---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If people knew how hard I worked to get…"
description: "\"If people knew how hard I worked to get my mastery, it wouldn't seem so wonderful at all.\" — Michelangelo"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/887/michelangelo-2976_excellence_if-people-knew-how-hard-i-worked-to-get_1544891.jpg"
---

#  If people knew how hard I worked to get my mastery, it…

![“If people knew how hard I worked to get my mastery, it wouldn't seem so wonderful at all.” quote by Michelangelo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/887/michelangelo-2976_excellence_if-people-knew-how-hard-i-worked-to-get_1544891.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/887/michelangelo-2976_excellence_if-people-knew-how-hard-i-worked-to-get_1544891.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/887/michelangelo-2976_excellence_if-people-knew-how-hard-i-worked-to-get_1544891.jpg)

> “If people knew how hard I worked to get my mastery, it wouldn't seem so wonderful at all.”

[Michelangelo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelangelo/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Hard work behind mastery can diminish the awe of the final product.

**In simple terms:** Hard work makes mastery seem ordinary.

Key Takeaway

Recognize effort as part of wonder.

Themes

mastery effort humility

Mood

humble inspirational

Type

philosophical motivational

When to use this quote

- learning a skill
- career advancement
- personal projects
- teaching

Key Concepts

psychology of achievement artistic process

Questions to Reflect On

- How can you celebrate both process and product?
- What rituals honor your hard work?

A Different Perspective

Undervaluing effort may reduce motivation.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Excellence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/excellence/) [Hard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hard/) [Hard Worked](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hard-worked-338770/) [Knew Hard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knew-hard-1452741/) [Mastery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mastery/) [Mastery Wouldn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mastery-wouldn-5760988/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Wonderful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wonderful/) [Worked Mastery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worked-mastery-5760989/)

## Related quotes

> [If people knew how hard I worked at my art, they would not consider me a genius.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelangelo/if-people-knew-how-hard-i-worked-at-my-art-they-would-not-consider-me/)

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> [I don't recommend not working hard, but it's worked for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-jon-benjamin/i-don-t-recommend-not-working-hard-but-it-s-worked-for-me/)

[H. Jon Benjamin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-jon-benjamin/)

> [I am playing the Olympics for my country. I know how hard I worked.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jwala-gutta/i-am-playing-the-olympics-for-my-country-i-know-how-hard-i-worked/)

[Jwala Gutta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jwala-gutta/)

> [“There were variations on the truth, of course, but wasn’t it always the hard one that worked the best?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-c-brod/there-were-variations-on-the-truth-of-course-but-wasn-t-it-always-the/)

[D.C. Brod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-c-brod/)

> [“No matter how hard you worked, there was always going to be somebody out there who thought you were fuckup.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-hart/no-matter-how-hard-you-worked-there-was-always-going-to-be-somebody/)

[Megan Hart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-hart/)

> [Don't hate the haves, and don't complain as well as despair. all of this is just about how hard you worked](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/don-t-hate-the-haves-and-don-t-complain-as-well-as-despair-all-of/)

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> [I worked hard. I worked late. I went in early. I did everything I could to gain an advantage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-theismann/i-worked-hard-i-worked-late-i-went-in-early-i-did-everything-i-could/)

[Joe Theismann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-theismann/)

> [I don't work hard enough. If I had worked harder I might have been prime minister.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-livingstone/i-don-t-work-hard-enough-if-i-had-worked-harder-i-might-have-been/)

[Ken Livingstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-livingstone/)

> [At the end of the day, I think that a lot of people saw how hard I worked. And I've gained a lot of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-gatlin/at-the-end-of-the-day-i-think-that-a-lot-of-people-saw-how-hard-i/)

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> [I'm very comfortable knowing how hard I have worked in the later stages of my career.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mardy-fish/i-m-very-comfortable-knowing-how-hard-i-have-worked-in-the-later/)

[Mardy Fish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mardy-fish/)

> [Not too many people know how hard I have worked since I broke my jaw. I have been flogging myself on the training paddock.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-johns/not-too-many-people-know-how-hard-i-have-worked-since-i-broke-my-jaw/)

[Andrew Johns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-johns/)

## More by Michelangelo

> [The power of one fair face makes my love sublime, for it has weaned my heart from low desires.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelangelo/the-power-of-one-fair-face-makes-my-love-sublime-for-it-has-weaned-my/)

[Michelangelo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelangelo/)

> [To know each other is the best way to understand each other. To understand each other is the only way to love each other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelangelo/to-know-each-other-is-the-best-way-to-understand-each-other-to/)

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> [The marble not yet carved can hold the form of every thought the greatest artist has.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelangelo/the-marble-not-yet-carved-can-hold-the-form-of-every-thought-the/)

[Michelangelo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelangelo/)

> [A great sculpture can roll down a hill without breaking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelangelo/a-great-sculpture-can-roll-down-a-hill-without-breaking/)

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> [The sculpture is already complete within the marble block, before I start my work. It is already there, I just have to chisel away…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelangelo/the-sculpture-is-already-complete-within-the-marble-block-before-i/)

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> [What one has most to work and struggle for in painting is to do the work with a great amount of labour and sweat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelangelo/what-one-has-most-to-work-and-struggle-for-in-painting-is-to-do-the/)

[Michelangelo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelangelo/)

> [If the wine is not good, then throw it out!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelangelo/if-the-wine-is-not-good-then-throw-it-out/)

[Michelangelo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelangelo/)

> [An artist does his most difficult work when he steps back from the blank canvas and thinks about what he is going to create.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelangelo/an-artist-does-his-most-difficult-work-when-he-steps-back-from-the/)

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[Explore all 143 Michelangelo quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelangelo/)

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> [Imperfections are what make you perfect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nia-tell/imperfections-are-what-make-you-perfect/)

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