--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I'm not a natural. I had to teach myself…" description: "\"I'm not a natural. I had to teach myself - or be taught - everything I do. I just spent hours and hours in the mirror mimicking Michael Jackson.\" — Ne-Yo" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c1e/ne-yo-1329_everything_i-m-not-a-natural-i-had-to-teach-myself_2154236.png" --- # I'm not a natural. I had to teach myself - or be taught… ![“I'm not a natural. I had to teach myself - or be taught - everything I do. I just spent hours and hours in the mirror mimicking Michael Jackson.” quote by Ne-Yo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c1e/ne-yo-1329_everything_i-m-not-a-natural-i-had-to-teach-myself_2154236.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c1e/ne-yo-1329_everything_i-m-not-a-natural-i-had-to-teach-myself_2154236.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c1e/ne-yo-1329_everything_i-m-not-a-natural-i-had-to-teach-myself_2154236.png) > “I'm not a natural. I had to teach myself - or be taught - everything I do. I just spent hours and hours in the mirror mimicking Michael Jackson.” [Ne-Yo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ne-yo/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Self‑education and relentless practice are necessary when natural talent is lacking **In simple terms:** Hard work replaces innate talent Key Takeaway Dedicate time to deliberate practice Themes discipline self‑improvement artistry Mood determined reflective Type motivational inspirational When to use this quote - learning a musical instrument - dance training - public speaking - acting - sports training Key Concepts skill acquisition modeling mirror practice Questions to Reflect On - How can you structure practice for maximum growth? - What limits does natural aptitude impose? A Different Perspective Even with effort, innate abilities can influence outcomes ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Mirror](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mirror/) ## Related quotes > [Education has evolved into a mirror of mimicking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-victor-paskavich/education-has-evolved-into-a-mirror-of-mimicking/) [Stanley Victor Paskavich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-victor-paskavich/) > [I probably wouldn't be singing if not for Michael Jackson. When I started singing, I didn't like my tone until my mom put me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ne-yo/i-probably-wouldn-t-be-singing-if-not-for-michael-jackson-when-i/) [Ne-Yo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ne-yo/) > [I spent many hours ensconced in the local library, reading - nay, devouring - book after book after book. Books were my soul's delight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikki-grimes/i-spent-many-hours-ensconced-in-the-local-library-reading-nay/) [Nikki Grimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikki-grimes/) > [If I had my life to live over, I'd have spent more hours in worship.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-r-swindoll/if-i-had-my-life-to-live-over-i-d-have-spent-more-hours-in-worship/) [Charles R. Swindoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-r-swindoll/) > [I spent many, many hours in the stack at the University of Washington library just wandering around, when my dad was working, as a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-allen/i-spent-many-many-hours-in-the-stack-at-the-university-of-washington/) [Paul Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-allen/) > [I've spent three hours hanging upside down while fighting off dinosaur attacks. That was a lot of fun.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-o-mara/i-ve-spent-three-hours-hanging-upside-down-while-fighting-off/) [Jason O'Mara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-o-mara/) > [I have spent many, many hours reading J.K. Rowling's work. I am a known 'Harry Potter' fan.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lev-grossman/i-have-spent-many-many-hours-reading-j-k-rowling-s-work-i-am-a-known/) [Lev Grossman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lev-grossman/) > [I spent many hours slaving away, day and night, bleary eyed, on multi-million pound takeovers, mergers and acquisitions, and the rest. It could sound…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuka-umunna/i-spent-many-hours-slaving-away-day-and-night-bleary-eyed-on-multi/) [Chuka Umunna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuka-umunna/) > [“I’d been a devoted fan of his band, Banks Forest, and spent hours every day in my bedroom, high on ditz and hormones, listening…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-booth/i-d-been-a-devoted-fan-of-his-band-banks-forest-and-spent-hours-every/) [Karen Booth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-booth/) > [I spent many hours in the batting cage. 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It has to be comfortable, it has to lay right on me, know what I mean?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ne-yo/my-style-is-mainly-about-comfort-it-has-to-be-comfortable-it-has-to/) [Ne-Yo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ne-yo/) > [My guitar is jealous of our relationship. cus she dnt get half the attention that u get lately](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ne-yo/my-guitar-is-jealous-of-our-relationship-cus-she-dnt-get-half-the/) [Ne-yo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ne-yo/) > [There wasn't a lot of R&B cats doing songs at 120 beats per minute before 'Closer,' which I take full credit and responsibility for.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ne-yo/there-wasn-t-a-lot-of-r-b-cats-doing-songs-at-120-beats-per-minute/) [Ne-Yo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ne-yo/) > ['Madden' is the closest thing to actually being on the field yourself. It's so ridiculously realistic. Before I play it, I honestly didn't understand.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ne-yo/madden-is-the-closest-thing-to-actually-being-on-the-field-yourself/) [Ne-Yo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ne-yo/) > [I honestly don't feel that it's my music that's under-appreciated. I think that it's me that's under-appreciated. As an artist, period.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ne-yo/i-honestly-don-t-feel-that-it-s-my-music-that-s-under-appreciated-i/) [Ne-Yo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ne-yo/) > [She dont be tripping in the morning, I got her legs up by her ears but as soon as we get done, I swear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ne-yo/she-dont-be-tripping-in-the-morning-i-got-her-legs-up-by-her-ears-but/) [Ne-yo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ne-yo/) > [One of the very few things that I actually read about myself on blogs that got to me was people saying, 'Ne-Yo doesn't do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ne-yo/one-of-the-very-few-things-that-i-actually-read-about-myself-on-blogs/) [Ne-Yo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ne-yo/) > [Now that I have kids, I want my kids to appreciate my music, but at the same time, I don't want to teach them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ne-yo/now-that-i-have-kids-i-want-my-kids-to-appreciate-my-music-but-at-the/) [Ne-Yo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ne-yo/) > [The car that I drive may not impress, but I get where I need to go. u may disagree with the way that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ne-yo/the-car-that-i-drive-may-not-impress-but-i-get-where-i-need-to-go-u/) [Ne-yo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ne-yo/) > [Because since there's no more you. There's no more anniversary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ne-yo/because-since-there-s-no-more-you-there-s-no-more-anniversary/) [Ne-yo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ne-yo/) > [And I wana 'pologize for bein just a little freaky, I cant help it, its just in me. but a problem, it is not.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ne-yo/and-i-wana-pologize-for-bein-just-a-little-freaky-i-cant-help-it-its/) [Ne-yo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ne-yo/) > [No one in this world, knows me the way you know me. So you'll probably always have a spell on me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ne-yo/no-one-in-this-world-knows-me-the-way-you-know-me-so-you-ll-probably/) [Ne-yo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ne-yo/) > [I named my album Year of the Gentleman. Just looking at how the essence of what it is to be a gentleman is very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ne-yo/i-named-my-album-year-of-the-gentleman-just-looking-at-how-the/) [Ne-Yo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ne-yo/) > [I've never viewed myself as above anybody else or anything like that. I'm a regular guy at the end of the day. I like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ne-yo/i-ve-never-viewed-myself-as-above-anybody-else-or-anything-like-that/) [Ne-Yo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ne-yo/) [Explore all 255 Ne-Yo quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ne-yo/) ## More Everything quotes > [This may sound strange, but although I feel like I know everything about my characters, the brand of shampoo they use, how many cavities…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-honeyman/this-may-sound-strange-but-although-i-feel-like-i-know-everything/) [Gail Honeyman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-honeyman/) > [My parents were not musical, and they were not effervescent people; everything was very quiet. 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