--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Almost everything I've been paid to do…" description: "\"Almost everything I've been paid to do was something that was largely self-taught.\" — John Knoll" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3e7/john-knoll-12156_been_almost-everything-i-ve-been-paid-to-do-w_1904992.jpg" --- # Almost everything I've been paid to do was something that… ![“Almost everything I've been paid to do was something that was largely self-taught.” quote by John Knoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3e7/john-knoll-12156_been_almost-everything-i-ve-been-paid-to-do-w_1904992.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3e7/john-knoll-12156_been_almost-everything-i-ve-been-paid-to-do-w_1904992.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3e7/john-knoll-12156_been_almost-everything-i-ve-been-paid-to-do-w_1904992.jpg) > “Almost everything I've been paid to do was something that was largely self-taught.” [John Knoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-knoll/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Self‑directed learning drives expertise, especially when formal training is limited. **In simple terms:** Teach yourself to master skills. Key Takeaway Embrace self‑learning. Themes education creativity innovation Mood practical encouraging Type professional inspirational When to use this quote - workshops - online courses - project‑based learning Key Concepts self‑teaching skill acquisition industry expertise Questions to Reflect On - What skills have you taught yourself? - How do you validate self‑taught knowledge? A Different Perspective May lack structured feedback, leading to gaps. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Been](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/been/) [Everything](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/everything/) [Largely Self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/largely-self-2797242/) [Paid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/paid/) [Paid Largely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/paid-largely-2834393/) [Self taught](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self-taught/) [Something](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/something/) [Taught](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/taught/) ## Related quotes > [If we would listen to our kids, we'd discover that they are largely self-explanatory.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-breault/if-we-would-listen-to-our-kids-we-d-discover-that-they-are-largely/) [Robert Breault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-breault/) > [I've gone through a whole series of careers where something started as a hobby of some kind. Almost everything I've been paid to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-knoll/i-ve-gone-through-a-whole-series-of-careers-where-something-started/) [John Knoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-knoll/) > [I am a self-taught guitarist. I just try to piece together passages that have some melodic value!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-palladio/i-am-a-self-taught-guitarist-i-just-try-to-piece-together-passages/) [Sam Palladio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-palladio/) > [I started out making personal pieces, and realized that I actually like designing. I am self-taught, so I had a lot to learn technically.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yigal-azrouel/i-started-out-making-personal-pieces-and-realized-that-i-actually/) [Yigal Azrouel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yigal-azrouel/) > [I'm self-taught and emailed photographers I knew if I had questions I couldn't figure out from the manual or online.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hanneli-mustaparta/i-m-self-taught-and-emailed-photographers-i-knew-if-i-had-questions-i/) [Hanneli Mustaparta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hanneli-mustaparta/) > [When you play with great musicians, whether they're schooled or self-taught, they keep you on your toes. It comes down to people's personalities and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cass-mccombs/when-you-play-with-great-musicians-whether-they-re-schooled-or-self/) [Cass McCombs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cass-mccombs/) > [Tips can make someone a better writer but not necessarily a good writer. That's a larger package - a matter of character. Golfing is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-zinsser/tips-can-make-someone-a-better-writer-but-not-necessarily-a-good/) [William Zinsser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-zinsser/) > [“The highest virtue lies in self-learning or self-taught education. For it is the path that all the greatest men or those who have decided…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mwanandeke-kindembo/the-highest-virtue-lies-in-self-learning-or-self-taught-education-for/) [Mwanandeke Kindembo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mwanandeke-kindembo/) > [I was mostly self-taught on guitar and that had its benefits. It's a great thing to work through problems on your own.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-bream/i-was-mostly-self-taught-on-guitar-and-that-had-its-benefits-it-s-a/) [Julian Bream](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-bream/) > [I was always self-taught, there was no-one to study with when I was doing composition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-meale/i-was-always-self-taught-there-was-no-one-to-study-with-when-i-was/) [Richard Meale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-meale/) > [I'm mostly self-taught. I didn't learn much in school.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agnes-denes/i-m-mostly-self-taught-i-didn-t-learn-much-in-school/) [Agnes Denes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agnes-denes/) > [Writing is self-taught. Consulting other people only teaches you to depend on their reactions, which may or may not be legitimate. Quit looking for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-grafton/writing-is-self-taught-consulting-other-people-only-teaches-you-to/) [Sue Grafton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-grafton/) > [I'm a self-taught guitarist, but I have a classical music background.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-jones/i-m-a-self-taught-guitarist-but-i-have-a-classical-music-background/) [Adam Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-jones/) > [My brother Carl taught me how to play bass. I'm a self-taught keyboard player, though - I figured out our harmonies at the piano.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-wilson/my-brother-carl-taught-me-how-to-play-bass-i-m-a-self-taught-keyboard/) [Brian Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-wilson/) > [I'm entirely self-taught, which I think is both a blessing and a curse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/washed-out/i-m-entirely-self-taught-which-i-think-is-both-a-blessing-and-a-curse/) [Washed Out](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/washed-out/) ## More by John Knoll > [I started off as a model maker, so the first part of my career was a model maker and then a motion control camera…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-knoll/i-started-off-as-a-model-maker-so-the-first-part-of-my-career-was-a/) [John Knoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-knoll/) > ['Pacific Rim,' for me, was a chance to touch on those old Toho monster movies. 'Godzilla' and 'Rodan'... and then 'Ultraman' and 'Robotech' and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-knoll/pacific-rim-for-me-was-a-chance-to-touch-on-those-old-toho-monster/) [John Knoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-knoll/) > [If you need to do a movie where you have an army of 10,000 soldiers, that's a very difficult thing to shoot for real.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-knoll/if-you-need-to-do-a-movie-where-you-have-an-army-of-10-000-soldiers/) [John Knoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-knoll/) > [A lot of filmmakers understand that the work is done digitally, and it's technically possible to change it late in the game.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-knoll/a-lot-of-filmmakers-understand-that-the-work-is-done-digitally-and-it/) [John Knoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-knoll/) > [Eighty percent of my job is to ask the question, 'If this were real, what would it look like?'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-knoll/eighty-percent-of-my-job-is-to-ask-the-question-if-this-were-real/) [John Knoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-knoll/) > [I came in during the era of models, motion control, and optical printers. ILM had just started its own computer graphics division, after the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-knoll/i-came-in-during-the-era-of-models-motion-control-and-optical/) [John Knoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-knoll/) > [A lot of us got into the industry because of 'Star Wars,' and we all have this love of the original source material.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-knoll/a-lot-of-us-got-into-the-industry-because-of-star-wars-and-we-all/) [John Knoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-knoll/) > [If you were a new guy at ILM, they put you on the night crew - my shift was from 7 P.M. to about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-knoll/if-you-were-a-new-guy-at-ilm-they-put-you-on-the-night-crew-my-shift/) [John Knoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-knoll/) > [Often if a picture is in trouble one way or another, there are ways to salvage it, through reshoots or whatever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-knoll/often-if-a-picture-is-in-trouble-one-way-or-another-there-are-ways-to/) [John Knoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-knoll/) > [Any tool can be used for good or bad. It's really the ethics of the artist using it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-knoll/any-tool-can-be-used-for-good-or-bad-it-s-really-the-ethics-of-the/) [John Knoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-knoll/) > [When I was a kid, one of my hobbies was as model-maker.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-knoll/when-i-was-a-kid-one-of-my-hobbies-was-as-model-maker/) [John Knoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-knoll/) > [Part of the process is always, 'Is there a better way?' We try to think through if there's something we can do better creatively…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-knoll/part-of-the-process-is-always-is-there-a-better-way-we-try-to-think/) [John Knoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-knoll/) > [ILM was the first company that I had worked at that had a computer-graphics division.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-knoll/ilm-was-the-first-company-that-i-had-worked-at-that-had-a-computer/) [John Knoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-knoll/) > [Visual-effects shots should flow into the rest of the live action, and you shouldn't be able to see a difference.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-knoll/visual-effects-shots-should-flow-into-the-rest-of-the-live-action-and/) [John Knoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-knoll/) > [There are things that I am nostalgic about from the 'good old days.' I loved motion control cameras, actually. I love the way they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-knoll/there-are-things-that-i-am-nostalgic-about-from-the-good-old-days-i/) [John Knoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-knoll/) [Explore all 56 John Knoll quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-knoll/) ## More Been quotes > [When I was trying to come up with a stage name, I thought 'Lord' was super rad, but really masculine - ever since I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorde/when-i-was-trying-to-come-up-with-a-stage-name-i-thought-lord-was/) [Lorde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorde/) > [I once told someone I could act. They totally bought it. I've been getting away with it ever since.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/akshay-kumar/i-once-told-someone-i-could-act-they-totally-bought-it-i-ve-been/) [Akshay Kumar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/akshay-kumar/) > [Amongst the financial Twitterati, the term 'muppets' has come to describe any client used and abused by some financial predator. I've adopted the term…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-ritholtz/amongst-the-financial-twitterati-the-term-muppets-has-come-to/) [Barry Ritholtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-ritholtz/) > [Here's the reality. The image of a white Jesus has been used to justify enslavement, conquest, colonialism, the genocide of indigenous peoples. There are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-wise/here-s-the-reality-the-image-of-a-white-jesus-has-been-used-to/) [Tim Wise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-wise/) > [I would have done well as a gypsy child, I think. A circus baby. I coulda played a great street urchin or ragamuffin. Or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natasha-lyonne/i-would-have-done-well-as-a-gypsy-child-i-think-a-circus-baby-i/) [Natasha Lyonne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natasha-lyonne/) > [A lot of people have been saying 'The 100' reminds them of 'Lord Of The Flies,' 'Lost' and 'Battlestar Galactica,' and all of those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-avgeropoulos/a-lot-of-people-have-been-saying-the-100-reminds-them-of-lord-of-the/) [Marie Avgeropoulos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-avgeropoulos/) > [I'm a character actor - always have been, always will be - and historically, character actors don't come into their own until later in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-potts/i-m-a-character-actor-always-have-been-always-will-be-and/) [Annie Potts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-potts/) > [Well, I've been politically involved for a really long time. Growing up in the segregated South, it was a very painful experience for me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cybill-shepherd/well-i-ve-been-politically-involved-for-a-really-long-time-growing-up/) [Cybill Shepherd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cybill-shepherd/) > [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/) > [I have always been a big meta guy because I think the way journalism is practiced in Washington, and the way everyone sort of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-leibovich/i-have-always-been-a-big-meta-guy-because-i-think-the-way-journalism/) [Mark Leibovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-leibovich/) > [Windmills and solar cells are carbon-free sources of electricity. But they are costly. If you've been investing in those, give it up. That game…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-fisher/windmills-and-solar-cells-are-carbon-free-sources-of-electricity-but/) [Kenneth Fisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-fisher/) > [Once I committed to acting, this has been it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernie-hudson/once-i-committed-to-acting-this-has-been-it/) [Ernie Hudson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernie-hudson/) > [I have never been in, nor have I had any strong particular desire to be in, what is termed a costume drama, but I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-freeman/i-have-never-been-in-nor-have-i-had-any-strong-particular-desire-to/) [Martin Freeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-freeman/) > [There has always been a feeling with people that they love my singing but not always the choice of material.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-moyet/there-has-always-been-a-feeling-with-people-that-they-love-my-singing/) [Alison Moyet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-moyet/) > [I've always been a believer in research. It's great to have an instinctual human reaction to a character, too, of course, but it has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chiwetel-ejiofor/i-ve-always-been-a-believer-in-research-it-s-great-to-have-an/) [Chiwetel Ejiofor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chiwetel-ejiofor/) [Browse all 13,699 Been quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/been/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Almost everything I've been paid to do was something that was largely self-taught.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Knoll" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-knoll/almost-everything-i-ve-been-paid-to-do-was-something-that-was-largely/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Been" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-knoll/almost-everything-i-ve-been-paid-to-do-was-something-that-was-largely/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3e7/john-knoll-12156_been_almost-everything-i-ve-been-paid-to-do-w_1904992.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3e7/john-knoll-12156_been_almost-everything-i-ve-been-paid-to-do-w_1904992.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3e7/john-knoll-12156_been_almost-everything-i-ve-been-paid-to-do-w_1904992.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Almost everything I've been paid to do was something that was largely self-taught.” — John Knoll", "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 Knoll", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-knoll/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Almost everything I've been paid to...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-knoll/almost-everything-i-ve-been-paid-to-do-was-something-that-was-largely/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-knoll/almost-everything-i-ve-been-paid-to-do-was-something-that-was-largely/#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 } } ] } ```