--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A genius is one who can do anything…" description: "\"A genius is one who can do anything except make a living.\" — Joey Lauren Adams" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/49a/joey-lauren-adams-23224_genius_a-genius-is-one-who-can-do-anything-exce_235839.png" --- # A genius is one who can do anything except make a living. ![“A genius is one who can do anything except make a living.” quote by Joey Lauren Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/49a/joey-lauren-adams-23224_genius_a-genius-is-one-who-can-do-anything-exce_235839.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/49a/joey-lauren-adams-23224_genius_a-genius-is-one-who-can-do-anything-exce_235839.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/49a/joey-lauren-adams-23224_genius_a-genius-is-one-who-can-do-anything-exce_235839.png) > “A genius is one who can do anything except make a living.” [Joey Lauren Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joey-lauren-adams/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Talent alone doesn’t guarantee financial stability; practical skills matter. **In simple terms:** Talent ≠ financial success. Key Takeaway Develop practical skills alongside talent. Themes talent livelihood skill development economics Mood candid motivational Type cinematic inspirational When to use this quote - movie script - career workshops - entrepreneurship Key Concepts career planning financial literacy creative industries Questions to Reflect On - How can you balance art and income? - What skills complement your talent? A Different Perspective Focus on money can stifle creativity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Genius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/genius/) [Intelligence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intelligence/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) ## Related quotes > [I don't want to make a living. I want to make a life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/borns/i-don-t-want-to-make-a-living-i-want-to-make-a-life/) [Borns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/borns/) > [“Any fool can make something complicated. It takes a genius to make it simple. —Woody Guthrie”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-handley/any-fool-can-make-something-complicated-it-takes-a-genius-to-make-it-2/) [Ann Handley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-handley/) > [It is the essence of genius to make use of the simplest ideas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-peguy/it-is-the-essence-of-genius-to-make-use-of-the-simplest-ideas/) [Charles Peguy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-peguy/) > [Anyone can make them cry, but it takes a genius to make them laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-chaplin/anyone-can-make-them-cry-but-it-takes-a-genius-to-make-them-laugh/) [Charlie Chaplin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-chaplin/) > [It requires genius to make a good pun - some men of bright parts can't reach it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-cowley/it-requires-genius-to-make-a-good-pun-some-men-of-bright-parts-can-t/) [Hannah Cowley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-cowley/) > [The first thing the world does to a genius is to make him lose all his youth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarence-day/the-first-thing-the-world-does-to-a-genius-is-to-make-him-lose-all/) [Clarence Day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarence-day/) > [It requires infinitely a greater genius to make love, than to make war.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ninon-de-l-enclos/it-requires-infinitely-a-greater-genius-to-make-love-than-to-make-war/) [Ninon de L'Enclos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ninon-de-l-enclos/) > [Any fool can make something complicated. It takes a genius to make it simple.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woody-guthrie/any-fool-can-make-something-complicated-it-takes-a-genius-to-make-it/) [Woody Guthrie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woody-guthrie/) > [It is the essence of a genius to make use of the simplest idea.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/unkown/it-is-the-essence-of-a-genius-to-make-use-of-the-simplest-idea/) Unkown > [ Let a man of genius make use \[of photography\] as it should be used, and he will raise himself to a height that we… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-delacroix/let-a-man-of-genius-make-use-of-photography-as-it-should-be-used-and/) [Eugene Delacroix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-delacroix/) > [The real genius to make a marketplace flourish doesn't come from the government. It comes from the individual genius of its people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-rohn/the-real-genius-to-make-a-marketplace-flourish-doesn-t-come-from-the/) [Jim Rohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-rohn/) > [“Any fool can make things complicated, it requires a genius to make things simple”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-f-schumacher-2/any-fool-can-make-things-complicated-it-requires-a-genius-to-make/) [E.F. Schumacher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-f-schumacher-2/) > [“It takes a genius to make it simple.” Think of Picasso. He”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-dalio/it-takes-a-genius-to-make-it-simple-think-of-picasso-he/) [Ray Dalio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-dalio/) > [“If you do not have persistence then no amount of education, talent or genius can make up for it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-richards/if-you-do-not-have-persistence-then-no-amount-of-education-talent-or/) [Stephen Richards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-richards/) > [“A man must have a very rare genius to make changes of that sort. I am afraid mine would not carry me even to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-eliot/a-man-must-have-a-very-rare-genius-to-make-changes-of-that-sort-i-am/) [George Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-eliot/) ## More by Joey Lauren Adams > [There were days that I literally had no reason to get out of bed. It just was so destructive for me](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joey-lauren-adams/there-were-days-that-i-literally-had-no-reason-to-get-out-of-bed-it/) [Joey Lauren Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joey-lauren-adams/) > [The last person they expected to connect with a screenplay was the comedic, blonde actress with the funny voice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joey-lauren-adams/the-last-person-they-expected-to-connect-with-a-screenplay-was-the/) [Joey Lauren Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joey-lauren-adams/) > [I am one of the few actresses who isn't recognized by the way she looks. I'm recognized by the way I talk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joey-lauren-adams/i-am-one-of-the-few-actresses-who-isn-t-recognized-by-the-way-she/) [Joey Lauren Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joey-lauren-adams/) > [The most popular labor-saving device today is still a husband with money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joey-lauren-adams/the-most-popular-labor-saving-device-today-is-still-a-husband-with/) [Joey Lauren Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joey-lauren-adams/) > [It just gets frustrating playing the girlfriend, It's just this awful feeling, sitting in your house, waiting for a script to come. I like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joey-lauren-adams/it-just-gets-frustrating-playing-the-girlfriend-it-s-just-this-awful/) [Joey Lauren Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joey-lauren-adams/) > [Stay with me; I want to be alone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joey-lauren-adams/stay-with-me-i-want-to-be-alone/) [Joey Lauren Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joey-lauren-adams/) > [I want to feel passion, I want to feel pain. I want to weep at the sound of your name. Come make me laugh,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joey-lauren-adams/i-want-to-feel-passion-i-want-to-feel-pain-i-want-to-weep-at-the/) [Joey Lauren Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joey-lauren-adams/) > [My life isn't that dramatic. My dad really loves me, he just can't talk on the phone. He's too crippled and shy, and that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joey-lauren-adams/my-life-isn-t-that-dramatic-my-dad-really-loves-me-he-just-can-t-talk/) [Joey Lauren Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joey-lauren-adams/) > [A bonus: You don't have to diet to direct.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joey-lauren-adams/a-bonus-you-don-t-have-to-diet-to-direct/) [Joey Lauren Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joey-lauren-adams/) > [I was never one of those people who thought, 'What I really want to do is direct.' It never occurred to me](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joey-lauren-adams/i-was-never-one-of-those-people-who-thought-what-i-really-want-to-do/) [Joey Lauren Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joey-lauren-adams/) > [The toughest thing about homework is getting mom and pop to agree on the same answer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joey-lauren-adams/the-toughest-thing-about-homework-is-getting-mom-and-pop-to-agree-on/) [Joey Lauren Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joey-lauren-adams/) > [It's not a normal voice. It doesn't fit into people's preconceptions about what a woman's voice should sound like.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joey-lauren-adams/it-s-not-a-normal-voice-it-doesn-t-fit-into-people-s-preconceptions/) [Joey Lauren Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joey-lauren-adams/) > [No one was jumping up and saying, 'Yeah, let me give you money.' I had never held a camera in my hand - a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joey-lauren-adams/no-one-was-jumping-up-and-saying-yeah-let-me-give-you-money-i-had/) [Joey Lauren Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joey-lauren-adams/) > [I don't think I was fully satisfied acting. You know, the girlfriend role or the best friend role, and that wasn't enough for me](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joey-lauren-adams/i-don-t-think-i-was-fully-satisfied-acting-you-know-the-girlfriend/) [Joey Lauren Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joey-lauren-adams/) > [It's not like you can wake up and realize, 'Oh, I want intimacy,' and then it happens that day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joey-lauren-adams/it-s-not-like-you-can-wake-up-and-realize-oh-i-want-intimacy-and-then/) [Joey Lauren Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joey-lauren-adams/) [Explore all 26 Joey Lauren Adams quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joey-lauren-adams/) ## More Genius quotes > [“If people fully understand you, they will think of you as a normal, if they half understand you, will think of you as a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-f-moonzajer/if-people-fully-understand-you-they-will-think-of-you-as-a-normal-if/) [M.F. Moonzajer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-f-moonzajer/) > [Woman, in short, has an unconscious life, man a conscious life, and the genius the most conscious life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/otto-weininger/woman-in-short-has-an-unconscious-life-man-a-conscious-life-and-the/) [Otto Weininger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/otto-weininger/) > [ Next came the Patent laws. These began in England in 1624; and, in this country, with the adoption of our constitution. Before then \[these?\],… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/next-came-the-patent-laws-these-began-in-england-in-1624-and-in-this/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [The truth is I've just never had any kind of plan at all for my career, which is probably not a very flattering thing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ty-burrell/the-truth-is-i-ve-just-never-had-any-kind-of-plan-at-all-for-my/) [Ty Burrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ty-burrell/) > [What we shall need is not geniuses, or cynics, or misanthropes, or clever tacticians, but plain, honest, straghtforward men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/what-we-shall-need-is-not-geniuses-or-cynics-or-misanthropes-or/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [I have no physical genius about me. I can't dribble a ball and run at the same time, I can't do lay-ups - I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-mullins/i-have-no-physical-genius-about-me-i-can-t-dribble-a-ball-and-run-at/) [Rich Mullins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-mullins/) > [I have known many chess players, but among them there has been only one genius - Capablanca!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emanuel-lasker/i-have-known-many-chess-players-but-among-them-there-has-been-only/) [Emanuel Lasker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emanuel-lasker/) > [A time will come when the science of destruction shall bend before the arts of peace; when the genius which multiplies our powers, which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-arago/a-time-will-come-when-the-science-of-destruction-shall-bend-before/) [Francois Arago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-arago/) > [One is not born a genius, one becomes a genius; and the feminine situation has up to the present rendered this becoming practically impossible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-de-beauvoir/one-is-not-born-a-genius-one-becomes-a-genius-and-the-feminine/) [Simone de Beauvoir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-de-beauvoir/) > [The beginning of genius is being scared shitless.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-ferdinand-celine/the-beginning-of-genius-is-being-scared-shitless/) [Louis-Ferdinand Celine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-ferdinand-celine/) > [Treason implies responsibility for something, control over something, influence upon something, knowledge of something. Treason in our time is a proof of genius. Why,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/treason-implies-responsibility-for-something-control-over-something/) [Antoine de Saint-Exupery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/) > [Mediocrity knows nothing higher than itself, but talent instantly recognizes genius.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-conan-doyle/mediocrity-knows-nothing-higher-than-itself-but-talent-instantly/) [Arthur Conan Doyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-conan-doyle/) > [With the proper training, I could've been an evil genius.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/with-the-proper-training-i-could-ve-been-an-evil-genius/) [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) > [Never try to judge any one](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajat-dogra/never-try-to-judge-any-one/) [Rajat Dogra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajat-dogra/) > [“genius is a path that we can all take and derive much benefit, happiness, fulfillment, and success from...not a genetic windfall or divine gift.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-patrick/genius-is-a-path-that-we-can-all-take-and-derive-much-benefit/) [Sean Patrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-patrick/) [Browse all 5,125 Genius quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/genius/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "A genius is one who can do anything except make a living.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Joey Lauren Adams" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joey-lauren-adams/a-genius-is-one-who-can-do-anything-except-make-a-living/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Genius" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joey-lauren-adams/a-genius-is-one-who-can-do-anything-except-make-a-living/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/49a/joey-lauren-adams-23224_genius_a-genius-is-one-who-can-do-anything-exce_235839.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/49a/joey-lauren-adams-23224_genius_a-genius-is-one-who-can-do-anything-exce_235839.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/49a/joey-lauren-adams-23224_genius_a-genius-is-one-who-can-do-anything-exce_235839.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“A genius is one who can do anything except make a living.” — Joey Lauren Adams", "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": "Joey Lauren Adams", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joey-lauren-adams/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "A genius is one who can...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joey-lauren-adams/a-genius-is-one-who-can-do-anything-except-make-a-living/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joey-lauren-adams/a-genius-is-one-who-can-do-anything-except-make-a-living/#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 } } ] } ```