--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: To be perfectly honest, I was never…" description: "\"To be perfectly honest, I was never really aware that I had any special abilities. When you have what you have, you don't really think about what you d..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f18/marc-andre-hamelin-28368_abilities_to-be-perfectly-honest-i-was-never-reall_2702600.jpg" --- # To be perfectly honest, I was never really aware that I… ![“To be perfectly honest, I was never really aware that I had any special abilities. When you have what you have, you don't really think about what you don't have; you simply work with what you have.” quote by Marc-Andre Hamelin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f18/marc-andre-hamelin-28368_abilities_to-be-perfectly-honest-i-was-never-reall_2702600.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f18/marc-andre-hamelin-28368_abilities_to-be-perfectly-honest-i-was-never-reall_2702600.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f18/marc-andre-hamelin-28368_abilities_to-be-perfectly-honest-i-was-never-reall_2702600.jpg) > “To be perfectly honest, I was never really aware that I had any special abilities. When you have what you have, you don't really think about what you don't have; you simply work with what you have.” [Marc-Andre Hamelin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marc-andre-hamelin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He was unaware of special abilities; he focuses on using what he has rather than lacking. **In simple terms:** Focus on existing abilities, not missing ones. Key Takeaway Leverage current strengths instead of yearning for more. Themes self‑awareness skill focus humility Mood reflective inspirational Type advice personal When to use this quote - career development - skill building - creative work - teaching Key Concepts psychology performance Questions to Reflect On - What abilities do you currently underutilize? - How can you expand your skill set? A Different Perspective Overlooking growth opportunities can limit progress. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Abilities](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abilities/) [Abilities Don](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abilities-don-2744530/) [Ability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/) [Honest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/honest/) [Really Aware](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/really-aware-576774/) [Special](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/special/) [Special Abilities](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/special-abilities-629325/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [Don't question my abilities if you don't know my capabilities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vumile-nzinzana/don-t-question-my-abilities-if-you-don-t-know-my-capabilities/) [Vumile Nzinzana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vumile-nzinzana/) > [May you discover your own special abilities and contribute them toward a better world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlene-costanzo/may-you-discover-your-own-special-abilities-and-contribute-them/) [Charlene Costanzo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlene-costanzo/) > [In my opinion, he has very special abilities. He has talent and he always manages to show it on the pitch. He always has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilkay-gundogan/in-my-opinion-he-has-very-special-abilities-he-has-talent-and-he/) [Ilkay Gundogan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilkay-gundogan/) > [Leadership is the ability to recognize the special abilities and limitations of others, combined with the capacity to fit each one into the job…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-oswald-sanders/leadership-is-the-ability-to-recognize-the-special-abilities-and/) [J. Oswald Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-oswald-sanders/) > [I don't care what you think, your junk does not have special abilities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeaniene-frost/i-don-t-care-what-you-think-your-junk-does-not-have-special-abilities/) [Jeaniene Frost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeaniene-frost/) > [“You have special abilities,” she goes on. “I don’t mean you are a witch or a fox spirit. And you’ve never seemed drawn to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-see/you-have-special-abilities-she-goes-on-i-don-t-mean-you-are-a-witch/) [Lisa See](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-see/) > [All cities have one key resource: the special abilities of the people who live in them. You just have to find out what they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-landry/all-cities-have-one-key-resource-the-special-abilities-of-the-people/) [Charles Landry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-landry/) > [You really become aware of your own life, what really matters, and it's not about the car you drive or what you have materially.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gena-lee-nolin/you-really-become-aware-of-your-own-life-what-really-matters-and-it-s/) [Gena Lee Nolin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gena-lee-nolin/) > [I was really aware, even while it was happening, that the discovery of arts education in my life sort of saved my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daveed-diggs/i-was-really-aware-even-while-it-was-happening-that-the-discovery-of/) [Daveed Diggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daveed-diggs/) > [I've always been really, really aware of my insecurities - really, really aware. I never developed that thick skin that keeps you from letting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-swift/i-ve-always-been-really-really-aware-of-my-insecurities-really-really/) [Taylor Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-swift/) > [I think that the way we begin our day is really the way we live our day and the way we live our lives;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-hay/i-think-that-the-way-we-begin-our-day-is-really-the-way-we-live-our/) [Louise Hay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-hay/) > [I've become really aware of all the subtle things you can communicate through the art and how you're presenting a character, particularly someone like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cliff-chiang/i-ve-become-really-aware-of-all-the-subtle-things-you-can-communicate/) [Cliff Chiang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cliff-chiang/) > [I'm already really aware and self-conscious of my accent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-whitmore/i-m-already-really-aware-and-self-conscious-of-my-accent/) [Laura Whitmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-whitmore/) > [“Much of growing wiser and moving toward the extraordinary is really about becoming aware of the models of reality that you carry with you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vishen-lakhiani/much-of-growing-wiser-and-moving-toward-the-extraordinary-is-really/) [Vishen Lakhiani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vishen-lakhiani/) > [I'm really aware that I can't hide any of my feelings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/corinne-bailey-rae/i-m-really-aware-that-i-can-t-hide-any-of-my-feelings/) [Corinne Bailey Rae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/corinne-bailey-rae/) ## More by Marc-Andre Hamelin > [The process of putting intangible thoughts into an imperfect system of notation - which is difficult enough, depending on your ideas - acquaints you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-andre-hamelin/the-process-of-putting-intangible-thoughts-into-an-imperfect-system/) [Marc-Andre Hamelin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marc-andre-hamelin/) > [A mission that comes from the heart to promote these things and to encourage composers to write, then of course they should do it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-andre-hamelin/a-mission-that-comes-from-the-heart-to-promote-these-things-and-to/) [Marc-Andre Hamelin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marc-andre-hamelin/) > [I never considered myself more able than anybody because I had problems just like anybody else. When I practiced, I solved problems, like any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-andre-hamelin/i-never-considered-myself-more-able-than-anybody-because-i-had/) [Marc-Andre Hamelin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marc-andre-hamelin/) > [That is my way of doing things, and I wouldn't necessarily recommend this to anybody else; if you need to do technical exercises, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-andre-hamelin/that-is-my-way-of-doing-things-and-i-wouldn-t-necessarily-recommend/) [Marc-Andre Hamelin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marc-andre-hamelin/) > [ From \[Nikolai\] Medtner himself, who I do not think was the best possible advocate of his own works. But that's my opinion: I find… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-andre-hamelin/from-nikolai-medtner-himself-who-i-do-not-think-was-the-best-possible/) [Marc-Andre Hamelin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marc-andre-hamelin/) > [ I think one of the reasons \[Nikolai\] Medtner hasn't had a chance is that his music needs very, very committed performances. If you play… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-andre-hamelin/i-think-one-of-the-reasons-nikolai-medtner-hasn-t-had-a-chance-is/) [Marc-Andre Hamelin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marc-andre-hamelin/) > [I don't record for my own glory.I mean, of course part of it is for career advancement, but more importantly, I want some of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-andre-hamelin/i-don-t-record-for-my-own-glory-i-mean-of-course-part-of-it-is-for/) [Marc-Andre Hamelin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marc-andre-hamelin/) > [I think anybody who's willing to really sink their teeth into a work like the Hammerklavier, which is a very interesting, different experience, should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-andre-hamelin/i-think-anybody-who-s-willing-to-really-sink-their-teeth-into-a-work/) [Marc-Andre Hamelin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marc-andre-hamelin/) > [Very rarely do I work on mechanics now. I tend to solve problems within the music itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-andre-hamelin/very-rarely-do-i-work-on-mechanics-now-i-tend-to-solve-problems/) [Marc-Andre Hamelin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marc-andre-hamelin/) > [Whenever I record something, I always believe that it's worthy of inclusion in the pantheon, and I would certainly like pianists to pay more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-andre-hamelin/whenever-i-record-something-i-always-believe-that-it-s-worthy-of/) [Marc-Andre Hamelin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marc-andre-hamelin/) > [It's the vision of the composer that we have to determine, and not the absolute mathematical adherence of the score. In my experience, there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-andre-hamelin/it-s-the-vision-of-the-composer-that-we-have-to-determine-and-not-the/) [Marc-Andre Hamelin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marc-andre-hamelin/) > [My father was a very good amateur pianist, and he had a collection of books on technique. One of the things he had was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-andre-hamelin/my-father-was-a-very-good-amateur-pianist-and-he-had-a-collection-of/) [Marc-Andre Hamelin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marc-andre-hamelin/) > [As far as the style, I can't say there is one definite style. I probably feel most comfortable writing in a tonal idiom, with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-andre-hamelin/as-far-as-the-style-i-can-t-say-there-is-one-definite-style-i/) [Marc-Andre Hamelin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marc-andre-hamelin/) > [I don't listen to recordings very much now, to be perfectly honest. I listened to them a lot when I was younger.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-andre-hamelin/i-don-t-listen-to-recordings-very-much-now-to-be-perfectly-honest-i/) [Marc-Andre Hamelin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marc-andre-hamelin/) > [There's a substantial portion of my recorded repertoire that was learned for the recording sessions, and then basically forgotten. I wouldn't say it's the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-andre-hamelin/there-s-a-substantial-portion-of-my-recorded-repertoire-that-was/) [Marc-Andre Hamelin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marc-andre-hamelin/) [Explore all 19 Marc-Andre Hamelin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marc-andre-hamelin/) ## More Abilities quotes > [An actor has to evaluate his own abilities and be honest with himself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-newman/an-actor-has-to-evaluate-his-own-abilities-and-be-honest-with-himself/) [Paul Newman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-newman/) > [I fight in the ring on my natural abilities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nigel-benn/i-fight-in-the-ring-on-my-natural-abilities/) [Nigel Benn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nigel-benn/) > [“He finally found someone like him. Someone who shared his abilities, someone who understood what he had to go through every day. And she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaxon-reed/he-finally-found-someone-like-him-someone-who-shared-his-abilities/) [Jaxon Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaxon-reed/) > [“I come from a land afar and a land up high. My abilities are only eclipsed by my excellent turn of phrase and if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-william-shaw/i-come-from-a-land-afar-and-a-land-up-high-my-abilities-are-only/) [Thomas William Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-william-shaw/) > [As we advance in life, we learn the limits of our abilities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/as-we-advance-in-life-we-learn-the-limits-of-our-abilities/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“The abilities distinctive of human beings are abilities of intellect and will. The relevant abilities of intellect are thought, imagination (the cogitative and creative…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-m-s-hacker/the-abilities-distinctive-of-human-beings-are-abilities-of-intellect/) [P. M. S. Hacker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-m-s-hacker/) > [I want to use the abilities that God has given me to do my job well and support my crewmates and mission and NASA.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-j-glover/i-want-to-use-the-abilities-that-god-has-given-me-to-do-my-job-well/) [Victor J. Glover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-j-glover/) > [“One should try to live with his abilities rather than his deprivals.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-h-rakib/one-should-try-to-live-with-his-abilities-rather-than-his-deprivals/) [M.H. Rakib](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-h-rakib/) > [“Believe in yourself and have faith in your abilities.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/believe-in-yourself-and-have-faith-in-your-abilities/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [No matter our age, our circumstances, or abilities... Each one of us can create something remarkable with our lives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-b-wirthlin/no-matter-our-age-our-circumstances-or-abilities-each-one-of-us-can/) [Joseph B. Wirthlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-b-wirthlin/) > [“Capability can handle challenges, it doesn't accept charity.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/capability-can-handle-challenges-it-doesn-t-accept-charity/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [When I hire actors I believe in their abilities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-durkin/when-i-hire-actors-i-believe-in-their-abilities/) [Sean Durkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-durkin/) > [“Earl "The Goat" Manigault was probably the greatest basketball player of all time, but Michael Jordan is universally regarded as the best ever. This…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tucker-max/earl-the-goat-manigault-was-probably-the-greatest-basketball-player/) [Tucker Max](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tucker-max/) > [A hero is defined by what he or she can do, not by what he or she cannot do](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damon-throop/a-hero-is-defined-by-what-he-or-she-can-do-not-by-what-he-or-she/) [Damon Throop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damon-throop/) > [“There are different kinds of birds and there are different situations and places to find these birds. Some of these birds choose to eat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-agyemang-yeboah/there-are-different-kinds-of-birds-and-there-are-different-situations/) [Ernest Agyemang Yeboah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-agyemang-yeboah/) [Browse all 259 Abilities quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abilities/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "To be perfectly honest, I was never really aware that I had any special abilities. 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