--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Skill is successfully walking a tightrope…" description: "\"Skill is successfully walking a tightrope between the twin towers of New York's World Trade Center. Intelligence is not trying.\" — Marilyn Vos Savant" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ab/marilyn-vos-savant-2806_intelligence_skill-is-successfully-walking-a-tightrop_3182526.png" --- # Skill is successfully walking a tightrope between the twin… ![“Skill is successfully walking a tightrope between the twin towers of New York's World Trade Center. Intelligence is not trying.” quote by Marilyn Vos Savant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ab/marilyn-vos-savant-2806_intelligence_skill-is-successfully-walking-a-tightrop_3182526.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ab/marilyn-vos-savant-2806_intelligence_skill-is-successfully-walking-a-tightrop_3182526.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ab/marilyn-vos-savant-2806_intelligence_skill-is-successfully-walking-a-tightrop_3182526.png) > “Skill is successfully walking a tightrope between the twin towers of New York's World Trade Center. Intelligence is not trying.” [Marilyn Vos Savant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-vos-savant/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Skill involves daring actions, while intelligence is about restraint and not overreaching. **In simple terms:** Skill is bold; intelligence is measured. Key Takeaway Know when to act and when to hold back. Themes risk taking wisdom skill intelligence Mood analytical cautionary Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - entrepreneurship - investment - public speaking Key Concepts decision theory risk management psychology Questions to Reflect On - When is it better to stay cautious? - How do you assess risk versus reward? A Different Perspective Bold actions can be reckless without wisdom. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Intelligence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intelligence/) [Intelligence Trying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intelligence-trying-5836472/) [Skill Successfully](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/skill-successfully-2997901/) [Successfully Walking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/successfully-walking-5836471/) [Twin towers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/twin-towers/) [Walking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/walking/) [Walking Tightrope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/walking-tightrope-694911/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) [World trade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world-trade/) [World trade center](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world-trade-center/) ## Related quotes > [Skill is successfully walking a tightrope over Niagara Falls. Intelligence is not trying.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-vos-savant/skill-is-successfully-walking-a-tightrope-over-niagara-falls/) [Marilyn Vos Savant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-vos-savant/) > [I consider part of lower Manhattan to be hallowed ground. Nearly 3,000 people lost their lives in the World Trade Center towers... and for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-shuster/i-consider-part-of-lower-manhattan-to-be-hallowed-ground-nearly-3-000/) [David Shuster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-shuster/) > [The same architect who designed the Seattle fair's futuristic Science Center, with its lacy Gothic arches and spires, Minoru Yamasaki, was hired to design…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-palahniuk/the-same-architect-who-designed-the-seattle-fair-s-futuristic-science/) [Chuck Palahniuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-palahniuk/) > [“If the first decade of the 21st century can be summarized in one scene, It will definitely be the collision of the two planes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mustafa-badr/if-the-first-decade-of-the-21st-century-can-be-summarized-in-one/) [Mustafa Badr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mustafa-badr/) > [Societies raise their grandest monuments to what their cultures value most highly. As the tallest buildings in a city noted for tall buildings, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-mandelbaum/societies-raise-their-grandest-monuments-to-what-their-cultures-value/) [Michael Mandelbaum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-mandelbaum/) > [The world should have stopped, but it didn't. The world kept on going. How can the world just keep on going? An earthquake in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-mcghee/the-world-should-have-stopped-but-it-didn-t-the-world-kept-on-going/) [Alison McGhee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-mcghee/) > [As to those in the World Trade Center...Let's get a grip here, shall we? True enough, they were civilians of a sort. But innocent?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ward-churchill/as-to-those-in-the-world-trade-center-let-s-get-a-grip-here-shall-we/) [Ward Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ward-churchill/) > [“The taxi stand was only an open shelter, so I was freezing as I looked toward midtown. I could see the RCA building with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-antonelli/the-taxi-stand-was-only-an-open-shelter-so-i-was-freezing-as-i-looked/) [Lou Antonelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-antonelli/) > [I know it's impossible. But I know I'll do it!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philippe-petit/i-know-it-s-impossible-but-i-know-i-ll-do-it/) [Philippe Petit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philippe-petit/) > [“When the towers again twin-tickle the clouds, I offer to walk again, to be the expression of the builder's collective voice. Together, we will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philippe-petit/when-the-towers-again-twin-tickle-the-clouds-i-offer-to-walk-again-to/) [Philippe Petit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philippe-petit/) > [If you want to humble an empire it makes sense to maim its cathedrals. They are symbols of its faith, and when they crumple…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-gibbs/if-you-want-to-humble-an-empire-it-makes-sense-to-maim-its-cathedrals/) [Nancy Gibbs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-gibbs/) > [Osama bin Laden's hijacked planes not only attacked the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. They also attacked Islam as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamal-khashoggi/osama-bin-laden-s-hijacked-planes-not-only-attacked-the-twin-towers/) [Jamal Khashoggi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamal-khashoggi/) > [ \[ Being naked on scene \] was like walking a tightrope without a net - with a giant fan blowing at you. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-manganiello/being-naked-on-scene-was-like-walking-a-tightrope-without-a-net-with/) [Joe Manganiello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-manganiello/) > [“We were walking that tightrope between friends and something more...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-aragon/we-were-walking-that-tightrope-between-friends-and-something-more/) [Melissa Aragon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-aragon/) > [“Life is like walking a tightrope: A balance between turning inward Often enough to find your happy core And focusing outward Often enough to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-marques/life-is-like-walking-a-tightrope-a-balance-between-turning-inward/) [Joan Marques](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-marques/) ## More by Marilyn Vos Savant > [There's plenty of intelligence in the world, but the courage to do things differently is in short supply.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-vos-savant/there-s-plenty-of-intelligence-in-the-world-but-the-courage-to-do/) [Marilyn vos Savant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-vos-savant/) > [Society needs people who can manage projects in addition to handling individual tasks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-vos-savant/society-needs-people-who-can-manage-projects-in-addition-to-handling/) [Marilyn vos Savant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-vos-savant/) > [If you never heard opportunity knock, maybe you're never at home.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-vos-savant/if-you-never-heard-opportunity-knock-maybe-you-re-never-at-home/) [Marilyn vos Savant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-vos-savant/) > [Email, instant messaging, and cell phones give us fabulous communication ability, but because we live and work in our own little worlds, that communication…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-vos-savant/email-instant-messaging-and-cell-phones-give-us-fabulous/) [Marilyn vos Savant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-vos-savant/) > [Experts say you can't concentrate on more than one task at a time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-vos-savant/experts-say-you-can-t-concentrate-on-more-than-one-task-at-a-time/) [Marilyn vos Savant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-vos-savant/) > [“If your head tells you one thing and your heart tells you another ,before you do anything,you should first decide wether you have a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-vos-savant/if-your-head-tells-you-one-thing-and-your-heart-tells-you-another/) [Marilyn vos Savant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-vos-savant/) > [What is the essence of America? Finding and maintaining that perfect, delicate balance between freedom 'to' and freedom 'from.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-vos-savant/what-is-the-essence-of-america-finding-and-maintaining-that-perfect/) [Marilyn vos Savant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-vos-savant/) > [It is a lot easier to prove that you don't love someone than it is to prove that you do, but one of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-vos-savant/it-is-a-lot-easier-to-prove-that-you-don-t-love-someone-than-it-is-to/) [Marilyn vos Savant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-vos-savant/) > [I suspect that some apparently homosexual people are really heterosexuals who deeply phobic about the opposite sex or have other emotional problems.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-vos-savant/i-suspect-that-some-apparently-homosexual-people-are-really/) [Marilyn vos Savant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-vos-savant/) > [A friend is someone who stays by your side all through the troubles he's caused you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-vos-savant/a-friend-is-someone-who-stays-by-your-side-all-through-the-troubles/) [Marilyn vos Savant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-vos-savant/) > [Loving behavior contributes to the group at the expense of the individual. Competition contributes to the survival of the individual at the expense of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-vos-savant/loving-behavior-contributes-to-the-group-at-the-expense-of-the/) [Marilyn vos Savant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-vos-savant/) > [Be able to suffer wearing a necktie or slightly high heels for an entire evening without complaint or early removal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-vos-savant/be-able-to-suffer-wearing-a-necktie-or-slightly-high-heels-for-an/) [Marilyn vos Savant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-vos-savant/) > [Be able to describe anything visual, such as a street scene, in words that convey your meaning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-vos-savant/be-able-to-describe-anything-visual-such-as-a-street-scene-in-words/) [Marilyn vos Savant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-vos-savant/) > [Be able to sneeze without sounding ridiculous. That means neither stifling yourself or spraying your immediate vicinity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-vos-savant/be-able-to-sneeze-without-sounding-ridiculous-that-means-neither/) [Marilyn vos Savant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-vos-savant/) > [At first, I only laughed at myself. Then I noticed that life itself is amusing. I've been in a generally good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-vos-savant/at-first-i-only-laughed-at-myself-then-i-noticed-that-life-itself-is/) [Marilyn Vos Savant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-vos-savant/) [Explore all 149 Marilyn Vos Savant quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-vos-savant/) ## More Intelligence quotes > [If you can do anything for love there's no reason you can't do everything to someone you love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jayjay-guillermo/if-you-can-do-anything-for-love-there-s-no-reason-you-can-t-do/) [Jayjay Guillermo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jayjay-guillermo/) > [Long before the 2016 presidential campaign, confidential sources had alerted me to longstanding misuses of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court system and the erosion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharyl-attkisson/long-before-the-2016-presidential-campaign-confidential-sources-had/) [Sharyl Attkisson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharyl-attkisson/) > [“If people fully understand you, they will think of you as a normal, if they half understand you, will think of you as a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-f-moonzajer/if-people-fully-understand-you-they-will-think-of-you-as-a-normal-if/) [M.F. Moonzajer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-f-moonzajer/) > [Woman, in short, has an unconscious life, man a conscious life, and the genius the most conscious life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/otto-weininger/woman-in-short-has-an-unconscious-life-man-a-conscious-life-and-the/) [Otto Weininger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/otto-weininger/) > [“The mystery of the world is revealed only to the person who can look upon the material world with his physical eyes and simultaneously…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/awdhesh-singh/the-mystery-of-the-world-is-revealed-only-to-the-person-who-can-look/) [Awdhesh Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/awdhesh-singh/) > [Plainly, the environment must be a living one, directed by a higher intelligence, arranged by an adult who is prepared for his mission.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-montessori/plainly-the-environment-must-be-a-living-one-directed-by-a-higher/) [Maria Montessori](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-montessori/) > [“Your mind has the intellect to lift the world, your heart has the wisdom to better the world, and your soul has the genius…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matshona-dhliwayo/your-mind-has-the-intellect-to-lift-the-world-your-heart-has-the/) [Matshona Dhliwayo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matshona-dhliwayo/) > [An ex is an ex for a reason, they are an EXample of what you don't want in your future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexia/an-ex-is-an-ex-for-a-reason-they-are-an-example-of-what-you-don-t/) [Alexia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexia/) > [“When it comes to smarts, adolescents like Jesse have plenty. What they lack, however, are some of the brain-based skills that we all need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-guare/when-it-comes-to-smarts-adolescents-like-jesse-have-plenty-what-they/) [Richard Guare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-guare/) > [What we shall need is not geniuses, or cynics, or misanthropes, or clever tacticians, but plain, honest, straghtforward men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/what-we-shall-need-is-not-geniuses-or-cynics-or-misanthropes-or/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [If you've got creativity, imagination, and intelligence, and you want to be hypnotised, then there's no reason you shouldn't be able to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-barry/if-you-ve-got-creativity-imagination-and-intelligence-and-you-want-to/) [Keith Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-barry/) > [“A smart person learns from his mistakes, but a truly wise person learns from the mistakes of others.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-schramm/a-smart-person-learns-from-his-mistakes-but-a-truly-wise-person/) [Ken Schramm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-schramm/) > [One is not born a genius, one becomes a genius; and the feminine situation has up to the present rendered this becoming practically impossible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-de-beauvoir/one-is-not-born-a-genius-one-becomes-a-genius-and-the-feminine/) [Simone de Beauvoir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-de-beauvoir/) > [“You are very kind and very intelligent and those elements are not always found together. 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