--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I think you can get better in mathematics…" description: "\"I think you can get better in mathematics on a school level, but when you're talking about being a mathematician, I think that's definitely a gift of g..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d61/john-hurt-1669_genes_i-think-you-can-get-better-in-mathematic_266322.jpg" --- # I think you can get better in mathematics on a school… ![“I think you can get better in mathematics on a school level, but when you're talking about being a mathematician, I think that's definitely a gift of genes or whatever.” quote by John Hurt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d61/john-hurt-1669_genes_i-think-you-can-get-better-in-mathematic_266322.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d61/john-hurt-1669_genes_i-think-you-can-get-better-in-mathematic_266322.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d61/john-hurt-1669_genes_i-think-you-can-get-better-in-mathematic_266322.jpg) > “I think you can get better in mathematics on a school level, but when you're talking about being a mathematician, I think that's definitely a gift of genes or whatever.” [John Hurt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hurt/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Mathematical talent is seen as innate, while school improvement is possible through effort. **In simple terms:** Math skill is often viewed as genetic. Key Takeaway Recognize both effort and innate ability. Themes education talent effort Mood reflective analytical Type motivational philosophical When to use this quote - school math - advanced research - career counseling Key Concepts nature vs nurture growth mindset Questions to Reflect On - Can effort overcome perceived genetic limits? - How does society view innate talent? A Different Perspective Talent alone may not guarantee success without dedication. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Better Mathematics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/better-mathematics-1422707/) [Genes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/genes/) [Get better](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/get-better/) [Gift Genes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gift-genes-2247913/) [Levels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/levels/) [Mathematician](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mathematician/) [Mathematician Think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mathematician-think-2247912/) [Mathematics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mathematics/) [Mathematics School](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mathematics-school-2247911/) [School](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/school/) [Talking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/talking/) [Talking Mathematician](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/talking-mathematician-2247914/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [I think you can get better in mathematics on a school level, but when you're talking about being a mathematician, I think that's definitely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hurt/i-think-you-can-get-better-in-mathematics-on-a-school-level-but-when-2/) [John Hurt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hurt/) > [A mathematician either has a feeling for equations and an understanding and delight in it, not only in the purity of it, but in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hurt/a-mathematician-either-has-a-feeling-for-equations-and-an/) [John Hurt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hurt/) > [My dad is a mathematician; I think we both have that problem-solving, looking-for-patterns way of thinking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michaela-watkins/my-dad-is-a-mathematician-i-think-we-both-have-that-problem-solving/) [Michaela Watkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michaela-watkins/) > [A good mathematical joke is better, and better mathematics, than a dozen mediocre papers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-edensor-littlewood/a-good-mathematical-joke-is-better-and-better-mathematics-than-a/) [John Edensor Littlewood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-edensor-littlewood/) > [I didn't work especially hard at mathematics at school, because I knew that's what I'd be doing later.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hilbert/i-didn-t-work-especially-hard-at-mathematics-at-school-because-i-knew/) [David Hilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hilbert/) > [I was very bad at mathematics in school, and I always had the feeling as a kid that when I worked on problems, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-mcburney/i-was-very-bad-at-mathematics-in-school-and-i-always-had-the-feeling/) [Simon McBurney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-mcburney/) > [Given the brief - and generally misleading - exposure most people have to mathematics at school, raising the public awareness of mathematics will always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-devlin/given-the-brief-and-generally-misleading-exposure-most-people-have-to/) [Keith Devlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-devlin/) > [I think you can fan the flames, but I think in the same way that a mathematician is a mathematician - He's not taught…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hurt/i-think-you-can-fan-the-flames-but-i-think-in-the-same-way-that-a/) [John Hurt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hurt/) > [If enough money is involved and enough people believe that two plus two equals five the media will report the story with a straight…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-jacoby/if-enough-money-is-involved-and-enough-people-believe-that-two-plus/) [Susan Jacoby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-jacoby/) > [“I am a mathematician and I can confidently say that the best figure ever produced is your phone number.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/i-am-a-mathematician-and-i-can-confidently-say-that-the-best-figure/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [Proof is an idol before which the mathematician tortures himself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-eddington/proof-is-an-idol-before-which-the-mathematician-tortures-himself/) [Arthur Eddington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-eddington/) > [Truth is much too complicated to allow anything but approximations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-von-neumann/truth-is-much-too-complicated-to-allow-anything-but-approximations/) [John von Neumann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-von-neumann/) > [Autism is a big continuum, going from someone who remains nonverbal, all the way up to geniuses on Silicon Valley. And some kids are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/temple-grandin/autism-is-a-big-continuum-going-from-someone-who-remains-nonverbal/) [Temple Grandin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/temple-grandin/) > [God is the original Mathematician](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frenchqueen/god-is-the-original-mathematician/) [Frenchqueen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frenchqueen/) > [“π is a mathematician’s dessert”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neve-maslakovic/is-a-mathematician-s-dessert/) [Neve Maslakovic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neve-maslakovic/) ## More by John Hurt > [I can't say that I wouldn't prefer to make small films, basically because I think they are probably more interesting in terms of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hurt/i-can-t-say-that-i-wouldn-t-prefer-to-make-small-films-basically/) [John Hurt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hurt/) > [Acting is an imaginative leap, really, isn't it? And imaginations prosper in different circumstances. And it's being able - I can't tell you how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hurt/acting-is-an-imaginative-leap-really-isn-t-it-and-imaginations/) [John Hurt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hurt/) > [My surname certainly suggests a man whose destiny has always been injury.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hurt/my-surname-certainly-suggests-a-man-whose-destiny-has-always-been/) [John Hurt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hurt/) > [ I got used to \[ Lars Von Trier\] doing the narration for 'Dogville' and 'Manderley.' And I said to him I do these narrations… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hurt/i-got-used-to-lars-von-trier-doing-the-narration-for-dogville-and/) [John Hurt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hurt/) > [The first thing you have to get used to in any kind of acting is the ability to make a fool of yourself. If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hurt/the-first-thing-you-have-to-get-used-to-in-any-kind-of-acting-is-the/) [John Hurt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hurt/) > [One wonders sometimes, looking at the world, how it's dealing with itself. There are days when you wake up and you feel very optimistic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hurt/one-wonders-sometimes-looking-at-the-world-how-it-s-dealing-with/) [John Hurt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hurt/) > [To me, nothing ever feels like a sure thing. I cling to that because it's very important you don't ever think anything is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hurt/to-me-nothing-ever-feels-like-a-sure-thing-i-cling-to-that-because-it/) [John Hurt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hurt/) > [Things come in a quieter way to me. It's not laziness, and it's not diffidence. I just know how far you have to bend…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hurt/things-come-in-a-quieter-way-to-me-it-s-not-laziness-and-it-s-not/) [John Hurt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hurt/) > [I've spent a great deal of my life doing independent film, and that is partly because the subject matter interests me and partly because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hurt/i-ve-spent-a-great-deal-of-my-life-doing-independent-film-and-that-is/) [John Hurt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hurt/) > [I find myself more interested in producing. Not because I'm interested in the financial side of it, but just getting together the right elements…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hurt/i-find-myself-more-interested-in-producing-not-because-i-m-interested/) [John Hurt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hurt/) > [Actors are not always the best judges. We have a peculiar idea of what we think we are, and sometimes it's best left to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hurt/actors-are-not-always-the-best-judges-we-have-a-peculiar-idea-of-what/) [John Hurt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hurt/) > [My parents felt that acting was far too insecure. Don't ask me what made them think that painting would be more secure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hurt/my-parents-felt-that-acting-was-far-too-insecure-don-t-ask-me-what/) [John Hurt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hurt/) > [I've done all sorts of children's things before, but none as big as 'Harry Potter.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hurt/i-ve-done-all-sorts-of-children-s-things-before-but-none-as-big-as/) [John Hurt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hurt/) > [Really, I'm only alive out of curiosity. I'm very curious about where we're all marching.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hurt/really-i-m-only-alive-out-of-curiosity-i-m-very-curious-about-where/) [John Hurt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hurt/) > [You carry that through and adapt it to a camera lens, but you're quite right, you cannot be sure of what an audience is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hurt/you-carry-that-through-and-adapt-it-to-a-camera-lens-but-you-re-quite/) [John Hurt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hurt/) [Explore all 217 John Hurt quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hurt/) ## More Genes quotes > [At the deepest level, all living things that have ever been looked at have the same DNA code. And many of the same genes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/at-the-deepest-level-all-living-things-that-have-ever-been-looked-at/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [The families in positions of great financial power obsessively interbreed with each other. But I'm not talking about one Earth race, Jewish or non-Jewish.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-icke/the-families-in-positions-of-great-financial-power-obsessively/) [David Icke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-icke/) > [Early experience shapes the structure and function of the brain. This reveals the fundamental way in which gene expression is determined by experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-j-siegel/early-experience-shapes-the-structure-and-function-of-the-brain-this/) [Daniel J. Siegel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-j-siegel/) > [We are a spectacular, splendid manifestation of life. We have language. . . . We have affection. We have genes for usefulness, and usefulness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-thomas/we-are-a-spectacular-splendid-manifestation-of-life-we-have-language/) [Lewis Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-thomas/) > [Do we make ourselves into what we become or is it built into our genes, into the fate spun for us by whatever shapes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-bruchac/do-we-make-ourselves-into-what-we-become-or-is-it-built-into-our/) [Joseph Bruchac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-bruchac/) > [And when I went to Houston, they had a conditioning coach by the name of Gene Coleman. And that was the first time I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nolan-ryan/and-when-i-went-to-houston-they-had-a-conditioning-coach-by-the-name/) [Nolan Ryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nolan-ryan/) > [Let us understand what our own selfish genes are up to because we may then at least have the chance to upset their designs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/let-us-understand-what-our-own-selfish-genes-are-up-to-because-we-may/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [A renaissance in cellular biology has recently revealed the molecular mechanisms by which thoughts and perceptions directly influence gene activity and cell behavior...Energy psychology,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-h-lipton/a-renaissance-in-cellular-biology-has-recently-revealed-the-molecular/) [Bruce H. Lipton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-h-lipton/) > [ I always found that kind of hard, and even though Gene Kelly was also a taskmaster, Bobby \[Fosse\] was tougher. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debbie-reynolds/i-always-found-that-kind-of-hard-and-even-though-gene-kelly-was-also/) [Debbie Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debbie-reynolds/) > [As a dancer, obviously, we are all inspired by Michael Jackson, and I always looked up to Gene Kelly. He was a bigger version…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maksim-chmerkovskiy/as-a-dancer-obviously-we-are-all-inspired-by-michael-jackson-and-i/) [Maksim Chmerkovskiy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maksim-chmerkovskiy/) > [Let's face it, you have to have a slightly recessive gene that has a little something to do with the brain to go out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-green/let-s-face-it-you-have-to-have-a-slightly-recessive-gene-that-has-a/) [Tim Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-green/) > [This is a whole new era where we're moving beyond little edits on single genes to being able to write whatever we want throughout…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-m-church/this-is-a-whole-new-era-where-we-re-moving-beyond-little-edits-on/) [George M. Church](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-m-church/) > [“Some of our friends are our friends only because we used to be friends.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/some-of-our-friends-are-our-friends-only-because-we-used-to-be-friends/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [I'm allergic to dogs, so I couldn't even adopt what gay men typically adopt when they have that maternal gene.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-savage/i-m-allergic-to-dogs-so-i-couldn-t-even-adopt-what-gay-men-typically/) [Dan Savage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-savage/) > [If we studied human beings which can include human genes, human blood samples, and human behavior, then you can leave the animals out of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-barnard/if-we-studied-human-beings-which-can-include-human-genes-human-blood/) [Neal Barnard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-barnard/) [Browse all 870 Genes quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/genes/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I think you can get better in mathematics on a school level, but when you're talking about being a mathematician, I think that's definitely a gift of genes or whatever.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Hurt" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hurt/i-think-you-can-get-better-in-mathematics-on-a-school-level-but-when/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Genes" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hurt/i-think-you-can-get-better-in-mathematics-on-a-school-level-but-when/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d61/john-hurt-1669_genes_i-think-you-can-get-better-in-mathematic_266322.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d61/john-hurt-1669_genes_i-think-you-can-get-better-in-mathematic_266322.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d61/john-hurt-1669_genes_i-think-you-can-get-better-in-mathematic_266322.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I think you can get better in mathematics on a school level, but when you're talking about being a…” — John Hurt", "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": "John Hurt", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hurt/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I think you can get better...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hurt/i-think-you-can-get-better-in-mathematics-on-a-school-level-but-when/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hurt/i-think-you-can-get-better-in-mathematics-on-a-school-level-but-when/#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 } } ] } ```