--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I was 16 I had a table at home in…" description: "\"When I was 16 I had a table at home in Melbourne and I hardly ever practised.\" — Neil Robertson" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/354/neil-robertson-9513_ever_when-i-was-16-i-had-a-table-at-home-in-m_766405.jpg" --- # When I was 16 I had a table at home in Melbourne and I… ![“When I was 16 I had a table at home in Melbourne and I hardly ever practised.” quote by Neil Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/354/neil-robertson-9513_ever_when-i-was-16-i-had-a-table-at-home-in-m_766405.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/354/neil-robertson-9513_ever_when-i-was-16-i-had-a-table-at-home-in-m_766405.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/354/neil-robertson-9513_ever_when-i-was-16-i-had-a-table-at-home-in-m_766405.jpg) > “When I was 16 I had a table at home in Melbourne and I hardly ever practised.” [Neil Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-robertson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Early lack of practice didn't hinder later success, showing late bloom potential **In simple terms:** Practice can start later and still succeed Key Takeaway Embrace late development Themes sports delayed practice growth Mood determined hopeful Type motivational practical When to use this quote - athletic training - music learning - academic study Key Concepts skill acquisition deliberate practice Questions to Reflect On - How can you structure effective practice now? - What resources help accelerate late learning? A Different Perspective Late starters may face skill gaps ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Home](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/home/) [Melbourne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/melbourne/) ## Related quotes > [I actually built my own dining table back home in Australia. It's a secret hobby of mine that I weirdly find transfixing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benedict-samuel/i-actually-built-my-own-dining-table-back-home-in-australia-it-s-a/) [Benedict Samuel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benedict-samuel/) > [Becoming a dad has been a big change for me - I didn't have any responsibilities before. I obviously practised every day, but there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-robertson/becoming-a-dad-has-been-a-big-change-for-me-i-didn-t-have-any/) [Neil Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-robertson/) > [I practised for some two months for the 'Kaanta Laaga' video. I gave my best to the song and the success is well-deserved.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shefali-zariwala/i-practised-for-some-two-months-for-the-kaanta-laaga-video-i-gave-my/) [Shefali Zariwala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shefali-zariwala/) > [“an amateur practised something until she did it right, but a professional practised until she couldn’t do it wrong.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-dawson/an-amateur-practised-something-until-she-did-it-right-but-a/) [Mark Dawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-dawson/) > [Two-footed players always get a lot more recognition, so I always practised as a kid with my right foot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mcginn/two-footed-players-always-get-a-lot-more-recognition-so-i-always/) [John McGinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mcginn/) > [I'm a natural born show off. I love performing, and at school we had a really good music scene and an even better drama…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-murray/i-m-a-natural-born-show-off-i-love-performing-and-at-school-we-had-a/) [Al Murray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-murray/) > [Never try a shot you haven't practised.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harvey-penick/never-try-a-shot-you-haven-t-practised/) [Harvey Penick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harvey-penick/) > [“That which others hear or read of, I felt and practised myself; they get their knowledge by books, I mine by melancholizing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-burton/that-which-others-hear-or-read-of-i-felt-and-practised-myself-they/) [Robert Burton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-burton/) > [I should have won more. Definitely. If I practised like Mark Selby I might have done twice as many.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judd-trump/i-should-have-won-more-definitely-if-i-practised-like-mark-selby-i/) [Judd Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judd-trump/) > [I don't particularly want to be playing in front of five people again. The reason I practised so hard was to get out of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judd-trump/i-don-t-particularly-want-to-be-playing-in-front-of-five-people-again/) [Judd Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judd-trump/) > [At the age of five or six I just used to kick the ball with both feet. I wasn't very good to start with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/filo-tiatia/at-the-age-of-five-or-six-i-just-used-to-kick-the-ball-with-both-feet/) [Filo Tiatia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/filo-tiatia/) > [I loved practising law when I practised law.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-may/i-loved-practising-law-when-i-practised-law/) [Elizabeth May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-may/) > [She did not suddenly start being disagreeable this afternoon, she was so good at it, she had evidently practised whatever are the scales and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-west/she-did-not-suddenly-start-being-disagreeable-this-afternoon-she-was/) [Rebecca West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-west/) > [Melbourne, where I grew up, is one of the street art capitals of the world. Something about discovering freshly painted walls always fills me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penelope-mitchell/melbourne-where-i-grew-up-is-one-of-the-street-art-capitals-of-the/) [Penelope Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penelope-mitchell/) > [Melbourne is where the Crown story started. It's a testament to the vision and work of Lloyd Williams and Jeff Kennett - our resort…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-packer/melbourne-is-where-the-crown-story-started-it-s-a-testament-to-the/) [James Packer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-packer/) ## More by Neil Robertson > [If you're playing a shot and your peripheral vision picks up a player moving as you play the shot, if your vision goes from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-robertson/if-you-re-playing-a-shot-and-your-peripheral-vision-picks-up-a-player/) [Neil Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-robertson/) > [I have developed a nasty habit of losing to the guy who wins the tournament, and that alone makes you think what you could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-robertson/i-have-developed-a-nasty-habit-of-losing-to-the-guy-who-wins-the/) [Neil Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-robertson/) > [We have to show zero tolerance on match and frame-fixing. There is no other option than a life ban.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-robertson/we-have-to-show-zero-tolerance-on-match-and-frame-fixing-there-is-no/) [Neil Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-robertson/) > [We don't have that many tournaments so sponsorship from logos is another way of helping boost your income.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-robertson/we-don-t-have-that-many-tournaments-so-sponsorship-from-logos-is/) [Neil Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-robertson/) > [I wouldn't say I would have won a lot more tournaments if it wasn't for video games but I think I would have given…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-robertson/i-wouldn-t-say-i-would-have-won-a-lot-more-tournaments-if-it-wasn-t/) [Neil Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-robertson/) > [If you are a single guy and work in a normal job you can get around it. But you can't win professional snooker matches…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-robertson/if-you-are-a-single-guy-and-work-in-a-normal-job-you-can-get-around/) [Neil Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-robertson/) > [Being a champion is a dream come true.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-robertson/being-a-champion-is-a-dream-come-true/) [Neil Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-robertson/) > [With snooker, having three months off could have a huge long-term effect on your game. It's not like football, where there's a huge margin…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-robertson/with-snooker-having-three-months-off-could-have-a-huge-long-term/) [Neil Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-robertson/) > [There needs to be a flat rule where if someone's playing a shot you sit in the chair, and probably more referees need to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-robertson/there-needs-to-be-a-flat-rule-where-if-someone-s-playing-a-shot-you/) [Neil Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-robertson/) > [It is impossible to play the best of nines and expect the matches to finish on time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-robertson/it-is-impossible-to-play-the-best-of-nines-and-expect-the-matches-to/) [Neil Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-robertson/) > [I took coronavirus very seriously.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-robertson/i-took-coronavirus-very-seriously/) [Neil Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-robertson/) > [I love the history of the sport and I want to keep keep building my history as a player with more records.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-robertson/i-love-the-history-of-the-sport-and-i-want-to-keep-keep-building-my/) [Neil Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-robertson/) > [I used to feel very tired during tournaments. I was drinking four or five coffees per day and felt I needed more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-robertson/i-used-to-feel-very-tired-during-tournaments-i-was-drinking-four-or/) [Neil Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-robertson/) > [The crowd in big venues can really make or crush players.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-robertson/the-crowd-in-big-venues-can-really-make-or-crush-players/) [Neil Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-robertson/) > [You look at the guys who are winning tournaments , Ronnie, Ding, Mark Selby, Marco Fu - none of them are overweight, they are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-robertson/you-look-at-the-guys-who-are-winning-tournaments-ronnie-ding-mark/) [Neil Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-robertson/) [Explore all 72 Neil Robertson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-robertson/) ## More Ever quotes > [When I was trying to come up with a stage name, I thought 'Lord' was super rad, but really masculine - ever since I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorde/when-i-was-trying-to-come-up-with-a-stage-name-i-thought-lord-was/) [Lorde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorde/) > [I once told someone I could act. They totally bought it. I've been getting away with it ever since.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/akshay-kumar/i-once-told-someone-i-could-act-they-totally-bought-it-i-ve-been/) [Akshay Kumar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/akshay-kumar/) > [I am tired of our characters being so incomplete. When do we ever save the day in a film? When does a Latino actor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esai-morales/i-am-tired-of-our-characters-being-so-incomplete-when-do-we-ever-save/) [Esai Morales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esai-morales/) > [I want to make myself and the crowd happy by way of something different, and that makes things difficult. I'm never playing something that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tiesto/i-want-to-make-myself-and-the-crowd-happy-by-way-of-something/) [Tiesto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tiesto/) > [Thatcher was the best politician I have ever witnessed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-clarke/thatcher-was-the-best-politician-i-have-ever-witnessed/) [Kenneth Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-clarke/) > [The resources of our continent attract, more than ever, the interests of rich countries.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/omar-bongo/the-resources-of-our-continent-attract-more-than-ever-the-interests/) [Omar Bongo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/omar-bongo/) > [I say this about everything: when I was on 'Neighbours,' I said, 'These are the best years of my life!' When I was filming…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margot-robbie/i-say-this-about-everything-when-i-was-on-neighbours-i-said-these-are/) [Margot Robbie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margot-robbie/) > [I don't think you should ever say, 'This is the last time'. Music isn't like that. You'll be sitting there not wishing to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-daltrey/i-don-t-think-you-should-ever-say-this-is-the-last-time-music-isn-t/) [Roger Daltrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-daltrey/) > [Ninety-eight percent of the things that come out of my mouth are intended to be harmless or even charming. They're not ever intended to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-fox/ninety-eight-percent-of-the-things-that-come-out-of-my-mouth-are/) [Megan Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-fox/) > [My mother worked in the white world, but I lived almost exclusively in a black world. I don't think I had ever seen a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-p-jones/my-mother-worked-in-the-white-world-but-i-lived-almost-exclusively-in/) [Edward P. Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-p-jones/) > [I grew up in a blue-collar neighborhood and was raised by a man who did not emote, ever... I always cry at movies, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-quick/i-grew-up-in-a-blue-collar-neighborhood-and-was-raised-by-a-man-who/) [Matthew Quick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-quick/) > [Close contact between science and the practice of collective farms and State farms creates inexhaustible opportunities for the development of theoretical knowledge, enabling us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trofim-lysenko/close-contact-between-science-and-the-practice-of-collective-farms/) [Trofim Lysenko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trofim-lysenko/) > [If I ever had twins, I'd use one for parts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-wright/if-i-ever-had-twins-i-d-use-one-for-parts/) [Steven Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-wright/) > [I loved 'Funny Lady' for whatever reason. People say they didn't know I could sing and dance. Well, nobody ever asks me - it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-caan/i-loved-funny-lady-for-whatever-reason-people-say-they-didn-t-know-i/) [James Caan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-caan/) > [Learning to speak was the most remarkable thing you ever did.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-kluger/learning-to-speak-was-the-most-remarkable-thing-you-ever-did/) [Jeffrey Kluger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-kluger/) Browse all 4,296 Ever quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When I was 16 I had a table at home in Melbourne and I hardly ever practised.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Neil Robertson" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-robertson/when-i-was-16-i-had-a-table-at-home-in-melbourne-and-i-hardly-ever/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Ever" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-robertson/when-i-was-16-i-had-a-table-at-home-in-melbourne-and-i-hardly-ever/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/354/neil-robertson-9513_ever_when-i-was-16-i-had-a-table-at-home-in-m_766405.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/354/neil-robertson-9513_ever_when-i-was-16-i-had-a-table-at-home-in-m_766405.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/354/neil-robertson-9513_ever_when-i-was-16-i-had-a-table-at-home-in-m_766405.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When I was 16 I had a table at home in Melbourne and I hardly ever practised.” — Neil Robertson", "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": "Neil Robertson", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-robertson/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "When I was 16 I had...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-robertson/when-i-was-16-i-had-a-table-at-home-in-melbourne-and-i-hardly-ever/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-robertson/when-i-was-16-i-had-a-table-at-home-in-melbourne-and-i-hardly-ever/#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 } } ] } ```