--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I work hard at it [delivery of lyrics]…" description: "\"I work hard at it [delivery of lyrics], just like I worked hard at getting my masters degree. It's not just something I sit down and do. You have to le..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/52c/gil-scott-heron-9568_hard_i-work-hard-at-it-delivery-of-lyrics-jus_345454.jpg" --- # I work hard at it \[delivery of lyrics\], just like I worked… ![“I work hard at it [delivery of lyrics], just like I worked hard at getting my masters degree. It's not just something I sit down and do. You have to learn and keep learning.” quote by Gil Scott-Heron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/52c/gil-scott-heron-9568_hard_i-work-hard-at-it-delivery-of-lyrics-jus_345454.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/52c/gil-scott-heron-9568_hard_i-work-hard-at-it-delivery-of-lyrics-jus_345454.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/52c/gil-scott-heron-9568_hard_i-work-hard-at-it-delivery-of-lyrics-jus_345454.jpg) > “I work hard at it \[delivery of lyrics\], just like I worked hard at getting my masters degree. It's not just something I sit down and do. You have to learn and keep learning.” [Gil Scott-Heron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gil-scott-heron/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Mastery requires continuous effort and learning; success comes from dedication and ongoing skill development. **In simple terms:** Hard work and lifelong learning lead to mastery. Key Takeaway Commit to regular practice and education. Themes discipline learning artistry growth Mood motivational reflective Type artistic educational When to use this quote - songwriting - academic pursuits - professional training - personal projects Key Concepts Skill acquisition career development creativity Questions to Reflect On - What habits keep you motivated long‑term? - How do you measure progress? A Different Perspective Burnout can occur without rest or balance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Keep learning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/keep-learning/) [Masters degree](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/masters-degree/) [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) [Work hard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work-hard/) ## Related quotes > [I was a full time student either at Stony Brook or NYU getting my masters degree. After I graduated with my masters I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-algieri/i-was-a-full-time-student-either-at-stony-brook-or-nyu-getting-my/) [Chris Algieri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-algieri/) > [Once you find what you like, it's like it worked yesterday, it works today, it'll work tomorrow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janelle-monae/once-you-find-what-you-like-it-s-like-it-worked-yesterday-it-works/) [Janelle Monae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janelle-monae/) > [Getting a Masters in Public Administration was nothing unusual for me. I have always been a person to hold on to my other interests…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/padmapriya-janakiraman/getting-a-masters-in-public-administration-was-nothing-unusual-for-me/) [Padmapriya Janakiraman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/padmapriya-janakiraman/) > [Yes, I have done a few things like always, worked immensely hard, always respected people, admired good work, and never let success blow my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guru-randhawa/yes-i-have-done-a-few-things-like-always-worked-immensely-hard-always/) [Guru Randhawa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guru-randhawa/) > [You have to learn and keep learning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gil-scott-heron/you-have-to-learn-and-keep-learning/) [Gil Scott-Heron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gil-scott-heron/) > [I have my Masters degree in international relations, banking job experience with Citibank, and I have also worked in developmental organisations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soha-ali-khan/i-have-my-masters-degree-in-international-relations-banking-job/) [Soha Ali Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soha-ali-khan/) > [“emotional stress in his life.  He was also intelligent.  He’d earned a Masters Degree in education and”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-harmon/emotional-stress-in-his-life-he-was-also-intelligent-he-d-earned-a/) [Brian Harmon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-harmon/) > [As an assistant in the polytechnic department, I was able to finance new studies and got my Physics Masters Degree in 1958 and my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-englert/as-an-assistant-in-the-polytechnic-department-i-was-able-to-finance/) [Francois Englert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-englert/) > [I only bang chicks with a masters degree or higher. Why you ask? Cause I'm fucking genius.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikhil-saluja/i-only-bang-chicks-with-a-masters-degree-or-higher-why-you-ask-cause/) [Nikhil Saluja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikhil-saluja/) > [“The chance that you will become a master in something after the first attempt is neither here nor there. You don't get master's degree…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/the-chance-that-you-will-become-a-master-in-something-after-the-first/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [In Sweden for example people with PhDs have lower mortality than those with a masters degree. And people with a masters degree or a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-marmot/in-sweden-for-example-people-with-phds-have-lower-mortality-than/) [Michael Marmot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-marmot/) > [I've been getting pretty focused about that recently, and even considered doing a masters degree to polish up the craft. I've been pretty lucky…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-knopfler/i-ve-been-getting-pretty-focused-about-that-recently-and-even/) [David Knopfler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-knopfler/) > [“You can have a Masters degree in making money, but you will still wind up broke if you have a PhD in spending it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orrin-woodward/you-can-have-a-masters-degree-in-making-money-but-you-will-still-wind/) [Orrin Woodward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orrin-woodward/) > [The majority of my background is multi-camera format, which is very broad and a very arch perception of reality. Whereas single camera tends to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-leblanc/the-majority-of-my-background-is-multi-camera-format-which-is-very/) [Matt LeBlanc](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-leblanc/) > [“Twenty-nine years old and on her third masters degree because she’s afraid to go out and meet the world. Sad, isn’t it?” Mal sighed.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-ellroy/twenty-nine-years-old-and-on-her-third-masters-degree-because-she-s/) [James Ellroy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-ellroy/) ## More by Gil Scott-Heron > [Oftentimes, the way it seems to be is that our artists in particular point themselves out as spokesmen for a certain constituency in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gil-scott-heron/oftentimes-the-way-it-seems-to-be-is-that-our-artists-in-particular/) [Gil Scott-Heron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gil-scott-heron/) > [I was one of the first three black students to go to an all-white school in Tennessee.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gil-scott-heron/i-was-one-of-the-first-three-black-students-to-go-to-an-all-white/) [Gil Scott-Heron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gil-scott-heron/) > [A good poet feels what his community feels. Like if you stub your toe, the rest of your body hurts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gil-scott-heron/a-good-poet-feels-what-his-community-feels-like-if-you-stub-your-toe/) [Gil Scott-Heron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gil-scott-heron/) > [I find it not just strange but almost ridiculous that people could take a song like the one I was doing and interpret it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gil-scott-heron/i-find-it-not-just-strange-but-almost-ridiculous-that-people-could/) [Gil Scott-Heron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gil-scott-heron/) > [Womenfolk raised me and I was full-grown before I knew I came from a broken home](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gil-scott-heron/womenfolk-raised-me-and-i-was-full-grown-before-i-knew-i-came-from-a/) [Gil Scott-Heron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gil-scott-heron/) > [If you aren't having no fun, die, because you're running a worthless program, far as I'm concerned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gil-scott-heron/if-you-aren-t-having-no-fun-die-because-you-re-running-a-worthless/) [Gil Scott-Heron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gil-scott-heron/) > [I have a novel that I can write. It's about three soldiers from Somalia. Some babies have been disappearing up on 144th Street, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gil-scott-heron/i-have-a-novel-that-i-can-write-it-s-about-three-soldiers-from/) [Gil Scott-Heron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gil-scott-heron/) > [Your life has to consist of more than 'Black people should unite.' You hope they do, but not twenty-four hours a day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gil-scott-heron/your-life-has-to-consist-of-more-than-black-people-should-unite-you/) [Gil Scott-Heron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gil-scott-heron/) > [You should be able to do anything you can afford as an adult.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gil-scott-heron/you-should-be-able-to-do-anything-you-can-afford-as-an-adult/) [Gil Scott-Heron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gil-scott-heron/) > [You know what has made me the happiest I've ever been? Seeing my son and daughter graduate from college. More than wanting them to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gil-scott-heron/you-know-what-has-made-me-the-happiest-i-ve-ever-been-seeing-my-son/) [Gil Scott-Heron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gil-scott-heron/) > [I've always had questions about what it meant to be a protester, to be in the minority. Are the people who are trying to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gil-scott-heron/i-ve-always-had-questions-about-what-it-meant-to-be-a-protester-to-be/) [Gil Scott-Heron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gil-scott-heron/) > [I was a piano player before I was a poet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gil-scott-heron/i-was-a-piano-player-before-i-was-a-poet/) [Gil Scott-Heron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gil-scott-heron/) > [I cannot afford to watch Fox News.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gil-scott-heron/i-cannot-afford-to-watch-fox-news/) [Gil Scott-Heron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gil-scott-heron/) > [I think a whole lot of stuff gets by people - I could name half a dozen groups that do songs that are openly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gil-scott-heron/i-think-a-whole-lot-of-stuff-gets-by-people-i-could-name-half-a-dozen/) [Gil Scott-Heron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gil-scott-heron/) > [I would say if you are familiar with our history and the history of our art and literature that you see a clear cut…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gil-scott-heron/i-would-say-if-you-are-familiar-with-our-history-and-the-history-of/) [Gil Scott-Heron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gil-scott-heron/) [Explore all 71 Gil Scott-Heron quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gil-scott-heron/) ## More Hard quotes > [You'd be surprised how hard it can often be to translate an action into an idea.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-kraus/you-d-be-surprised-how-hard-it-can-often-be-to-translate-an-action/) [Karl Kraus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-kraus/) > [Making the right decision is hard,telling someone your decision is even harder.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhishek-tiwari/making-the-right-decision-is-hard-telling-someone-your-decision-is/) [Abhishek Tiwari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhishek-tiwari/) > [It is hard to admit to someone that you love him..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/misherie/it-is-hard-to-admit-to-someone-that-you-love-him/) [Misherie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/misherie/) > [It's a hard thing to describe. It's just this sense that you got something to say.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonah-lehrer/it-s-a-hard-thing-to-describe-it-s-just-this-sense-that-you-got/) [Jonah Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonah-lehrer/) > [There Was Many Time I Had Wanted To Give Up In Life On So Many Things…But Naw F\*\*\* That...I'm Not Going To Never Give…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/out-spoken/there-was-many-time-i-had-wanted-to-give-up-in-life-on-so-many-things/) Out Spoken > [I think you can get, as a player, stuck in the mindset of trying too hard to prove yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trinity-rodman/i-think-you-can-get-as-a-player-stuck-in-the-mindset-of-trying-too/) [Trinity Rodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trinity-rodman/) > [America is a democracy and has no Hitler, but I am afraid for her future; there are hard times ahead for the American people,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/america-is-a-democracy-and-has-no-hitler-but-i-am-afraid-for-her/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [One of the worst things to come out of the Consumer Protection Board's misleading claims is the impression that government resources are to hard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-lesko/one-of-the-worst-things-to-come-out-of-the-consumer-protection-board/) [Matthew Lesko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-lesko/) > [In our society we have hard nerds and soft nerds. The hard nerds are the ones who used to have the slide rules at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-kay/in-our-society-we-have-hard-nerds-and-soft-nerds-the-hard-nerds-are/) [Alan Kay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-kay/) > [I think the next 50 years are going to present the human race with challenges that so far exceed the limitations of geopolitical boundaries…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zachary-quinto/i-think-the-next-50-years-are-going-to-present-the-human-race-with/) [Zachary Quinto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zachary-quinto/) > [Don't be afraid of hard work. Nothing worthwhile comes easily. Don't let others discourage you or tell you that you can't do it. In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-b-elion/don-t-be-afraid-of-hard-work-nothing-worthwhile-comes-easily-don-t/) [Gertrude B. Elion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-b-elion/) > [High school, going into my junior year, I kind of had the idea I was going to be the starting running back. I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saquon-barkley/high-school-going-into-my-junior-year-i-kind-of-had-the-idea-i-was/) [Saquon Barkley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saquon-barkley/) > [It's very easy to fool yourself that you're working, you know, when you're really not working very hard. I mean, I'm very lazy. 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