--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Natural ability is by far the best, but…" description: "\"Natural ability is by far the best, but many men have succeeded in winning high renown by skill that is the fruit of teaching.\" — Pindar" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ed6/pindar-7724_ability_natural-ability-is-by-far-the-best-but-m_2751680.jpg" --- # Natural ability is by far the best, but many men have… ![“Natural ability is by far the best, but many men have succeeded in winning high renown by skill that is the fruit of teaching.” quote by Pindar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ed6/pindar-7724_ability_natural-ability-is-by-far-the-best-but-m_2751680.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ed6/pindar-7724_ability_natural-ability-is-by-far-the-best-but-m_2751680.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ed6/pindar-7724_ability_natural-ability-is-by-far-the-best-but-m_2751680.jpg) > “Natural ability is by far the best, but many men have succeeded in winning high renown by skill that is the fruit of teaching.” [Pindar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pindar/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Natural talent shines, yet taught skill can also bring fame. **In simple terms:** Skill learned can also lead to fame. Key Takeaway Cultivate both talent and learning. Themes achievement skill talent education Mood reflective motivational Type classical inspirational When to use this quote - sports - academics - career advancement Key Concepts classical literature philosophy self-improvement Questions to Reflect On - How can we balance innate ability with effort? - What role does mentorship play? A Different Perspective Relying solely on talent may limit growth. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/) [Education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education/) [Fruit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fruit/) [Great teaching](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-teaching/) [Greatness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greatness/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Natural ability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/natural-ability/) [Nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature/) [Skill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/skill/) [Skills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/skills/) [Teacher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/teacher/) [Teaching](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/teaching/) [Winning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/winning/) ## Related quotes > [I have always believed that the aristocracy of any country should be the men who have succeeded - the men who have aided in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-m-schwab/i-have-always-believed-that-the-aristocracy-of-any-country-should-be/) [Charles M. Schwab](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-m-schwab/) > [Our whole civilization rests on the fact that men have always succeeded in beating off the attack of the re-distributors.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-von-mises/our-whole-civilization-rests-on-the-fact-that-men-have-always/) [Ludwig von Mises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-von-mises/) > [The men who have succeeded are men who have chosen one line and stuck to it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-carnegie/the-men-who-have-succeeded-are-men-who-have-chosen-one-line-and-stuck/) [Andrew Carnegie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-carnegie/) > [“There is no doubt that great teaching and great teachers have a significant impact on students and their long-term association with school and with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-heleno/there-is-no-doubt-that-great-teaching-and-great-teachers-have-a/) Carlos Heleno > [Teaching might even be the greatest of the arts since the medium is the human mind and spirit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/teaching-might-even-be-the-greatest-of-the-arts-since-the-medium-is-2/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [I've had so much great teaching, and I'm one of the best defensive players to ever play the game on the wing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/metta-world-peace/i-ve-had-so-much-great-teaching-and-i-m-one-of-the-best-defensive/) [Metta World Peace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/metta-world-peace/) > [Learning is more than absorbing facts, it is acquiring understanding.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-arthur-ward/learning-is-more-than-absorbing-facts-it-is-acquiring-understanding/) [William Arthur Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-arthur-ward/) > [Warmth is the vital element for the growing plant and for the soul of the child.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-jung/warmth-is-the-vital-element-for-the-growing-plant-and-for-the-soul-of/) [Carl Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-jung/) > [“I was thinking this was a great teaching moment, where they'd finally come to see that even something teeny-tiny can be big enough.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dee-williams/i-was-thinking-this-was-a-great-teaching-moment-where-they-d-finally/) [Dee Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dee-williams/) > [A devotional book, which takes a Scripture text, and so opens it for us in the morning - that all day long it helps…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-miller/a-devotional-book-which-takes-a-scripture-text-and-so-opens-it-for-us/) [J.R. Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-miller/) > [One child, one teacher, one book and one pen can change the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malala-yousafzai/one-child-one-teacher-one-book-and-one-pen-can-change-the-world/) [Malala Yousafzai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malala-yousafzai/) > [I believe that education is the civil rights issue of our generation. And if you care about promoting opportunity and reducing inequality, the classroom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arne-duncan/i-believe-that-education-is-the-civil-rights-issue-of-our-generation/) [Arne Duncan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arne-duncan/) > [The basic idea behind teaching is to teach people what they need to know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-rogers/the-basic-idea-behind-teaching-is-to-teach-people-what-they-need-to/) [Carl Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-rogers/) > [I can be a tool of torture or an instrument of inspiration. I can humiliate or heal. In all situations, it is my response…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haim-ginott/i-can-be-a-tool-of-torture-or-an-instrument-of-inspiration-i-can/) [Haim Ginott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haim-ginott/) > [Great teaching requires incredible talent and dedication, strong intellectual ability and interpersonal skill, real discipline and empathy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-rauner/great-teaching-requires-incredible-talent-and-dedication-strong/) [Bruce Rauner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-rauner/) ## More by Pindar > [Mankind is a dream of a shadow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pindar/mankind-is-a-dream-of-a-shadow/) [Pindar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pindar/) > [Time is the best preserver of righteous men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pindar/time-is-the-best-preserver-of-righteous-men/) [Pindar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pindar/) > [“War is sweet to those who have no experience of it. But the experienced man trembles exceedingly in his heart at its approach.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pindar/war-is-sweet-to-those-who-have-no-experience-of-it-but-the/) [Pindar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pindar/) > [War is sweet for those who haven't experienced it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pindar/war-is-sweet-for-those-who-haven-t-experienced-it/) [Pindar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pindar/) > [Envy bestrides praise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pindar/envy-bestrides-praise/) [Pindar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pindar/) > [“Custom is the lord of everything, of mortals and immortals king. High violence it justifies, with hand uplifted plundering.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pindar/custom-is-the-lord-of-everything-of-mortals-and-immortals-king-high/) [Pindar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pindar/) > [Learn what you are and be such.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pindar/learn-what-you-are-and-be-such/) [Pindar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pindar/) > [May God grant me love for that which has splendor; but in this time of my life let me strive for attainable things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pindar/may-god-grant-me-love-for-that-which-has-splendor-but-in-this-time-of/) [Pindar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pindar/) > [Envy, the attendant of the empty mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pindar/envy-the-attendant-of-the-empty-mind/) [Pindar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pindar/) > [Every gift which is given, even though is be small, is in reality great, if it is given with affection](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pindar/every-gift-which-is-given-even-though-is-be-small-is-in-reality-great/) [Pindar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pindar/) > [“There are indeed many wonders, and with regard to the stories people tell one another, it may be that such tales go beyond the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pindar/there-are-indeed-many-wonders-and-with-regard-to-the-stories-people/) [Pindar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pindar/) > [He is gifted with genius who knoweth much by natural inspiration.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pindar/he-is-gifted-with-genius-who-knoweth-much-by-natural-inspiration/) [Pindar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pindar/) > [Water is the best of all things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pindar/water-is-the-best-of-all-things/) [Pindar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pindar/) > [Great deeds give choice of many tales. Choose a slight tale, enrich it large, and then let wise men listen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pindar/great-deeds-give-choice-of-many-tales-choose-a-slight-tale-enrich-it/) [Pindar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pindar/) > [Unsung, the noblest deed will die.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pindar/unsung-the-noblest-deed-will-die/) [Pindar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pindar/) [Explore all 88 Pindar quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pindar/) ## More Ability quotes > [I don't think there's a direct correlation between my sexuality and my skiing ability. But I think because I was so concerned about it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gus-kenworthy/i-don-t-think-there-s-a-direct-correlation-between-my-sexuality-and/) [Gus Kenworthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gus-kenworthy/) > [“the importance of ability. The things that make a great job great, I discovered, are rare and valuable. If you want them in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-newport/the-importance-of-ability-the-things-that-make-a-great-job-great-i/) [Cal Newport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-newport/) > [Ambition drives you on, ability certainly helps, but the fickle finger of fate and luck are great things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fergus-henderson/ambition-drives-you-on-ability-certainly-helps-but-the-fickle-finger/) [Fergus Henderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fergus-henderson/) > [The ability of the gospel to unite us on common strengths and common truths is one of the great miracles . . . of the gospel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-r-holland/the-ability-of-the-gospel-to-unite-us-on-common-strengths-and-common/) [Jeffrey R. Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-r-holland/) > [Maybe law enforcement would like the ability to turn on the camera on your Mac.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-cook/maybe-law-enforcement-would-like-the-ability-to-turn-on-the-camera-on/) [Tim Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-cook/) > [I've seen guys come along with more ability - they've been faster or bigger or stronger - but they never worked hard to develop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-largent/i-ve-seen-guys-come-along-with-more-ability-they-ve-been-faster-or/) [Steve Largent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-largent/) > [The youth of India has the strength to move the entire World with a click of a mouse, we have generated that ability!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/narendra-modi/the-youth-of-india-has-the-strength-to-move-the-entire-world-with-a/) [Narendra Modi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/narendra-modi/) > [Time hath not yet so dried this blood of mine, Nor age so eat up my invention, Nor fortune made such havoc of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/time-hath-not-yet-so-dried-this-blood-of-mine-nor-age-so-eat-up-my/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [An absolutely necessary part of a writer's equipment, almost as necessary as talent, is the ability to stand up under punishment, both the punishment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irwin-shaw/an-absolutely-necessary-part-of-a-writer-s-equipment-almost-as/) [Irwin Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irwin-shaw/) > [I'd be more frightened by not using whatever abilities I'd been given. I'd be more frightened by procrastination and laziness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denzel-washington/i-d-be-more-frightened-by-not-using-whatever-abilities-i-d-been-given/) [Denzel Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denzel-washington/) > [Bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. Take what I cannot give: my heart, body, thoughts, time, abilities, money, health, strength,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-prentiss/bring-into-captivity-every-thought-to-the-obedience-of-christ-take/) [Elizabeth Prentiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-prentiss/) > [You can only do the work to the very best of your ability.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-baranski/you-can-only-do-the-work-to-the-very-best-of-your-ability/) [Christine Baranski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-baranski/) > [Judge a person not by his ability to make money but by his ability to retain it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/judge-a-person-not-by-his-ability-to-make-money-but-by-his-ability-to/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [Balance is the ability to be happy in the midst of the most chaotic or even boring or transient circumstance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/balance-is-the-ability-to-be-happy-in-the-midst-of-the-most-chaotic/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Bobby had faith in my ability as a singer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-london/bobby-had-faith-in-my-ability-as-a-singer/) [Julie London](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-london/) [Browse all 9,990 Ability quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Natural ability is by far the best, but many men have succeeded in winning high renown by skill that is the fruit of teaching.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Pindar" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pindar/natural-ability-is-by-far-the-best-but-many-men-have-succeeded-in/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Ability" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pindar/natural-ability-is-by-far-the-best-but-many-men-have-succeeded-in/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ed6/pindar-7724_ability_natural-ability-is-by-far-the-best-but-m_2751680.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ed6/pindar-7724_ability_natural-ability-is-by-far-the-best-but-m_2751680.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ed6/pindar-7724_ability_natural-ability-is-by-far-the-best-but-m_2751680.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Natural ability is by far the best, but many men have succeeded in winning high renown by skill that is the…” — Pindar", "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": "Pindar", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pindar/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Natural ability is by far the...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pindar/natural-ability-is-by-far-the-best-but-many-men-have-succeeded-in/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pindar/natural-ability-is-by-far-the-best-but-many-men-have-succeeded-in/#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 } } ] } ```