--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: They’re capable of great things, but…" description: "\"“They’re capable of great things, but potential doesn’t equal success.”\" — Nnedi Okorafor" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/98a/nnedi-okorafor-9058_capable_they-re-capable-of-great-things-but-pote_3154815.jpg" --- # They’re capable of great things, but potential doesn’t… ![“They’re capable of great things, but potential doesn’t equal success.” quote by Nnedi Okorafor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/98a/nnedi-okorafor-9058_capable_they-re-capable-of-great-things-but-pote_3154815.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/98a/nnedi-okorafor-9058_capable_they-re-capable-of-great-things-but-pote_3154815.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/98a/nnedi-okorafor-9058_capable_they-re-capable-of-great-things-but-pote_3154815.jpg) > ““They’re capable of great things, but potential doesn’t equal success.”” [Nnedi Okorafor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nnedi-okorafor/) ## 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 an innate capacity, but realizing it requires effort, opportunity, and perseverance. **In simple terms:** Potential alone isn’t enough for success. Key Takeaway Cultivate skills and seize chances. Themes potential success effort Mood inspirational realistic Type motivational pragmatic When to use this quote - career planning - education - personal development - entrepreneurship Key Concepts growth mindset self‑actualization Questions to Reflect On - What steps can you take to bridge the gap between potential and achievement? - How do external factors influence success? A Different Perspective Not everyone has equal access to resources that turn potential into success. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Capable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/capable/) [Equal Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/equal-success-1383146/) [Potential](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/potential/) [Potential Doesn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/potential-doesn-3213658/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/) [Things Potential](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/things-potential-4169130/) ## Related quotes > [When I look at all of the things that I see and all of the potential that America has, we have such tremendous potential,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/when-i-look-at-all-of-the-things-that-i-see-and-all-of-the-potential/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [“We all have the potential to do terrible things. But we also have the potential to overcome our mistakes. What point is there otherwise?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-rossi/we-all-have-the-potential-to-do-terrible-things-but-we-also-have-the-2/) [Veronica Rossi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-rossi/) > [We all have the potential to do terrible things. But we also have the potential to overcome our mistakes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-rossi/we-all-have-the-potential-to-do-terrible-things-but-we-also-have-the/) [Veronica Rossi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-rossi/) > [As it turns out, that feeling of being lost or listless or never achieving your potential doesn't contain itself within any certain decade of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-hart/as-it-turns-out-that-feeling-of-being-lost-or-listless-or-never/) [Hannah Hart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-hart/) > [We've got a lot of potential on offense. But really potential doesn't mean much if you don't realize it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-griese/we-ve-got-a-lot-of-potential-on-offense-but-really-potential-doesn-t/) [Brian Griese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-griese/) > [“Your potential doesn't die until you do.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-johnson/your-potential-doesn-t-die-until-you-do/) [Robert Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-johnson/) > [The right man applauds your potential, he doesn't stifle it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-hussey/the-right-man-applauds-your-potential-he-doesn-t-stifle-it/) [Matthew Hussey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-hussey/) > [“The sum of all your mistakes are equal to your success”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thabiso-monkoe/the-sum-of-all-your-mistakes-are-equal-to-your-success/) [Thabiso Monkoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thabiso-monkoe/) > [Money definitely does not equal success in recording.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mat-kearney/money-definitely-does-not-equal-success-in-recording/) [Mat Kearney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mat-kearney/) > [Just because one company is able to succeed with a specific model doesn't mean others will follow with equal or any success.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-blumenthal/just-because-one-company-is-able-to-succeed-with-a-specific-model/) [Neil Blumenthal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-blumenthal/) > [“The sum of your mistakes are equal to your success”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thabiso-monkoe/the-sum-of-your-mistakes-are-equal-to-your-success/) [Thabiso Monkoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thabiso-monkoe/) > [Talent doesn't always equal success.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-timberlake/talent-doesn-t-always-equal-success/) [Justin Timberlake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-timberlake/) > [Each man is capable of doing one thing well. If he attempts several, he will fail to achieve distinction in any.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/each-man-is-capable-of-doing-one-thing-well-if-he-attempts-several-he/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [I'm a great believer in people and their untapped potential.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-bester/i-m-a-great-believer-in-people-and-their-untapped-potential/) [Alfred Bester](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-bester/) > [You know, it brings in a lot of different people; you take people off the street, and kids, and people from all different walks…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michele-lamy/you-know-it-brings-in-a-lot-of-different-people-you-take-people-off/) [Michele Lamy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michele-lamy/) ## More by Nnedi Okorafor > [Funny how all things people don’t understand seem to be ‘cursed’.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nnedi-okorafor/funny-how-all-things-people-don-t-understand-seem-to-be-cursed/) [Nnedi Okorafor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nnedi-okorafor/) > [“Are they a secret part of the American government or a powerful private corporation? Is there a difference? To me, it doesn’t matter. It’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nnedi-okorafor/are-they-a-secret-part-of-the-american-government-or-a-powerful/) [Nnedi Okorafor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nnedi-okorafor/) > [“When you face your deepest fears, when you are ready,” she’d said. “Don’t turn away. Stand tall, endure, face them. If you get through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nnedi-okorafor/when-you-face-your-deepest-fears-when-you-are-ready-she-d-said-don-t/) [Nnedi Okorafor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nnedi-okorafor/) > [“Some of our old ways are better forgotten, but not all of them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nnedi-okorafor/some-of-our-old-ways-are-better-forgotten-but-not-all-of-them/) [Nnedi Okorafor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nnedi-okorafor/) > [Flawed, imperfect creatures! That's what we both are, oga! That's what we ALL are!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nnedi-okorafor/flawed-imperfect-creatures-that-s-what-we-both-are-oga-that-s-what-we/) [Nnedi Okorafor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nnedi-okorafor/) > [“But deep down inside me, I wanted . . . I needed it. I couldn’t help but act on it. The urge was so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nnedi-okorafor/but-deep-down-inside-me-i-wanted-i-needed-it-i-couldn-t-help-but-act/) [Nnedi Okorafor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nnedi-okorafor/) > [Science fiction is the only genre that enables African writers to envision a future from our African perspective.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nnedi-okorafor/science-fiction-is-the-only-genre-that-enables-african-writers-to/) [Nnedi Okorafor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nnedi-okorafor/) > [“Sunny nodded. But her mind was not on the problems of the black African diaspora. She was thinking about what it was going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nnedi-okorafor/sunny-nodded-but-her-mind-was-not-on-the-problems-of-the-black/) [Nnedi Okorafor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nnedi-okorafor/) > [You are not crazy. You are just ready to change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nnedi-okorafor/you-are-not-crazy-you-are-just-ready-to-change/) [Nnedi Okorafor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nnedi-okorafor/) > [“Neither (brother) even glaced at the counter. She smiled. Her dumb brothers never cooked. She didn’t think they even knew how! A human being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nnedi-okorafor/neither-brother-even-glaced-at-the-counter-she-smiled-her-dumb/) [Nnedi Okorafor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nnedi-okorafor/) > [“I have this obsession with destruction.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nnedi-okorafor/i-have-this-obsession-with-destruction/) [Nnedi Okorafor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nnedi-okorafor/) > [“Do you want to do this?” she asked. “Do I need to?” “Hmm. You’re still ashamed of what you are.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nnedi-okorafor/do-you-want-to-do-this-she-asked-do-i-need-to-hmm-you-re-still/) [Nnedi Okorafor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nnedi-okorafor/) > [“But I hoped he couldn’t read my mind. No one needed to know that. Not even him. He chuckled, again. “That is to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nnedi-okorafor/but-i-hoped-he-couldn-t-read-my-mind-no-one-needed-to-know-that-not/) [Nnedi Okorafor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nnedi-okorafor/) > [“The way people on Oomza Uni were so diverse and everyone handled that as if it were normal continued to surprise me. It was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nnedi-okorafor/the-way-people-on-oomza-uni-were-so-diverse-and-everyone-handled-that/) [Nnedi Okorafor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nnedi-okorafor/) > [“You Himba are so inward-looking,” she said. “Cocooned around that pink lake, growing your technology from knowledge harvested from deep within your genius, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nnedi-okorafor/you-himba-are-so-inward-looking-she-said-cocooned-around-that-pink/) [Nnedi Okorafor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nnedi-okorafor/) [Explore all 75 Nnedi Okorafor quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nnedi-okorafor/) ## More Capable quotes > [When we are capable of living in the moment free from the tyranny of "shoulds," free from the nagging sensation that this moment isn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-z-borysenko/when-we-are-capable-of-living-in-the-moment-free-from-the-tyranny-of/) [Joan Z. Borysenko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-z-borysenko/) > [Everybody is different. Some writers can write reams of great books and then J. D. Salinger wrote just a few. Beethoven wrote nine symphonies.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-joel/everybody-is-different-some-writers-can-write-reams-of-great-books/) [Billy Joel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-joel/) > [People are capable of great, great change during the span of one lifetime. And women even more than men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-zevin/people-are-capable-of-great-great-change-during-the-span-of-one/) [Gabrielle Zevin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-zevin/) > [When you lived it for years and years and years and seen different characters just get pummeled and squashed because 'I said so,' it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arn-anderson/when-you-lived-it-for-years-and-years-and-years-and-seen-different/) [Arn Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arn-anderson/) > [Each man is capable of doing one thing well. If he attempts several, he will fail to achieve distinction in any.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/each-man-is-capable-of-doing-one-thing-well-if-he-attempts-several-he/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [But, outside of being a sweet little girl, she was awfully dumb and capable of doing horrible things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/but-outside-of-being-a-sweet-little-girl-she-was-awfully-dumb-and/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [I was terrible student. I was capable, but I never like being told what to do, so I was always in the bottom class…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-lilley/i-was-terrible-student-i-was-capable-but-i-never-like-being-told-what/) [Chris Lilley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-lilley/) > [Not everyone is capable of madness; and of those lucky enough to be capable, not many have the courage for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/august-strindberg/not-everyone-is-capable-of-madness-and-of-those-lucky-enough-to-be/) [August Strindberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/august-strindberg/) > [ \[The Community's\] crosses and trials give me confidence. But I derive my hope above all, and most especially, from our utter incapacity, for it… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-guerin/the-community-s-crosses-and-trials-give-me-confidence-but-i-derive-my/) [Theodore Guerin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-guerin/) > [The mathematical facts worthy of being studied are those which, by their analogy with other facts, are capable of leading us to the knowledge…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-poincare/the-mathematical-facts-worthy-of-being-studied-are-those-which-by/) [Henri Poincare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-poincare/) > [“If you not yet try How to know you can or not?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sopharat/if-you-not-yet-try-how-to-know-you-can-or-not/) [Sopharat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sopharat/) > [I'm attracted to the garden, without a doubt, but I always try and image the wolf that's there, too. And that wolf would be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-light/i-m-attracted-to-the-garden-without-a-doubt-but-i-always-try-and/) [Michael Light](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-light/) > [A man, as a man, could arrive at all the dignity that a man was capable of obtaining or receiving; but it needed a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-taylor/a-man-as-a-man-could-arrive-at-all-the-dignity-that-a-man-was-capable/) [John Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-taylor/) > [Playing is much, much harder than composing in my opinion, becoming a player. 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