--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We tell ourselves that skill is the…" description: "\"We tell ourselves that skill is the precious resource and effort is the commodity. It's the other way around. Effort can trump ability-relentl ess effo..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a70/malcolm-gladwell-348_ability_we-tell-ourselves-that-skill-is-the-prec_1000149.png" --- # We tell ourselves that skill is the precious resource and… ![“We tell ourselves that skill is the precious resource and effort is the commodity. It's the other way around. Effort can trump ability-relentl ess effort is in fact something rarer than the ability to engage in some finely tuned act of motor coordination.” quote by Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a70/malcolm-gladwell-348_ability_we-tell-ourselves-that-skill-is-the-prec_1000149.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a70/malcolm-gladwell-348_ability_we-tell-ourselves-that-skill-is-the-prec_1000149.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a70/malcolm-gladwell-348_ability_we-tell-ourselves-that-skill-is-the-prec_1000149.png) > “We tell ourselves that skill is the precious resource and effort is the commodity. It's the other way around. Effort can trump ability-relentl ess effort is in fact something rarer than the ability to engage in some finely tuned act of motor coordination.” [Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Effort is rarer and more valuable than innate skill; hard work can outweigh natural talent. **In simple terms:** Hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard. Key Takeaway Invest in deliberate practice. Themes effort skill talent hard work Mood reflective analytical Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - learning a new language - training for sport - career advancement - artistic development Key Concepts deliberate practice growth mindset resource allocation Questions to Reflect On - How can you measure effort versus talent in your field? - What strategies increase the rarity of effort? A Different Perspective Talent still matters for initial opportunities. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/) [Effort](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/effort/) [Facts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/facts/) [Hard work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hard-work/) [Skill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/skill/) [Skills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/skills/) ## Related quotes > [Children who played outside every day, regrdless of weather, had better motor coordination and more ability to concentrate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-louv/children-who-played-outside-every-day-regrdless-of-weather-had-better/) [Richard Louv](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-louv/) > [Suppose we have a motor and our transmission doesn't work or our clutch or whatever. 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There is a very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/condoleezza-rice/a-lot-is-being-done-to-bring-additional-protective-measures/) [Condoleezza Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/condoleezza-rice/) > [The formation of the News America Publishing Group will lead to greater editorial excitement, new business opportunities and greater efficiencies and coordination.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-chernin/the-formation-of-the-news-america-publishing-group-will-lead-to/) [Peter Chernin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-chernin/) > [It's interesting. I've known quite a few good athletes that can't begin to play a beat on the drum set. Most team sport is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-peart/it-s-interesting-i-ve-known-quite-a-few-good-athletes-that-can-t/) [Neil Peart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-peart/) > [I can feel how an audience is reacting when I'm on a stage, but when you are on stage, your perception is distorted. That's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-c-k/i-can-feel-how-an-audience-is-reacting-when-i-m-on-a-stage-but-when/) [Louis C. K](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-c-k/) ## More by Malcolm Gladwell > [When I go to my health club, and it's in the basement, you have to take the elevator down. 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They are famously "the people of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-gladwell/the-conventional-explanation-for-jewish-success-of-course-is-that/) [Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/) > [“An archway to one side leads to a church, the Madonna del Carmine—Our Lady of Mount Carmine. Narrow”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-gladwell/an-archway-to-one-side-leads-to-a-church-the-madonna-del-carmine-our/) [Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/) > [People are experience-rich and theory-poor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-gladwell/people-are-experience-rich-and-theory-poor/) [Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/) > [“Most psychologists believe that nature—genetics—accounts for about half of the reason why we tend to act the way we do. 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Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-r-holland/) > [Maybe law enforcement would like the ability to turn on the camera on your Mac.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-cook/maybe-law-enforcement-would-like-the-ability-to-turn-on-the-camera-on/) [Tim Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-cook/) > [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/) > [The youth of India has the strength to move the entire World with a click of a mouse, we have generated that ability!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/narendra-modi/the-youth-of-india-has-the-strength-to-move-the-entire-world-with-a/) [Narendra Modi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/narendra-modi/) > [Time hath not yet so dried this blood of mine, Nor age so eat up my invention, Nor fortune made such havoc of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/time-hath-not-yet-so-dried-this-blood-of-mine-nor-age-so-eat-up-my/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [An absolutely necessary part of a writer's equipment, almost as necessary as talent, is the ability to stand up under punishment, both the punishment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irwin-shaw/an-absolutely-necessary-part-of-a-writer-s-equipment-almost-as/) [Irwin Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irwin-shaw/) > [I'd be more frightened by not using whatever abilities I'd been given. I'd be more frightened by procrastination and laziness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denzel-washington/i-d-be-more-frightened-by-not-using-whatever-abilities-i-d-been-given/) [Denzel Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denzel-washington/) > [Bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. 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