--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I decided a long time ago that I didn't…" description: "\"I decided a long time ago that I didn't have to be talented. I just had to be persistent.\" — Kate DiCamillo" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c5c/kate-dicamillo-599_decided_i-decided-a-long-time-ago-that-i-didn-t_2598495.png" --- # I decided a long time ago that I didn't have to be… ![“I decided a long time ago that I didn't have to be talented. I just had to be persistent.” quote by Kate DiCamillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c5c/kate-dicamillo-599_decided_i-decided-a-long-time-ago-that-i-didn-t_2598495.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c5c/kate-dicamillo-599_decided_i-decided-a-long-time-ago-that-i-didn-t_2598495.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c5c/kate-dicamillo-599_decided_i-decided-a-long-time-ago-that-i-didn-t_2598495.png) > “I decided a long time ago that I didn't have to be talented. I just had to be persistent.” [Kate DiCamillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-dicamillo/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Success stems from persistence, not innate talent; effort outweighs ability **In simple terms:** Persistence beats talent Key Takeaway Keep trying despite setbacks Themes perseverance effort self‑belief Mood encouraging optimistic Type self‑help inspirational When to use this quote - academic pursuits - career development - artistic practice Key Concepts growth mindset resilience habit formation Questions to Reflect On - What habit sustains your persistence? - How do you measure progress beyond talent? A Different Perspective Talent alone is insufficient without sustained effort ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Decided](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decided/) [Decided Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decided-long-953792/) [Didn Talented](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/didn-talented-1922870/) [Just](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/just/) [Just Persistent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/just-persistent-1922869/) [Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long/) [Long time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long-time/) [Long time ago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long-time-ago/) [Persistent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/persistent/) [Talented Just](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/talented-just-493988/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [“You don't have to be perfect…just persistent!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-kennedy-iii/you-don-t-have-to-be-perfect-just-persistent/) [Robert Kennedy III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-kennedy-iii/) > [“I try not to be cruel, just persistent. There are days when the difference is pretty damn slight.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurell-k-hamilton/i-try-not-to-be-cruel-just-persistent-there-are-days-when-the/) [Laurell K. Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurell-k-hamilton/) > [A lot of the guys worry about their form. For me, it is just about being persistent and patient.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shikhar-dhawan/a-lot-of-the-guys-worry-about-their-form-for-me-it-is-just-about/) [Shikhar Dhawan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shikhar-dhawan/) > [I do not see myself as talented. I just sweat it off, doing what you love is the key to success.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-limn/i-do-not-see-myself-as-talented-i-just-sweat-it-off-doing-what-you/) [Jeremy Limn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-limn/) > [There are some people who are naturally talented, who just have it coming out of their ears; they just sparkle with talent. Some people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suranne-jones/there-are-some-people-who-are-naturally-talented-who-just-have-it/) [Suranne Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suranne-jones/) > [I think there are a lot of other actors that are just talented, it's just about this opportunity - it's just about when are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nia-long/i-think-there-are-a-lot-of-other-actors-that-are-just-talented-it-s/) [Nia Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nia-long/) > [When I met someone who I thought was really talented, I would just be like, Wow! How did you get that way? And I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larkin-grimm/when-i-met-someone-who-i-thought-was-really-talented-i-would-just-be/) [Larkin Grimm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larkin-grimm/) > [I decided long ago never to walk in anyone's shadow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-decided-long-ago-never-to-walk-in-anyone-s-shadow/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I decided a very long time ago that I'm all in for this sport, regardless of success or failure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-hooker/i-decided-a-very-long-time-ago-that-i-m-all-in-for-this-sport/) [Dan Hooker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-hooker/) > [I decided as long as I was going to hell, I might as well do it thoroughly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-cullen/i-decided-as-long-as-i-was-going-to-hell-i-might-as-well-do-it/) [Edward Cullen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-cullen/) > [I decided a very long time ago that I would refuse to be defined by trauma and would only be defined by success, when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rege-jean-page/i-decided-a-very-long-time-ago-that-i-would-refuse-to-be-defined-by/) [Rege-Jean Page](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rege-jean-page/) > [I decided long ago, never to walk in anyone's shadow. If I fail, If I succeed. At least I live as I believe. No…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-benson/i-decided-long-ago-never-to-walk-in-anyone-s-shadow-if-i-fail-if-i/) [George Benson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-benson/) > [I decided a long time ago that protecting our Second Amendment means doing so across the board, no exceptions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronny-jackson/i-decided-a-long-time-ago-that-protecting-our-second-amendment-means/) [Ronny Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronny-jackson/) > [“I decided as long as I'm going to hell, I might as well do it thoroughly.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephenie-meyer/i-decided-as-long-as-i-m-going-to-hell-i-might-as-well-do-it/) [Stephenie Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephenie-meyer/) > [I decided a long time ago but sometimes it takes you 40 years to get around to doing something - and that's the truthful answer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dustin-hoffman/i-decided-a-long-time-ago-but-sometimes-it-takes-you-40-years-to-get/) [Dustin Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dustin-hoffman/) ## More by Kate DiCamillo > [In luggage claim at the Minneapolis airport, the guy came up to me and said, "Maybe you're wrong, maybe stories do matter." I wrote…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-dicamillo/in-luggage-claim-at-the-minneapolis-airport-the-guy-came-up-to-me-and/) [Kate DiCamillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-dicamillo/) > [“If every babe who cried were still alive, well, then, the world would be a very crowded place, indeed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-dicamillo/if-every-babe-who-cried-were-still-alive-well-then-the-world-would-be/) [Kate DiCamillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-dicamillo/) > [My father leaving the family shaped who I was and how I looked at the world. By the same token, my father telling me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-dicamillo/my-father-leaving-the-family-shaped-who-i-was-and-how-i-looked-at-the/) [Kate DiCamillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-dicamillo/) > [Reader, you may ask this queston. In fact, you must ask this question. Is it ridiculous for a very small, sickly, big-eared mouse to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-dicamillo/reader-you-may-ask-this-queston-in-fact-you-must-ask-this-question-is/) [Kate DiCamillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-dicamillo/) > [It wasn't until my fifth or sixth book where I realized I'm trying to do the same thing in every story I tell, which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-dicamillo/it-wasn-t-until-my-fifth-or-sixth-book-where-i-realized-i-m-trying-to/) [Kate DiCamillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-dicamillo/) > [ \[He\] had the soul of a poet, and because of this, he liked very much to consider questions that had no answers. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-dicamillo/he-had-the-soul-of-a-poet-and-because-of-this-he-liked-very-much-to/) [Kate DiCamillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-dicamillo/) > [Everything about writing is hard for me except for that - the names pop into my head. That's one of the reasons why I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-dicamillo/everything-about-writing-is-hard-for-me-except-for-that-the-names-pop/) [Kate DiCamillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-dicamillo/) > [Reading a story should be a fabulous, wonderful thing. The most important thing that parents can do for kids is to read with them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-dicamillo/reading-a-story-should-be-a-fabulous-wonderful-thing-the-most/) [Kate DiCamillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-dicamillo/) > [You have to learn how to write each book.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-dicamillo/you-have-to-learn-how-to-write-each-book/) [Kate DiCamillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-dicamillo/) > [“If you have no intention of loving or being loved then the whole journey is pointless”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-dicamillo/if-you-have-no-intention-of-loving-or-being-loved-then-the-whole/) [Kate DiCamillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-dicamillo/) > [I feel like the luckiest person in the world to have found what I am supposed to do and to get to do it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-dicamillo/i-feel-like-the-luckiest-person-in-the-world-to-have-found-what-i-am/) [Kate DiCamillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-dicamillo/) > [“Everything, as you well know (having lived in this world long enough to have figured out a thing or two for yourself), cannot always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-dicamillo/everything-as-you-well-know-having-lived-in-this-world-long-enough-to/) [Kate DiCamillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-dicamillo/) > [“Dear God, thank you for warm summer nights and candlelight and good food. But thank you most of all for friends. We appreciate the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-dicamillo/dear-god-thank-you-for-warm-summer-nights-and-candlelight-and-good/) [Kate DiCamillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-dicamillo/) > [There ain't no point in making soup unless others eat it. Soup needs another mouth to taste it, another heart to be warmed by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-dicamillo/there-ain-t-no-point-in-making-soup-unless-others-eat-it-soup-needs/) [Kate DiCamillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-dicamillo/) > [ I remember wanting to write a book with someone, the someone being Kate \[DiCamillo\], and we decided to write about two friends. We had… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-dicamillo/i-remember-wanting-to-write-a-book-with-someone-the-someone-being/) [Kate DiCamillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-dicamillo/) [Explore all 442 Kate DiCamillo quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-dicamillo/) ## More Decided quotes > [My first ever job after college was as a flight attendant. I wanted to travel and could not afford it, so I decided to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacqueline-winspear/my-first-ever-job-after-college-was-as-a-flight-attendant-i-wanted-to/) [Jacqueline Winspear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacqueline-winspear/) > [The only thing I try to watch carefully is that I never lose the love for the instrument. That's also why I decided against…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nils-frahm/the-only-thing-i-try-to-watch-carefully-is-that-i-never-lose-the-love/) [Nils Frahm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nils-frahm/) > [As a professional athlete and someone who has spent almost his entire life in boxing, not a day goes by when I don't think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-de-la-hoya/as-a-professional-athlete-and-someone-who-has-spent-almost-his-entire/) [Oscar De La Hoya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-de-la-hoya/) > [One day I decided I would like to put a record into my system. So I picked up a record that was lying on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pauline-oliveros/one-day-i-decided-i-would-like-to-put-a-record-into-my-system-so-i/) [Pauline Oliveros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pauline-oliveros/) > [I'm truly, 100% guided by the characters and my Muse. If one of the characters suddenly decided to do something very different, I'd just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lori-foster/i-m-truly-100-guided-by-the-characters-and-my-muse-if-one-of-the/) [Lori Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lori-foster/) > [I just decided to take some time off. I've been modeling since '93, '92, and that's a pretty long time. I'm a single mother…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolyn-murphy/i-just-decided-to-take-some-time-off-i-ve-been-modeling-since-93-92/) [Carolyn Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolyn-murphy/) > [When I became 21, I decided that nobody learned anything about politics after the age of 21.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grover-norquist/when-i-became-21-i-decided-that-nobody-learned-anything-about/) [Grover Norquist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grover-norquist/) > [Before I started doing the film and when I found out I was going to be doing it, I just decided to pump up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/parminder-nagra/before-i-started-doing-the-film-and-when-i-found-out-i-was-going-to/) [Parminder Nagra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/parminder-nagra/) > [In a personal way, to do with family and the father-son relationship, in a kind of artistic way with regard to him being an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-serkis/in-a-personal-way-to-do-with-family-and-the-father-son-relationship/) [Andy Serkis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-serkis/) > [You've decided to love me for eternity, I'm still deciding who I want to be today.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ani-difranco/you-ve-decided-to-love-me-for-eternity-i-m-still-deciding-who-i-want/) [Ani DiFranco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ani-difranco/) > [I turned to my mom and said, 'I'm going to be a martial arts movie star.' She didn't believe me, and neither did my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-adkins/i-turned-to-my-mom-and-said-i-m-going-to-be-a-martial-arts-movie-star/) [Scott Adkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-adkins/) > [He decided then that he would love her forever no matter what came to pass. It was not so much a matter of deciding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-guterson/he-decided-then-that-he-would-love-her-forever-no-matter-what-came-to/) [David Guterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-guterson/) > [At age 28, I had no retail experience, no consumer marketing experience and no real Internet experience. But I decided I wanted to work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mariam-naficy/at-age-28-i-had-no-retail-experience-no-consumer-marketing-experience/) [Mariam Naficy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mariam-naficy/) > [Work hard on each opinion, but once the case is decided, don't look back; go on to the next case and give it your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-bader-ginsburg/work-hard-on-each-opinion-but-once-the-case-is-decided-don-t-look/) [Ruth Bader Ginsburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-bader-ginsburg/) > [You see, years ago I was just an ordinary bee minding my own business, smelling flowers all day, and occasionally picking up part-time work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norton-juster/you-see-years-ago-i-was-just-an-ordinary-bee-minding-my-own-business/) [Norton Juster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norton-juster/) [Browse all 3,155 Decided quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decided/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I decided a long time ago that I didn't have to be talented. I just had to be persistent.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Kate DiCamillo" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-dicamillo/i-decided-a-long-time-ago-that-i-didn-t-have-to-be-talented-i-just/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Decided" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-dicamillo/i-decided-a-long-time-ago-that-i-didn-t-have-to-be-talented-i-just/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c5c/kate-dicamillo-599_decided_i-decided-a-long-time-ago-that-i-didn-t_2598495.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c5c/kate-dicamillo-599_decided_i-decided-a-long-time-ago-that-i-didn-t_2598495.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c5c/kate-dicamillo-599_decided_i-decided-a-long-time-ago-that-i-didn-t_2598495.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I decided a long time ago that I didn't have to be talented. I just had to be persistent.” — Kate DiCamillo", "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": "Kate DiCamillo", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-dicamillo/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I decided a long time ago...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-dicamillo/i-decided-a-long-time-ago-that-i-didn-t-have-to-be-talented-i-just/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-dicamillo/i-decided-a-long-time-ago-that-i-didn-t-have-to-be-talented-i-just/#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 } } ] } ```