--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Nobody should try to be the best at every…" description: "\"Nobody should try to be the best at every discipline, especially not you. If you are, you're bound to plateau.\" — Laird Hamilton" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/107/laird-hamilton-3258_best_nobody-should-try-to-be-the-best-at-ever_2731522.png" --- # Nobody should try to be the best at every discipline… ![“Nobody should try to be the best at every discipline, especially not you. If you are, you're bound to plateau.” quote by Laird Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/107/laird-hamilton-3258_best_nobody-should-try-to-be-the-best-at-ever_2731522.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/107/laird-hamilton-3258_best_nobody-should-try-to-be-the-best-at-ever_2731522.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/107/laird-hamilton-3258_best_nobody-should-try-to-be-the-best-at-ever_2731522.png) > “Nobody should try to be the best at every discipline, especially not you. If you are, you're bound to plateau.” [Laird Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laird-hamilton/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Attempting to master every discipline leads to plateau; focus on a few for excellence. **In simple terms:** Trying all skills causes stagnation. Key Takeaway Specialize to achieve mastery. Themes growth focus expertise Mood pragmatic insightful Type advisory philosophical When to use this quote - sports training - career development - education Key Concepts skill acquisition deliberate practice performance psychology Questions to Reflect On - When is diversification beneficial? - How to know which skills to prioritize? A Different Perspective Over‑specialization may limit adaptability. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Discipline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/discipline/) [Plateau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/plateau/) ## Related quotes > [I set as my goal to be the best dancer I could be. Not the most famous, or the highest paid dancer, just the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-farrell/i-set-as-my-goal-to-be-the-best-dancer-i-could-be-not-the-most-famous/) [Suzanne Farrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-farrell/) > [For the learning of every virtue there is an appropriate discipline, and for the learning of suspended judgment the best discipline is philosophy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/for-the-learning-of-every-virtue-there-is-an-appropriate-discipline/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [The best discipline, maybe the only discipline that really works, is self- discipline.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-kiechel/the-best-discipline-maybe-the-only-discipline-that-really-works-is/) [Walter Kiechel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-kiechel/) > [Passion produces the best discipline.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-johnson/passion-produces-the-best-discipline/) [Bill Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-johnson/) > [Fear is that thing that keeps you up there on that other plateau. Fear is that thing that just keeps you closed down, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-shue/fear-is-that-thing-that-keeps-you-up-there-on-that-other-plateau-fear/) [Andrew Shue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-shue/) > [I don't think I have reached a plateau. I have just reached the level where I am today. But I need to go above…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-beckham/i-don-t-think-i-have-reached-a-plateau-i-have-just-reached-the-level/) [David Beckham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-beckham/) > [Stock prices have reached what looks like a permanently high plateau.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irving-fisher/stock-prices-have-reached-what-looks-like-a-permanently-high-plateau-2/) [Irving Fisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irving-fisher/) > [Home sales are coming down from the mountain peak, but they will level out at a high plateau - a plateau that is higher…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lereah/home-sales-are-coming-down-from-the-mountain-peak-but-they-will-level/) [David Lereah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lereah/) > ['Breaking Bad' was such a high plateau.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-paul/breaking-bad-was-such-a-high-plateau/) [Aaron Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-paul/) > [Plateau experiencing can be achieved, learned, earned by long hard work… A transient glimpse is certainly possible in the peak experiences which may, after…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-maslow/plateau-experiencing-can-be-achieved-learned-earned-by-long-hard-work/) [Abraham Maslow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-maslow/) > [The 'OK Plateau' is that place we all get to where we just stop getting better at something. Take typing, for example. You might…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-foer/the-ok-plateau-is-that-place-we-all-get-to-where-we-just-stop-getting/) [Joshua Foer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-foer/) > [“God placed humans on a plateau above the rest of creation when he fashioned them in his relational image and likeness. To”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-mcdowell/god-placed-humans-on-a-plateau-above-the-rest-of-creation-when-he/) [Josh McDowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-mcdowell/) > [To love the plateau is to love what is most essential and enduring in your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-leonard/to-love-the-plateau-is-to-love-what-is-most-essential-and-enduring-in/) [George Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-leonard/) > [With ski jumping I reached a plateau and the more I did it the worse I got.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-tindall/with-ski-jumping-i-reached-a-plateau-and-the-more-i-did-it-the-worse/) [Mike Tindall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-tindall/) > [Get comfortable being uncomfortable, that's how you break the plateau and reach the next level.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chalene-johnson/get-comfortable-being-uncomfortable-that-s-how-you-break-the-plateau/) [Chalene Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chalene-johnson/) ## More by Laird Hamilton > [The amount of things you can do with a kettlebell is unsurpassed by any other training equipment - dumbbells, resistance machines, free weights.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laird-hamilton/the-amount-of-things-you-can-do-with-a-kettlebell-is-unsurpassed-by/) [Laird Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laird-hamilton/) > [People don't think much about breathing. Of all the things we take for granted, breathing has to be number one - even though it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laird-hamilton/people-don-t-think-much-about-breathing-of-all-the-things-we-take-for/) [Laird Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laird-hamilton/) > [I need a big wave to really excel. The smaller stuff is a bit like...ballet for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laird-hamilton/i-need-a-big-wave-to-really-excel-the-smaller-stuff-is-a-bit-like/) [Laird Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laird-hamilton/) > [What separates great athletes from mediocre ones isn't only talent and training - it's also how well they can handle discomfort.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laird-hamilton/what-separates-great-athletes-from-mediocre-ones-isn-t-only-talent/) [Laird Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laird-hamilton/) > [People always ask me when they see me working out, "What are you training for?" The answer is I'm training for life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laird-hamilton/people-always-ask-me-when-they-see-me-working-out-what-are-you/) [Laird Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laird-hamilton/) > [I love espresso... You could give me five shots of espresso, a quarter stick of butter, a quarter stick of coconut oil and other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laird-hamilton/i-love-espresso-you-could-give-me-five-shots-of-espresso-a-quarter/) [Laird Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laird-hamilton/) > [Anyone who knows what he's doing takes a serious attitude toward a risky situation and doesn't take it lightly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laird-hamilton/anyone-who-knows-what-he-s-doing-takes-a-serious-attitude-toward-a/) [Laird Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laird-hamilton/) > [You want to have diversity in your diet. 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It's instantly uncomfortable, which isn't true…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laird-hamilton/most-people-don-t-stretch-because-in-a-way-it-s-one-of-the-activities/) [Laird Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laird-hamilton/) > [To me, there's nothing worse than waking up and realizing that the sun's already been up for awhile. I feel like I've missed out,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laird-hamilton/to-me-there-s-nothing-worse-than-waking-up-and-realizing-that-the-sun/) [Laird Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laird-hamilton/) > [Start to think about food as a fuel source and you'll see real results.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laird-hamilton/start-to-think-about-food-as-a-fuel-source-and-you-ll-see-real-results/) [Laird Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laird-hamilton/) [Explore all 135 Laird Hamilton quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laird-hamilton/) ## More Best quotes > [Failures happen. You can't cry over them. 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