--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I have never considered myself a prodigy…" description: "\"I have never considered myself a prodigy. Others have used that term, but I never bought in to it.\" — Joshua Waitzkin" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9fc/joshua-waitzkin-28229_prodigies_i-have-never-considered-myself-a-prodigy_598312.jpg" --- # I have never considered myself a prodigy. Others have used… ![“I have never considered myself a prodigy. Others have used that term, but I never bought in to it.” quote by Joshua Waitzkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9fc/joshua-waitzkin-28229_prodigies_i-have-never-considered-myself-a-prodigy_598312.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9fc/joshua-waitzkin-28229_prodigies_i-have-never-considered-myself-a-prodigy_598312.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9fc/joshua-waitzkin-28229_prodigies_i-have-never-considered-myself-a-prodigy_598312.jpg) > “I have never considered myself a prodigy. Others have used that term, but I never bought in to it.” [Joshua Waitzkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-waitzkin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He rejects the label of prodigy, emphasizing personal effort over external titles. **In simple terms:** Labels don’t define talent. Key Takeaway Focus on growth, not titles. Themes self‑identity humility growth Mood reflective determined Type inspirational philosophical When to use this quote - personal development - education - sports - music Key Concepts mindset self‑perception achievement Questions to Reflect On - Do you let others’ labels shape your self‑view? - How can you cultivate intrinsic motivation? A Different Perspective Labels can limit potential if internalized. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Prodigies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prodigies/) [Prodigy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prodigy/) ## Related quotes > [Love is an excessively used term. Most don't realize that it is a necessity to succeed in this world. The most powerful expression of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/love-is-an-excessively-used-term-most-don-t-realize-that-it-is-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I was never a prodigy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lindsay-davenport/i-was-never-a-prodigy/) [Lindsay Davenport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lindsay-davenport/) > [I was never a prodigy. I was never a child genius.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mara-wilson/i-was-never-a-prodigy-i-was-never-a-child-genius/) [Mara Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mara-wilson/) > [For every child prodigy that you know about, at least 50 potential ones have burned out before you even heard about them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/itzhak-perlman/for-every-child-prodigy-that-you-know-about-at-least-50-potential/) [Itzhak Perlman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/itzhak-perlman/) > [If I win, I'm a prodigy. If I lose, then I'm crazy. That's the way history is written.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eoin-colfer/if-i-win-i-m-a-prodigy-if-i-lose-then-i-m-crazy-that-s-the-way/) [Eoin Colfer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eoin-colfer/) > [I was born because it was a habit in those days, people didn't know anything else ... I was not a Child Prodigy, because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-rogers/i-was-born-because-it-was-a-habit-in-those-days-people-didn-t-know/) [Will Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-rogers/) > [Many people used to call me a child prodigy, but I never thought that. I knew that I had learned everything, that I had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michala-petri/many-people-used-to-call-me-a-child-prodigy-but-i-never-thought-that/) [Michala Petri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michala-petri/) > [There are lots of different interpretations of the word 'prodigy.' My own is of someone who is talented and tries to help other children.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adora-svitak/there-are-lots-of-different-interpretations-of-the-word-prodigy-my/) [Adora Svitak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adora-svitak/) > [In the career of a prodigy there invariably comes a time when it is compelled to relinquish being very clever for a child, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miles-franklin/in-the-career-of-a-prodigy-there-invariably-comes-a-time-when-it-is/) [Miles Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miles-franklin/) > [A man does not wonder at what he sees frequently, even though he be ignorant of the reason. If anything happens which he has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/a-man-does-not-wonder-at-what-he-sees-frequently-even-though-he-be/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [I think it's fair to say that Nina Simone was a prodigy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-martin/i-think-it-s-fair-to-say-that-nina-simone-was-a-prodigy/) [Michel Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-martin/) > [ “Everyone loves a prodigy \[...\]. Prodigies get us off the hook for living ordinary lives. We can tell ourselves we're not special because we… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-hill/everyone-loves-a-prodigy-prodigies-get-us-off-the-hook-for-living/) [Nathan Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-hill/) > [He has the personality of a child prodigy, but no discernable talent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-hornby/he-has-the-personality-of-a-child-prodigy-but-no-discernable-talent/) [Nick Hornby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-hornby/) > [The word "prodigy" was thrown around a lot, but I didn't understand what that meant, or the weight of it. It didn't really mean…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/misty-copeland/the-word-prodigy-was-thrown-around-a-lot-but-i-didn-t-understand-what/) [Misty Copeland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/misty-copeland/) > [I wrote half the record in 2002, which basically concluded with us releasing "Baby's Got A Temper," the last single. I think after the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liam-howlett/i-wrote-half-the-record-in-2002-which-basically-concluded-with-us/) [Liam Howlett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liam-howlett/) ## More by Joshua Waitzkin > [My coach and my parents both had this relationship to what I was doing, which was allowing me to express myself with chess. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-waitzkin/my-coach-and-my-parents-both-had-this-relationship-to-what-i-was/) [Joshua Waitzkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-waitzkin/) > [At the very core of my relationship to learning is the idea that we should be as organic as possible. We need to cultivate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-waitzkin/at-the-very-core-of-my-relationship-to-learning-is-the-idea-that-we/) [Joshua Waitzkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-waitzkin/) > [I believe an appreciation for simplicity, the everyday - the ability to dive deeply into the banal and discover life's hidden richness - is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-waitzkin/i-believe-an-appreciation-for-simplicity-the-everyday-the-ability-to/) [Joshua Waitzkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-waitzkin/) > [Our minds are all different and I believe cultivating a keen introspective sensitivity is absolutely essential in discovering our potential.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-waitzkin/our-minds-are-all-different-and-i-believe-cultivating-a-keen/) [Joshua Waitzkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-waitzkin/) > [Very gifted people, they win and they win, and they are told that they win because they are a winner. That seems like a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-waitzkin/very-gifted-people-they-win-and-they-win-and-they-are-told-that-they/) [Joshua Waitzkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-waitzkin/) > [One of the main focuses of my training sessions is to help individuals find their unique voices in the learning process. We all have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-waitzkin/one-of-the-main-focuses-of-my-training-sessions-is-to-help/) [Joshua Waitzkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-waitzkin/) > [One thing about the business and investing world that I connect to very intimately is that there is little room to deny the harsh…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-waitzkin/one-thing-about-the-business-and-investing-world-that-i-connect-to/) [Joshua Waitzkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-waitzkin/) > [Not only do we have to be good at waiting, we have to love it. Because waiting is not waiting, it is life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-waitzkin/not-only-do-we-have-to-be-good-at-waiting-we-have-to-love-it-because/) [Joshua Waitzkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-waitzkin/) > [Of course the sad truth is that if we are not present to the moment, our true love could come and go and we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-waitzkin/of-course-the-sad-truth-is-that-if-we-are-not-present-to-the-moment/) [Joshua Waitzkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-waitzkin/) > [I tend not to dwell on the parallels between chess and business, chess and the martial arts, or any two things for that matter,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-waitzkin/i-tend-not-to-dwell-on-the-parallels-between-chess-and-business-chess/) [Joshua Waitzkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-waitzkin/) > [A man wants to walk across the land, but the earth is covered with thorns. He has two options - one is to pave…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-waitzkin/a-man-wants-to-walk-across-the-land-but-the-earth-is-covered-with/) [Joshua Waitzkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-waitzkin/) > [We learn by pushing ourselves and finding what really lies at the outer reaches of our abilities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-waitzkin/we-learn-by-pushing-ourselves-and-finding-what-really-lies-at-the/) [Joshua Waitzkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-waitzkin/) > [The moment we believe that success is determined by an ingrained level of ability as opposed to resilience and hard work, we will be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-waitzkin/the-moment-we-believe-that-success-is-determined-by-an-ingrained/) [Joshua Waitzkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-waitzkin/) > [In America, people focus on the end result; they focus on the star.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-waitzkin/in-america-people-focus-on-the-end-result-they-focus-on-the-star/) [Joshua Waitzkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-waitzkin/) > [The truth is that throughout my careers in both chess and the martial arts, I often knew that my rivals were more naturally gifted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-waitzkin/the-truth-is-that-throughout-my-careers-in-both-chess-and-the-martial/) [Joshua Waitzkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-waitzkin/) [Explore all 19 Joshua Waitzkin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-waitzkin/) ## More Prodigies quotes > [One of the deepest and strangest of all human moods is the mood which will suddenly strike us perhaps in a garden at night,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/one-of-the-deepest-and-strangest-of-all-human-moods-is-the-mood-which/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I was never a prodigy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lindsay-davenport/i-was-never-a-prodigy/) [Lindsay Davenport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lindsay-davenport/) > [Destiny, quite often, is a determined parent. Mozart was hardly some naive prodigy who sat down at the keyboard and, with God whispering in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/twyla-tharp/destiny-quite-often-is-a-determined-parent-mozart-was-hardly-some/) [Twyla Tharp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/twyla-tharp/) > [The philosopher, who with calm suspicion examines the dreams and omens, the miracles and prodigies, of profane or even of ecclesiastical history, will probably…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-gibbon/the-philosopher-who-with-calm-suspicion-examines-the-dreams-and-omens/) [Edward Gibbon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-gibbon/) > [And yes, again, that was it exactly. A retyper and not a writer. A prodigy and not a genius.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/and-yes-again-that-was-it-exactly-a-retyper-and-not-a-writer-a/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [Look at the real prodigies, and I look like nothing compared to them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-welles/look-at-the-real-prodigies-and-i-look-like-nothing-compared-to-them/) [Orson Welles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-welles/) > [The word "prodigy" was thrown around a lot, but I didn't understand what that meant, or the weight of it. It didn't really mean…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/misty-copeland/the-word-prodigy-was-thrown-around-a-lot-but-i-didn-t-understand-what/) [Misty Copeland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/misty-copeland/) > [He has the personality of a child prodigy, but no discernable talent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-hornby/he-has-the-personality-of-a-child-prodigy-but-no-discernable-talent/) [Nick Hornby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-hornby/) > [Our forefathers looked upon nature with more reverence and horror, before the world was enlightened by learning and philosophy, and loved to astonish themselves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/our-forefathers-looked-upon-nature-with-more-reverence-and-horror/) [Joseph Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/) > [When I was four, I think I just wanted to make noise. When I was about 10 years old I was given five CDs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eliot-paulina-sumner/when-i-was-four-i-think-i-just-wanted-to-make-noise-when-i-was-about/) [Eliot Paulina Sumner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eliot-paulina-sumner/) > [As the skies appear to a man, so is his mind. Some see only clouds there; some, prodigies and portents; some rarely look up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/as-the-skies-appear-to-a-man-so-is-his-mind-some-see-only-clouds/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“This book is not for parents who want to raise a perfect child. You can probably make that kind of kid, but I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brett-berk/this-book-is-not-for-parents-who-want-to-raise-a-perfect-child-you/) Brett Berk > [Some of my friends, they were the best, or prodigies, at the time, their development kind of stopped a few years later. Whereas I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viktor-hovland/some-of-my-friends-they-were-the-best-or-prodigies-at-the-time-their/) [Viktor Hovland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viktor-hovland/) > [I have always been a singer, a writer, and a musician, not as a prodigy or as in a trade handed to me by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-have-always-been-a-singer-a-writer-and-a-musician-not-as-a-prodigy/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [ “Everyone loves a prodigy \[...\]. Prodigies get us off the hook for living ordinary lives. We can tell ourselves we're not special because we… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-hill/everyone-loves-a-prodigy-prodigies-get-us-off-the-hook-for-living/) [Nathan Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-hill/) [Browse all 104 Prodigies quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prodigies/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I have never considered myself a prodigy. 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