--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I always say if I'm not good at something…" description: "\"I always say if I'm not good at something it's just because I've not had time to focus on it... it's just uncrafted, like a slab of rock that contains ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/29e/michael-sheen-4062_always_i-always-say-if-i-m-not-good-at-somethin_76644.jpg" --- # I always say if I'm not good at something it's just… ![“I always say if I'm not good at something it's just because I've not had time to focus on it... it's just uncrafted, like a slab of rock that contains the statue of David within it.” quote by Michael Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/29e/michael-sheen-4062_always_i-always-say-if-i-m-not-good-at-somethin_76644.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/29e/michael-sheen-4062_always_i-always-say-if-i-m-not-good-at-somethin_76644.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/29e/michael-sheen-4062_always_i-always-say-if-i-m-not-good-at-somethin_76644.jpg) > “I always say if I'm not good at something it's just because I've not had time to focus on it... it's just uncrafted, like a slab of rock that contains the statue of David within it.” [Michael Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-sheen/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Potential is latent; lack of skill often reflects insufficient practice rather than innate inability, likening untapped talent to a hidden statue within raw stone. **In simple terms:** Skill emerges through focused effort. Key Takeaway Practice reveals hidden talent. Themes potential growth mindset self-improvement metaphor craftsmanship Mood inspired reflective Type motivational analytical When to use this quote - learning a new instrument - starting a sport - developing a professional skill - pursuing a hobby Key Concepts latent ability deliberate practice self-awareness Practical Applications - personal development planning - coaching feedback Questions to Reflect On - What areas of your life feel 'uncrafted'? - How can you allocate focused time to develop them? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Focus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/focus/) [Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rock/) [Statue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/statue/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [“I asked if you'd rather me keep my shirt on." "No. Why?" 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As he was chiseling the statue David out of a huge marble block, a young…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-wheeler/there-is-a-story-told-about-the-sculptor-michelangelo-as-he-was/) [Jeff Wheeler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-wheeler/) > [The real focus at first is to just become a good stand-up comedian, and then when you get to a certain level, then they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-stewart/the-real-focus-at-first-is-to-just-become-a-good-stand-up-comedian/) [Jon Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-stewart/) > [When I'm in the ring my main focus is just to get the job done.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gervonta-davis/when-i-m-in-the-ring-my-main-focus-is-just-to-get-the-job-done/) [Gervonta Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gervonta-davis/) > [I think so many times in our society we focus so much on just the end result; when we finally reach that point we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/apolo-ohno/i-think-so-many-times-in-our-society-we-focus-so-much-on-just-the-end/) [Apolo Ohno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/apolo-ohno/) > [I focus just on the important issues, and I know I can make a lot more progress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/divock-origi/i-focus-just-on-the-important-issues-and-i-know-i-can-make-a-lot-more/) [Divock Origi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/divock-origi/) > [My focus is just taking every opponent and focusing on them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-blaydes/my-focus-is-just-taking-every-opponent-and-focusing-on-them/) [Curtis Blaydes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-blaydes/) > [If you've lost focus, just sit down and be still. Take the idea and rock it to and fro. Keep some of it and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarissa-pinkola-estes/if-you-ve-lost-focus-just-sit-down-and-be-still-take-the-idea-and/) [Clarissa Pinkola Estes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarissa-pinkola-estes/) > [“The world is a busy, hectic place and the need to slow down and focus on one thing and one thing only has never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sergio-de-la-mora/the-world-is-a-busy-hectic-place-and-the-need-to-slow-down-and-focus/) [Sergio de la Mora](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sergio-de-la-mora/) > [There was a time I used to focus on just being skinny, and now I really think about how can I be strong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-long/there-was-a-time-i-used-to-focus-on-just-being-skinny-and-now-i/) [Jessica Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-long/) > [When I write, I don't really focus on duets or anything like that, or whether I'm going to feature this or that rapper. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-legend/when-i-write-i-don-t-really-focus-on-duets-or-anything-like-that-or/) [John Legend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-legend/) > [I do focus my energy on music, but it's just the way that the industry works. I kind of have to take what I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoe-kravitz/i-do-focus-my-energy-on-music-but-it-s-just-the-way-that-the-industry/) [Zoe Kravitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zoe-kravitz/) ## More by Michael Sheen > [I don't want to do something that I've done before; I can't see the point of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-sheen/i-don-t-want-to-do-something-that-i-ve-done-before-i-can-t-see-the/) [Michael Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-sheen/) > [A lot of the times when I've auditioned for parts in America, the answer is, 'Sorry, we need a bigger name.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-sheen/a-lot-of-the-times-when-i-ve-auditioned-for-parts-in-america-the/) [Michael Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-sheen/) > [Everyone deserves compassion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-sheen/everyone-deserves-compassion/) [Michael Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-sheen/) > [I'm always aware that there are, broadly speaking, two different ways to act: there is acting, and then there's being, and I'm always more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-sheen/i-m-always-aware-that-there-are-broadly-speaking-two-different-ways/) [Michael Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-sheen/) > [The first thing, when I read the script, is that I need to care about what happens and feel compelled by the story and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-sheen/the-first-thing-when-i-read-the-script-is-that-i-need-to-care-about/) [Michael Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-sheen/) > [I think the story of 'Alice in Wonderland' in a way is a reminder that life is frightening, it can shift on you at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-sheen/i-think-the-story-of-alice-in-wonderland-in-a-way-is-a-reminder-that/) [Michael Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-sheen/) > [For me, what makes life enjoyable is having a shared culture and shared references.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-sheen/for-me-what-makes-life-enjoyable-is-having-a-shared-culture-and/) [Michael Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-sheen/) > [I perceive and relate to the world through where I grew up; that's part of me. It's what I judge everything else against.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-sheen/i-perceive-and-relate-to-the-world-through-where-i-grew-up-that-s/) [Michael Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-sheen/) > [I'm not a Tony Blair impersonator.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-sheen/i-m-not-a-tony-blair-impersonator/) [Michael Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-sheen/) > [You don't want to get into doing the same thing, over and over again. I know I don't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-sheen/you-don-t-want-to-get-into-doing-the-same-thing-over-and-over-again-i/) [Michael Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-sheen/) > [We see death constantly on film.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-sheen/we-see-death-constantly-on-film/) [Michael Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-sheen/) > [Getting older is a struggle. I always feel that just under the surface of acceptance and enjoyment of the ageing process is a terrible…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-sheen/getting-older-is-a-struggle-i-always-feel-that-just-under-the-surface/) [Michael Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-sheen/) > [Wherever you come from, you carry the place with you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-sheen/wherever-you-come-from-you-carry-the-place-with-you/) [Michael Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-sheen/) > [I live a very Kenneth Williams-like existence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-sheen/i-live-a-very-kenneth-williams-like-existence/) [Michael Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-sheen/) > [It's funny the more technological advanced everything gets, the more like acting in your bedroom when you're a kid it is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-sheen/it-s-funny-the-more-technological-advanced-everything-gets-the-more/) [Michael Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-sheen/) [Explore all 116 Michael Sheen quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-sheen/) ## More Always quotes > [I think performing has pretty much always been a part of me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isa-briones/i-think-performing-has-pretty-much-always-been-a-part-of-me/) [Isa Briones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isa-briones/) > [I always thought if I was born 2000 years earlier, I would be a monk, probably carving a monastery or some giant pantheon buildings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenova-chen/i-always-thought-if-i-was-born-2000-years-earlier-i-would-be-a-monk/) [Jenova Chen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenova-chen/) > [I always like a character who makes me laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachael-stirling/i-always-like-a-character-who-makes-me-laugh/) [Rachael Stirling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachael-stirling/) > [It's always great to see old friends, especially those I have not been able to see in 15 months.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-regal/it-s-always-great-to-see-old-friends-especially-those-i-have-not-been/) [William Regal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-regal/) > [When you step out and do a song in a musical, the easier thing to do is make it funny. But when those transitions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelli-o-hara/when-you-step-out-and-do-a-song-in-a-musical-the-easier-thing-to-do/) [Kelli O'Hara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelli-o-hara/) > [I have really good lateral movement. I've always had quick lateral movement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-rivers/i-have-really-good-lateral-movement-i-ve-always-had-quick-lateral/) [Austin Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-rivers/) > [There is something magical about being able to feel somebody. And that is something that has always moved me with music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-brink/there-is-something-magical-about-being-able-to-feel-somebody-and-that/) [Maria Brink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-brink/) > [Mythology is something that always has opportunities to explore. 'It' has been on Earth for millions of years. He's been in contact with humans…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-muschietti/mythology-is-something-that-always-has-opportunities-to-explore-it/) [Andy Muschietti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-muschietti/) > [It's not writing in the traditional sense, but I've always said that the writing process continues on the set and even into the editing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-b-weide/it-s-not-writing-in-the-traditional-sense-but-i-ve-always-said-that/) [Robert B. Weide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-b-weide/) > [I always watch my matches back 100 times afterwards because that's how I improve. This is something I've always done, even in NXT.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mandy-rose/i-always-watch-my-matches-back-100-times-afterwards-because-that-s/) [Mandy Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mandy-rose/) > [I've always been of the idea that is doesn't really matter where you are geographically - with 'Lonerism,' we made half the album in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-parker/i-ve-always-been-of-the-idea-that-is-doesn-t-really-matter-where-you/) [Kevin Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-parker/) > [It's very easy to fool yourself that you're working, you know, when you're really not working very hard. I mean, I'm very lazy. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-caro/it-s-very-easy-to-fool-yourself-that-you-re-working-you-know-when-you/) [Robert Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-caro/) > [Whether it was Little League or playing with your brothers or sisters, that was always a problem. If I would lose - because I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-ripken-jr/whether-it-was-little-league-or-playing-with-your-brothers-or-sisters/) [Cal Ripken, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-ripken-jr/) > [I always say if you put someone from a small town into a big city for ten years, then when they go back, they'll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-colter/i-always-say-if-you-put-someone-from-a-small-town-into-a-big-city-for/) [Mike Colter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-colter/) > [Bayern is always a team that can win the Champions League title in Europe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lothar-matthaus/bayern-is-always-a-team-that-can-win-the-champions-league-title-in/) [Lothar Matthaus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lothar-matthaus/) Browse all 36,048 Always quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I always say if I'm not good at something it's just because I've not had time to focus on it... it's just uncrafted, like a slab of rock that contains the statue of David within it.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Michael Sheen" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-sheen/i-always-say-if-i-m-not-good-at-something-it-s-just-because-i-ve-not/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Always" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-sheen/i-always-say-if-i-m-not-good-at-something-it-s-just-because-i-ve-not/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/29e/michael-sheen-4062_always_i-always-say-if-i-m-not-good-at-somethin_76644.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/29e/michael-sheen-4062_always_i-always-say-if-i-m-not-good-at-somethin_76644.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/29e/michael-sheen-4062_always_i-always-say-if-i-m-not-good-at-somethin_76644.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I always say if I'm not good at something it's just because I've not had time to focus on it... it's just…” — Michael Sheen", "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": "Michael Sheen", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-sheen/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I always say if I'm not...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-sheen/i-always-say-if-i-m-not-good-at-something-it-s-just-because-i-ve-not/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-sheen/i-always-say-if-i-m-not-good-at-something-it-s-just-because-i-ve-not/#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 } } ] } ```