--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I want to learn how to pick locks…" description: "\"I want to learn how to pick locks, swordfight, throw pottery - it's all research. It's like the curious person's version of James Bond's license to kil..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/22b/patrick-rothfuss-145_curious_i-want-to-learn-how-to-pick-locks-swordf_1582266.jpg" --- # I want to learn how to pick locks, swordfight, throw… ![“I want to learn how to pick locks, swordfight, throw pottery - it's all research. It's like the curious person's version of James Bond's license to kill. I've got a license to learn.” quote by Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/22b/patrick-rothfuss-145_curious_i-want-to-learn-how-to-pick-locks-swordf_1582266.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/22b/patrick-rothfuss-145_curious_i-want-to-learn-how-to-pick-locks-swordf_1582266.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/22b/patrick-rothfuss-145_curious_i-want-to-learn-how-to-pick-locks-swordf_1582266.jpg) > “I want to learn how to pick locks, swordfight, throw pottery - it's all research. It's like the curious person's version of James Bond's license to kill. I've got a license to learn.” [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Describes learning diverse skills as adventurous research, likening it to a spy's license. **In simple terms:** Treat learning as adventurous research. Key Takeaway Embrace curiosity and skill‑building. Themes learning adventure curiosity skill acquisition Mood enthusiastic playful Type motivational inspirational When to use this quote - hobby development - martial arts training - DIY projects - creative writing Key Concepts education gamification self‑improvement Questions to Reflect On - What skill would you pursue for curiosity? - How does playful framing aid mastery? A Different Perspective Risk of superficiality. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Curious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/curious/) [Learn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/learn/) [Learn Pick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/learn-pick-2879795/) [License](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/license/) [License Learn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/license-learn-5979870/) [Locks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/locks/) [Persons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/persons/) [Picks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/picks/) [Pottery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pottery/) [Research](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/research/) [Research Like](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/research-like-1116576/) [Versions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/versions/) [Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want/) [Want Learn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want-learn/) ## Related quotes > [Why do we Fall? So we can learn to pick ourselves back up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-nolan/why-do-we-fall-so-we-can-learn-to-pick-ourselves-back-up/) [Christopher Nolan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-nolan/) > [And why do we fall, Bruce? So we can learn to pick ourselves up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/and-why-do-we-fall-bruce-so-we-can-learn-to-pick-ourselves-up/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If you want a television, you go out and work for it and you buy it. If you want to learn about Aztec pottery,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-harvey/if-you-want-a-television-you-go-out-and-work-for-it-and-you-buy-it-if/) [Andrew Harvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-harvey/) > [Scientific research was much like prospecting: you went out and you hunted, armed with your maps and instruments, but in the ened your preparations…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-crichton/scientific-research-was-much-like-prospecting-you-went-out-and-you/) [Michael Crichton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-crichton/) > [Basically, I like research because research is like to solve the quiz, you know. Always there is a problem, and I have to solve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shuji-nakamura/basically-i-like-research-because-research-is-like-to-solve-the-quiz/) [Shuji Nakamura](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shuji-nakamura/) > [For research, I like to go to the location of the places in the novels. The first thing that I do is involve my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natsuo-kirino/for-research-i-like-to-go-to-the-location-of-the-places-in-the-novels/) [Natsuo Kirino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natsuo-kirino/) > [My research is like my feeling directed towards what is the principal value in the life, the poetry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/le-corbusier/my-research-is-like-my-feeling-directed-towards-what-is-the-principal/) [Le Corbusier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/le-corbusier/) > [Math research is more like a marathon.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-tao/math-research-is-more-like-a-marathon/) [Terence Tao](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-tao/) > [My research is like my feeling, directed towards what is the principle value in the life--the poetry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/le-corbusier/my-research-is-like-my-feeling-directed-towards-what-is-the-principle/) [Le Corbusier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/le-corbusier/) > [Basic research is like shooting an arrow in the air and, where it lands, painting a target.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/homer-burton-adkins/basic-research-is-like-shooting-an-arrow-in-the-air-and-where-it/) [Homer Burton Adkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/homer-burton-adkins/) > [I read research like other people read sports magazines or fashion magazines.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sallie-krawcheck/i-read-research-like-other-people-read-sports-magazines-or-fashion/) [Sallie Krawcheck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sallie-krawcheck/) > [I love research. When there's something that I like, I want to know everything about it. I want to know exactly what was behind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-sui/i-love-research-when-there-s-something-that-i-like-i-want-to-know/) [Anna Sui](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-sui/) > [Expectations were like fine pottery. The harder you held them, the more likely they were to crack.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/expectations-were-like-fine-pottery-the-harder-you-held-them-the-more/) [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) > [“To all the secret writers, late-night painters, would-be singers, lapsed and scared artists of every stripe, dig out your paintbrush, or your flute, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shauna-niequist/to-all-the-secret-writers-late-night-painters-would-be-singers-lapsed/) [Shauna Niequist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shauna-niequist/) > [A home is not a museum. It doesn't have to be furnished with Picasso paintings, or Sheraton suites, or Oriental rugs, or Chinese pottery.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-m-cain/a-home-is-not-a-museum-it-doesn-t-have-to-be-furnished-with-picasso/) [James M. Cain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-m-cain/) ## More by Patrick Rothfuss > [Each woman is like an instrument, waiting to be learned, loved, and finely played, to have at last her own true music made.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/each-woman-is-like-an-instrument-waiting-to-be-learned-loved-and/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [It's like the query letter problem that I just mentioned, magnified a hundredfold. You might be good at telling a story, but that doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/it-s-like-the-query-letter-problem-that-i-just-mentioned-magnified-a/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [“Prefiero tocar canciones que divierten a mis amigos que complacer a quienes me juzgan basándose solo en habladurías" - Kvothe”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/prefiero-tocar-canciones-que-divierten-a-mis-amigos-que-complacer-a/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [“Wilem snorted."That doesn't sound suspicious at all," he said. "And you wonder why people talk about you." "I don't wonder why they talk," I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/wilem-snorted-that-doesn-t-sound-suspicious-at-all-he-said-and-you/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [“The point isn't to win the game. The point is to play a beautiful game. (paraphrased)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/the-point-isn-t-to-win-the-game-the-point-is-to-play-a-beautiful-game/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [I was nervous about writing Slow Regard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/i-was-nervous-about-writing-slow-regard/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [I am no poet. I do not love words for the sake of words. I love words for what they can accomplish. Similarly, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/i-am-no-poet-i-do-not-love-words-for-the-sake-of-words-i-love-words/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [“There is something deeply satisfying in shaping something with your hands. Proper artificing is like a song made solid. It is an act of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/there-is-something-deeply-satisfying-in-shaping-something-with-your/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [He had a bright, reckless tenor that was always wandering off, looking for notes in the wrong places.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/he-had-a-bright-reckless-tenor-that-was-always-wandering-off-looking/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [I smiled,"Deoch, my heart is made of stronger stuff than glass. When she strikes she'll find it strong as iron-bound brass, or gold and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/i-smiled-deoch-my-heart-is-made-of-stronger-stuff-than-glass-when-she/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [I have a blog where I keep in touch with my fans. I write about things that are important to me. Sometimes on there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/i-have-a-blog-where-i-keep-in-touch-with-my-fans-i-write-about-things/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [Soft fantasy worlds have a much looser cause-and-effect relationship. Alchemists can turn lead into gold and nobody wonders about how it will impact the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/soft-fantasy-worlds-have-a-much-looser-cause-and-effect-relationship/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [But how awful would that be? How terrible to live surrounded by the stark, sharp, hollowness of things that simply were enough?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/but-how-awful-would-that-be-how-terrible-to-live-surrounded-by-the/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [ Here's the thing: Authors live or die by recommendations. \[That's one of the reason I review so many books on Goodreads.\] Giving books you… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/here-s-the-thing-authors-live-or-die-by-recommendations-that-s-one-of/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [I was pretty poor for a long time. Not \*poor\* poor. But college student poor. I lived for most of my adult life living…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/i-was-pretty-poor-for-a-long-time-not-poor-poor-but-college-student/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) [Explore all 895 Patrick Rothfuss quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) ## More Curious quotes > [“What about you? What do you do?” I needed to ask questions, draw him out. I needed to find out all the information I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-avery-ellison/what-about-you-what-do-you-do-i-needed-to-ask-questions-draw-him-out/) [Kate Avery Ellison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-avery-ellison/) > [Okay, so I'll admit I'm curious. Big deal. We both know what that leads to. Dead cat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-elizabeth-phillips/okay-so-i-ll-admit-i-m-curious-big-deal-we-both-know-what-that-leads/) [Susan Elizabeth Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-elizabeth-phillips/) > [A garden has a curious innocent way of consuming cash while all the time you are under the illusion that you are spending nothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esther-meynell/a-garden-has-a-curious-innocent-way-of-consuming-cash-while-all-the/) [Esther Meynell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esther-meynell/) > [“The process of becoming curious is the movement away from simply living by what and how, and moving into the beautifully ambiguous and possibility-laden…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/casey-tygrett/the-process-of-becoming-curious-is-the-movement-away-from-simply/) [Casey Tygrett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/casey-tygrett/) > [Real breakthroughs are not found because you want to develop some new technology, but because you are curious and want to find out how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anton-zeilinger/real-breakthroughs-are-not-found-because-you-want-to-develop-some-new/) [Anton Zeilinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anton-zeilinger/) > [I don't know what successful journaling really looks like... I think it really does look so different for everyone who does it, I'm always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gracie-abrams/i-don-t-know-what-successful-journaling-really-looks-like-i-think-it/) [Gracie Abrams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gracie-abrams/) > [“So curious you must be. Like little calves poking their heads through the fence with big eyes and a headful of curiosity.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carew-papritz/so-curious-you-must-be-like-little-calves-poking-their-heads-through/) [Carew Papritz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carew-papritz/) > [Our world is drowning in a sea of self-centeredness. You can make yourself quite unique right away by leaving this ocean of selfishness and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bytheway/our-world-is-drowning-in-a-sea-of-self-centeredness-you-can-make/) [John Bytheway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bytheway/) > [Be curious not judge mental](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/unknow/be-curious-not-judge-mental/) [Unknow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/unknow/) > [“It is curious how little interested we are in the sexual desires of those who do not attract us.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/it-is-curious-how-little-interested-we-are-in-the-sexual-desires-of/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [International friendly games are not worth the lives of the silk worms who perish to make the pennants. They do not even have the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-baker/international-friendly-games-are-not-worth-the-lives-of-the-silk/) [Danny Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-baker/) > [Natural history is not taught in seminary. This is curious, as most people in pastoral ministry are about 567 times more likely to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-maitland/natural-history-is-not-taught-in-seminary-this-is-curious-as-most/) [Sara Maitland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-maitland/) > [Easy, Curious George! Get your grubby hands off of that wheel!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cena/easy-curious-george-get-your-grubby-hands-off-of-that-wheel/) [John Cena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cena/) > [We want to explore. We're curious people. Look back over history, people have put their lives at stake to go out and explore ...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eileen-collins/we-want-to-explore-we-re-curious-people-look-back-over-history-people/) [Eileen Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eileen-collins/) > [When I think about unique insight, what I think about is here's your opportunity to tell me something that I don't know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-seibel/when-i-think-about-unique-insight-what-i-think-about-is-here-s-your/) [Michael Seibel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-seibel/) [Browse all 2,160 Curious quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/curious/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I want to learn how to pick locks, swordfight, throw pottery - it's all research. It's like the curious person's version of James Bond's license to kill. 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