-ability-to-turn-on-the-camera-on/) [Tim Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-cook/) > [I've seen guys come along with more ability - they've been faster or bigger or stronger - but they never worked hard to develop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-largent/i-ve-seen-guys-come-along-with-more-ability-they-ve-been-faster-or/) [Steve Largent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-largent/) > [The youth of India has the strength to move the entire World with a click of a mouse, we have generated that ability!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/narendra-modi/the-youth-of-india-has-the-strength-to-move-the-entire-world-with-a/) [Narendra Modi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/narendra-modi/) > [Time hath not yet so dried this blood of mine, Nor age so eat up my invention, Nor fortune made such havoc of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/time-hath-not-yet-so-dried-this-blood-of-mine-nor-age-so-eat-up-my/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [An absolutely necessary part of a writer's equipment, almost as necessary as talent, is the ability to stand up under punishment, both the punishment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irwin-shaw/an-absolutely-necessary-part-of-a-writer-s-equipment-almost-as/) [Irwin Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irwin-shaw/) > [I'd be more frightened by not using whatever abilities I'd been given. I'd be more frightened by procrastination and laziness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denzel-washington/i-d-be-more-frightened-by-not-using-whatever-abilities-i-d-been-given/) [Denzel Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denzel-washington/) > [Bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. Take what I cannot give: my heart, body, thoughts, time, abilities, money, health, strength,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-prentiss/bring-into-captivity-every-thought-to-the-obedience-of-christ-take/) [Elizabeth Prentiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-prentiss/) > [You can only do the work to the very best of your ability.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-baranski/you-can-only-do-the-work-to-the-very-best-of-your-ability/) [Christine Baranski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-baranski/) > [Judge a person not by his ability to make money but by his ability to retain it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/judge-a-person-not-by-his-ability-to-make-money-but-by-his-ability-to/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [Balance is the ability to be happy in the midst of the most chaotic or even boring or transient circumstance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/balance-is-the-ability-to-be-happy-in-the-midst-of-the-most-chaotic/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Bobby had faith in my ability as a singer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-london/bobby-had-faith-in-my-ability-as-a-singer/) [Julie London](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-london/) [Browse all 9,990 Ability quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "[...] allowing only ordinary ability and opportunity, we may explain success mainly by one word and that word is WORK! 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