--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Talent is the gift plus the passion - a…" description: "\"Talent is the gift plus the passion - a desire to succeed so intense that no force on earth can stop it.\" — Neil Simon" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7aa/neil-simon-10535_desire_talent-is-the-gift-plus-the-passion-a-de_8133.jpg" --- # Talent is the gift plus the passion - a desire to succeed… ![“Talent is the gift plus the passion - a desire to succeed so intense that no force on earth can stop it.” quote by Neil Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7aa/neil-simon-10535_desire_talent-is-the-gift-plus-the-passion-a-de_8133.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7aa/neil-simon-10535_desire_talent-is-the-gift-plus-the-passion-a-de_8133.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7aa/neil-simon-10535_desire_talent-is-the-gift-plus-the-passion-a-de_8133.jpg) > “Talent is the gift plus the passion - a desire to succeed so intense that no force on earth can stop it.” [Neil Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-simon/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Talent combines innate ability with relentless drive, creating an unstoppable pursuit of success. **In simple terms:** Talent = ability + passion Key Takeaway Passion fuels talent Themes Motivation Persistence Self-actualization Achievement Drive Mood Inspired Determined Optimistic Type Motivational Inspirational Philosophical When to use this quote - Career advancement - Entrepreneurial ventures - Artistic creation - Scientific research - Sports competition Key Concepts Talent Passion Success Determination Practical Applications - Coaching - Personal development Questions to Reflect On - How does passion amplify natural ability? - What barriers can even intense drive overcome? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Desire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desire/) [Desire to succeed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desire-to-succeed/) [Earth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/earth/) [Force](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/force/) [Intense](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intense/) [Nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature/) [Passion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/passion/) [Plus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/plus/) [Plus Passion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/plus-passion-337524/) [Sports](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sports/) [Succeed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/succeed/) [Succeed Intense](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/succeed-intense-337526/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/) [Talent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/talent/) [Talent Gift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/talent-gift-337525/) ## Related quotes > [A big reason why we were able to and have been able to continue to succeed is that we had a very intense work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-showalter/a-big-reason-why-we-were-able-to-and-have-been-able-to-continue-to/) [Michael Showalter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-showalter/) > [Success comes down to hard work plus passion, over time. If you work really, really hard over a long period of time, it will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-tang/success-comes-down-to-hard-work-plus-passion-over-time-if-you-work/) [Stanley Tang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-tang/) > [Life equaled love plus passion squared. Loving and being passionate about what one did was what made life so precious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-marie-moning/life-equaled-love-plus-passion-squared-loving-and-being-passionate/) [Karen Marie Moning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-marie-moning/) > [“THE TALENT IS A GIFT BUT THE VIBE IS SOLD SEPARATELY!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/qwana-m-babygirl-reynolds-frasier/the-talent-is-a-gift-but-the-vibe-is-sold-separately/) [Qwana M. "BabyGirl" Reynolds-Frasier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/qwana-m-babygirl-reynolds-frasier/) > [Talent is a gift that brings with it an obligation to serve the world, and not ourselves, for it is not of our making.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-marti/talent-is-a-gift-that-brings-with-it-an-obligation-to-serve-the-world/) [Jose Marti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-marti/) > [My voice is a gift. My talent is a gift. The life process is a gift. The opportunity for the journey is a gift.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-orbison/my-voice-is-a-gift-my-talent-is-a-gift-the-life-process-is-a-gift-the/) [Roy Orbison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-orbison/) > [Talent is a gift, but you can only succeed with hard work;](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-beliveau/talent-is-a-gift-but-you-can-only-succeed-with-hard-work/) [Jean Beliveau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-beliveau/) > [Talent is a gift, but our character is a choice. Talent is natural ability, our gift from God, but we have the power to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-maxwell/talent-is-a-gift-but-our-character-is-a-choice-talent-is-natural/) [John C. Maxwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-maxwell/) > [Talent is a gift which God has given us secretly, and which we reveal without perceiving it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/talent-is-a-gift-which-god-has-given-us-secretly-and-which-we-reveal/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Artistic talent is a gift from God and whoever discovers it in himself has a certain obligation: to know that he cannot waste this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-john-paul-ii/artistic-talent-is-a-gift-from-god-and-whoever-discovers-it-in/) [Pope John Paul II](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-john-paul-ii/) > [Talent is a gift, but character is a choice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-maxwell/talent-is-a-gift-but-character-is-a-choice/) [John C. Maxwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-maxwell/) > [“The talent is not the gift but the courage to do something with it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scherrie-johnson/the-talent-is-not-the-gift-but-the-courage-to-do-something-with-it/) [Scherrie Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scherrie-johnson/) > [“You've got to think of every talent you have, every gift you could give the world around you. And you've got to take the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-ablow/you-ve-got-to-think-of-every-talent-you-have-every-gift-you-could/) [Keith Ablow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-ablow/) > [My mother always told me that any talent is a gift of God and I always believed it. If I quit, I would just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-cash/my-mother-always-told-me-that-any-talent-is-a-gift-of-god-and-i/) [Johnny Cash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-cash/) > [I don't think talent or the gift ever goes away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-mcvie/i-don-t-think-talent-or-the-gift-ever-goes-away/) [Christine McVie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-mcvie/) ## More by Neil Simon > [You get attached to the way you write, and I'm attached to notebooks. That's where I really write the plays. Just two or three…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-simon/you-get-attached-to-the-way-you-write-and-i-m-attached-to-notebooks/) [Neil Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-simon/) > [There's no such thing as a sure thing. That's why they call it gambling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-simon/there-s-no-such-thing-as-a-sure-thing-that-s-why-they-call-it-gambling/) [Neil Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-simon/) > [“Never have so many given so much for so long for so little for so few for so seldom.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-simon/never-have-so-many-given-so-much-for-so-long-for-so-little-for-so-few/) [Neil Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-simon/) > [Don't listen to those who say, you taking too big a chance. Michelangelo would have painted the Sistine floor, and it would surely be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-simon/don-t-listen-to-those-who-say-you-taking-too-big-a-chance/) [Neil Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-simon/) > [Once you've opened yourself up, it's best to go all the way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-simon/once-you-ve-opened-yourself-up-it-s-best-to-go-all-the-way/) [Neil Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-simon/) > [Everyone thinks they can write a play; you just write down what happened to you. But the art of it is drawing from all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-simon/everyone-thinks-they-can-write-a-play-you-just-write-down-what/) [Neil Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-simon/) > [Sports is the only entertainment where, no matter how many times you go back, you never know the ending.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-simon/sports-is-the-only-entertainment-where-no-matter-how-many-times-you/) [Neil Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-simon/) > [Evan Handler's new book is simply wonderful. He pulls you inside his life, and you come out his very close friend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-simon/evan-handler-s-new-book-is-simply-wonderful-he-pulls-you-inside-his/) [Neil Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-simon/) > [The body of a young woman is God's greatest achievement...Of course, He could have built it to last longer but you can't have everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-simon/the-body-of-a-young-woman-is-god-s-greatest-achievement-of-course-he/) [Neil Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-simon/) > [I don't like dating or just living with a woman. I like to create a relationship, a marriage. And almost all of my marriages…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-simon/i-don-t-like-dating-or-just-living-with-a-woman-i-like-to-create-a/) [Neil Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-simon/) > [ “\[Y\]ou're young. Young takes care of everything.” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-simon/y-ou-re-young-young-takes-care-of-everything/) [Neil Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-simon/) > [People with honorary awards are looked upon with disfavor. Would you let an honorary mechanic fix your brand-new Mercedes?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-simon/people-with-honorary-awards-are-looked-upon-with-disfavor-would-you/) [Neil Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-simon/) > [I feel like writing about a time when I was probably, and think all of us are, the happiest before the obligations start in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-simon/i-feel-like-writing-about-a-time-when-i-was-probably-and-think-all-of/) [Neil Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-simon/) > [“You're a witness. You're always standing around watching what's happening, scribbling in your book what other people do. You have to get in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-simon/you-re-a-witness-you-re-always-standing-around-watching-what-s/) [Neil Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-simon/) > [ \[When you write a play\] you walk into a forest without a knife, without a compass. But . . . if you have a… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-simon/when-you-write-a-play-you-walk-into-a-forest-without-a-knife-without/) [Neil Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-simon/) [Explore all 65 Neil Simon quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-simon/) ## More Desire quotes > [I put myself in the student's place and remember the frustrations, doubts, determination, and desires I felt when I was going through the initial…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-martinez/i-put-myself-in-the-student-s-place-and-remember-the-frustrations/) [Ted Martinez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-martinez/) > [Passion is what you need to be good, an unforgiving passion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-easton/passion-is-what-you-need-to-be-good-an-unforgiving-passion/) [David Easton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-easton/) > [I want the municipality to be a helping hand to the man with a desire of sympathy, to help the fallen when it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-burns/i-want-the-municipality-to-be-a-helping-hand-to-the-man-with-a-desire/) [John Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-burns/) > [Ye youths and virgins, when your generous blood Has drunk the warmth of fifteen summers, now The loves invite; now to new rapture wakes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-armstrong/ye-youths-and-virgins-when-your-generous-blood-has-drunk-the-warmth/) [John Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-armstrong/) > [I have observed this in my experience of slavery, - that whenever my condition was improved, instead of its increasing my contentment, it only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/i-have-observed-this-in-my-experience-of-slavery-that-whenever-my/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [“THE ESSENCE OF YOUR DESIRE IS A FEELING”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danielle-laporte/the-essence-of-your-desire-is-a-feeling/) [Danielle LaPorte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danielle-laporte/) > [On the brink of being satiated, desire still appears infinite.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-rostand/on-the-brink-of-being-satiated-desire-still-appears-infinite/) [Jean Rostand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-rostand/) > [If there is any period one would desire to be born in, is it not the age of Revolution; when the old and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/if-there-is-any-period-one-would-desire-to-be-born-in-is-it-not-the/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [He caught her, she fell, he caught her in his arms, he held her tightly unconscious of what he was doing. He held her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/he-caught-her-she-fell-he-caught-her-in-his-arms-he-held-her-tightly/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [ Teaching might even be the greatest of the arts since the medium is the human mind and spirit. My three \[great teachers\] did not… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/teaching-might-even-be-the-greatest-of-the-arts-since-the-medium-is/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [“The deepest urge in human nature is the desire to be important.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dewey/the-deepest-urge-in-human-nature-is-the-desire-to-be-important/) [John Dewey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dewey/) > [In discovering books, you became free to explore the full range of human motives, desires, secrets, and lies. All my life, people have scolded…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betsy-lerner/in-discovering-books-you-became-free-to-explore-the-full-range-of/) [Betsy Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betsy-lerner/) > [I have never been in, nor have I had any strong particular desire to be in, what is termed a costume drama, but I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-freeman/i-have-never-been-in-nor-have-i-had-any-strong-particular-desire-to/) [Martin Freeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-freeman/) > [Now I am in the place I call this wide wide Heaven because it includes all my simplest desires but also the most humble…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-sebold/now-i-am-in-the-place-i-call-this-wide-wide-heaven-because-it/) [Alice Sebold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-sebold/) > [“from THE DEVIL YOU KNOW : She wanted him too. He could see it in the rapid rise of her breasts. He could smell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emery-lee/from-the-devil-you-know-she-wanted-him-too-he-could-see-it-in-the/) [Emery Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emery-lee/) [Browse all 15,155 Desire quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desire/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Talent is the gift plus the passion - a desire to succeed so intense that no force on earth can stop it.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Neil Simon" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-simon/talent-is-the-gift-plus-the-passion-a-desire-to-succeed-so-intense/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Desire" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-simon/talent-is-the-gift-plus-the-passion-a-desire-to-succeed-so-intense/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7aa/neil-simon-10535_desire_talent-is-the-gift-plus-the-passion-a-de_8133.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7aa/neil-simon-10535_desire_talent-is-the-gift-plus-the-passion-a-de_8133.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7aa/neil-simon-10535_desire_talent-is-the-gift-plus-the-passion-a-de_8133.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Talent is the gift plus the passion - a desire to succeed so intense that no force on earth can stop it.” — Neil Simon", "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 Simon", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-simon/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Talent is the gift plus the...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-simon/talent-is-the-gift-plus-the-passion-a-desire-to-succeed-so-intense/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-simon/talent-is-the-gift-plus-the-passion-a-desire-to-succeed-so-intense/#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 } } ] } ```