--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I've always felt that if I worked hard…" description: "\"I've always felt that if I worked hard enough and continued to refine my craft, while staying curious about our times and our world, I just might have ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d95/jerry-pinkney-22586_crafts_i-ve-always-felt-that-if-i-worked-hard-e_996127.jpg" --- # I've always felt that if I worked hard enough and… ![“I've always felt that if I worked hard enough and continued to refine my craft, while staying curious about our times and our world, I just might have something to contribute.” quote by Jerry Pinkney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d95/jerry-pinkney-22586_crafts_i-ve-always-felt-that-if-i-worked-hard-e_996127.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d95/jerry-pinkney-22586_crafts_i-ve-always-felt-that-if-i-worked-hard-e_996127.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d95/jerry-pinkney-22586_crafts_i-ve-always-felt-that-if-i-worked-hard-e_996127.jpg) > “I've always felt that if I worked hard enough and continued to refine my craft, while staying curious about our times and our world, I just might have something to contribute.” [Jerry Pinkney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-pinkney/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Hard work, curiosity, and continual refinement of one's craft can lead to meaningful contributions. **In simple terms:** Practice, stay curious, contribute. Key Takeaway Combine effort, curiosity, and refinement to add value. Themes creativity hard work curiosity Mood inspirational motivational Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - artistic projects - education - community initiatives Key Concepts Skill development lifelong learning cultural relevance Questions to Reflect On - What craft are you refining? - How does curiosity shape your work? A Different Perspective Talent alone may not guarantee impact without opportunity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Craft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/craft/) [Crafts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crafts/) [Our world](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/our-world/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [My parents always felt if I worked hard enough I could make any dream come true.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derek-jeter/my-parents-always-felt-if-i-worked-hard-enough-i-could-make-any-dream/) [Derek Jeter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derek-jeter/) > [I felt that I had worked hard my entire life and deserved to enjoy all the temptations around me. I felt I was entitled,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tiger-woods/i-felt-that-i-had-worked-hard-my-entire-life-and-deserved-to-enjoy/) [Tiger Woods](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tiger-woods/) > [I think a lot of people also have kids to reclaim thу innocence and experience it over again. I think it's about staying curious…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mamie-gummer/i-think-a-lot-of-people-also-have-kids-to-reclaim-th-innocence-and/) [Mamie Gummer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mamie-gummer/) > [Staying curious and open is what makes growth possible, and it requires practice to maintain that mindset. To keep learning, we have to avoid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-berkun/staying-curious-and-open-is-what-makes-growth-possible-and-it/) [Scott Berkun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-berkun/) > [Staying curious keeps me inspired.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gauri-khan/staying-curious-keeps-me-inspired/) [Gauri Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gauri-khan/) > [I worked at what I did, I worked hard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-webster/i-worked-at-what-i-did-i-worked-hard/) [Mike Webster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-webster/) > [I worked hard on making a body of work that takes people on a journey. It was never about making a certain type of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khalid/i-worked-hard-on-making-a-body-of-work-that-takes-people-on-a-journey/) [Khalid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khalid/) > [I knew that if I worked hard, I could have both - I could have a family, because that was important to me, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judy-sheindlin/i-knew-that-if-i-worked-hard-i-could-have-both-i-could-have-a-family/) [Judy Sheindlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judy-sheindlin/) > [I've worked so hard to just be my full self and God has just validated me in so many ways.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kofi-siriboe/i-ve-worked-so-hard-to-just-be-my-full-self-and-god-has-just/) [Kofi Siriboe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kofi-siriboe/) > [I've worked hard my entire life from the age of 14.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenya-moore/i-ve-worked-hard-my-entire-life-from-the-age-of-14/) [Kenya Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenya-moore/) > [Being sore makes me happy cause I know I worked hard and and am getting stronger.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/being-sore-makes-me-happy-cause-i-know-i-worked-hard-and-and-am/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“If you worked hard for it, if you didn't give up, even when you found your way and you thought you had everything, life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristen-ashley/if-you-worked-hard-for-it-if-you-didn-t-give-up-even-when-you-found/) [Kristen Ashley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristen-ashley/) > [“Never would I run away from great difficulties, because once it's over I will have obtained what I worked hard for.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-ford/never-would-i-run-away-from-great-difficulties-because-once-it-s-over/) Christopher Ford > [I worked hard to get in shape for this role. My motivation was the movie and the fans but I don't want to become…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-lautner/i-worked-hard-to-get-in-shape-for-this-role-my-motivation-was-the/) [Taylor Lautner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-lautner/) > [I really want people to know that I've worked hard, very hard, to get to where I am today.. this didn't just happen overnight.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/magic-johnson/i-really-want-people-to-know-that-i-ve-worked-hard-very-hard-to-get/) [Magic Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/magic-johnson/) ## More by Jerry Pinkney > [Receiving both the Coretta Scott King - Virginia Hamilton Award for Lifetime Achievement and the Laura Ingalls Wilder Award suggests I have succeeded, at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-pinkney/receiving-both-the-coretta-scott-king-virginia-hamilton-award-for/) [Jerry Pinkney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-pinkney/) > [“…this story offers far more than a simple moral of how the meek can trump the mighty.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-pinkney/this-story-offers-far-more-than-a-simple-moral-of-how-the-meek-can/) [Jerry Pinkney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-pinkney/) > [Drawing creates its own kind of private space. Coupled with certain interests that I want to speak to in my art, it's really kind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-pinkney/drawing-creates-its-own-kind-of-private-space-coupled-with-certain/) [Jerry Pinkney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-pinkney/) > [If I were to give myself a pat on the back, it would be for sticking with bookmaking as my primary way of expressing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-pinkney/if-i-were-to-give-myself-a-pat-on-the-back-it-would-be-for-sticking/) [Jerry Pinkney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-pinkney/) > [I'm often in conversations with people who have learning disabilities, and they talk about how they were teased and perhaps laughed at sometimes as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-pinkney/i-m-often-in-conversations-with-people-who-have-learning-disabilities/) [Jerry Pinkney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-pinkney/) > [Though the blame cannot be placed entirely on publishers, I do think a more diverse pool of editors would go a long way toward…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-pinkney/though-the-blame-cannot-be-placed-entirely-on-publishers-i-do-think-a/) [Jerry Pinkney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-pinkney/) > [All of us have places that we can go where we feel most complete.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-pinkney/all-of-us-have-places-that-we-can-go-where-we-feel-most-complete/) [Jerry Pinkney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-pinkney/) > [The process of creating art allows me to learn about the subject I'm illustrating. So, if I want to learn more about plantation life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-pinkney/the-process-of-creating-art-allows-me-to-learn-about-the-subject-i-m/) [Jerry Pinkney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-pinkney/) > [Part of what I'm doing with generations is that I try to express in my work pieces of my growing up years that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-pinkney/part-of-what-i-m-doing-with-generations-is-that-i-try-to-express-in/) [Jerry Pinkney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-pinkney/) > [I never demonstrate how art should be made or what the outcome should look like. Instead, give kids the tools and the materials to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-pinkney/i-never-demonstrate-how-art-should-be-made-or-what-the-outcome-should/) [Jerry Pinkney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-pinkney/) > [There's probably more of a struggle to get material and narratives published that really speak to black culture. And that has a lot to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-pinkney/there-s-probably-more-of-a-struggle-to-get-material-and-narratives/) [Jerry Pinkney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-pinkney/) > [I try not to respond with a pep talk, such as, "Everyone has talent, just try, you'll see." I skirt those kinds of answers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-pinkney/i-try-not-to-respond-with-a-pep-talk-such-as-everyone-has-talent-just/) [Jerry Pinkney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-pinkney/) > [I feel the calmest when I'm drawing or when I'm creating images. I love connecting the mind with the hand and producing something -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-pinkney/i-feel-the-calmest-when-i-m-drawing-or-when-i-m-creating-images-i/) [Jerry Pinkney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-pinkney/) > [If you do the best work you can, the reward is ultimately your self-satisfaction - the sense that you have done the best you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-pinkney/if-you-do-the-best-work-you-can-the-reward-is-ultimately-your-self/) [Jerry Pinkney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-pinkney/) > [A sense of community has always been important to me. I understood very early that I could not grow as an artist or as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-pinkney/a-sense-of-community-has-always-been-important-to-me-i-understood/) [Jerry Pinkney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-pinkney/) [Explore all 27 Jerry Pinkney quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-pinkney/) ## More Craft quotes > [As I progressed in the firm, I learnt the craft, and as I learnt my craft, my partners and the firm threw up different…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/punit-renjen/as-i-progressed-in-the-firm-i-learnt-the-craft-and-as-i-learnt-my/) [Punit Renjen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/punit-renjen/) > [Learn your craft. You want to be a doctor or a teacher - it's very important to learn your craft and indulge in it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-horry/learn-your-craft-you-want-to-be-a-doctor-or-a-teacher-it-s-very/) [Robert Horry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-horry/) > [What I didn't know that by sticking to craft we would blow open some doors that I never saw opened before.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-lipton/what-i-didn-t-know-that-by-sticking-to-craft-we-would-blow-open-some/) [James Lipton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-lipton/) > [All the craft skills that I have, I feel like I developed and honed in drama school. It's the most important thing for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-holland/all-the-craft-skills-that-i-have-i-feel-like-i-developed-and-honed-in/) [Andre Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-holland/) > [“There is something deeply satisfying in shaping something with your hands. Proper artificing is like a song made solid. It is an act of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/there-is-something-deeply-satisfying-in-shaping-something-with-your/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [I have a lot of fun working and training and learning and trying to figure out the different aspects of my craft.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jared-cannonier/i-have-a-lot-of-fun-working-and-training-and-learning-and-trying-to/) [Jared Cannonier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jared-cannonier/) > [I probably learned most of my craft from singing to the radio.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-b-schmit/i-probably-learned-most-of-my-craft-from-singing-to-the-radio/) [Timothy B. Schmit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-b-schmit/) > [The key to acting - from what little I know about that wonderful craft - is listening, and interacting with the other person in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-gray/the-key-to-acting-from-what-little-i-know-about-that-wonderful-craft/) [James Gray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-gray/) > [It is by losing himself in the objective, in inquiry, creation, and craft, that a man becomes something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-goodman/it-is-by-losing-himself-in-the-objective-in-inquiry-creation-and/) [Paul Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-goodman/) > [“The instruction here is not for every kind of writer - not for the writer of nurse books or thrillers or porno or the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-gardner/the-instruction-here-is-not-for-every-kind-of-writer-not-for-the/) [John Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-gardner/) > [I take a pretty expansive view of craft, which is to say I don't see craft as just being technique - it's also process;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-van-den-berg/i-take-a-pretty-expansive-view-of-craft-which-is-to-say-i-don-t-see/) [Laura van den Berg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-van-den-berg/) > [“Writing is a craft, being an author is work, and having readers and a following is a gift.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-j-kannengieser/writing-is-a-craft-being-an-author-is-work-and-having-readers-and-a/) [Michael J. Kannengieser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-j-kannengieser/) > [You need to know your craft.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorena-garcia/you-need-to-know-your-craft/) [Lorena Garcia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorena-garcia/) > [I have developed my eye as a cinematographer through the craft of operating. When I am not operating, I am often anxious, uncertain, restless,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-richardson/i-have-developed-my-eye-as-a-cinematographer-through-the-craft-of/) [Robert Richardson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-richardson/) > [Muscle is good, but craft is better](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wace/muscle-is-good-but-craft-is-better/) Wace [Browse all 514 Craft quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/craft/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I've always felt that if I worked hard enough and continued to refine my craft, while staying curious about our times and our world, I just might have something to contribute.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jerry Pinkney" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-pinkney/i-ve-always-felt-that-if-i-worked-hard-enough-and-continued-to-refine/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Craft" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-pinkney/i-ve-always-felt-that-if-i-worked-hard-enough-and-continued-to-refine/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d95/jerry-pinkney-22586_crafts_i-ve-always-felt-that-if-i-worked-hard-e_996127.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d95/jerry-pinkney-22586_crafts_i-ve-always-felt-that-if-i-worked-hard-e_996127.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d95/jerry-pinkney-22586_crafts_i-ve-always-felt-that-if-i-worked-hard-e_996127.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I've always felt that if I worked hard enough and continued to refine my craft, while staying curious about…” — Jerry Pinkney", "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": "Jerry Pinkney", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-pinkney/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I've always felt that if I...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-pinkney/i-ve-always-felt-that-if-i-worked-hard-enough-and-continued-to-refine/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-pinkney/i-ve-always-felt-that-if-i-worked-hard-enough-and-continued-to-refine/#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 } } ] } ```