---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: My intent is simply to know my material…"
description: "\"My intent is simply to know my material so well that I'm very comfortable with it. Confidence, not perfection, is the goal.\" — Scott Berkun"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/981/scott-berkun-12409_comfortable_my-intent-is-simply-to-know-my-material_1988727.png"
---

#  My intent is simply to know my material so well that I'm…

![“My intent is simply to know my material so well that I'm very comfortable with it. Confidence, not perfection, is the goal.” quote by Scott Berkun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/981/scott-berkun-12409_comfortable_my-intent-is-simply-to-know-my-material_1988727.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/981/scott-berkun-12409_comfortable_my-intent-is-simply-to-know-my-material_1988727.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/981/scott-berkun-12409_comfortable_my-intent-is-simply-to-know-my-material_1988727.png)

> “My intent is simply to know my material so well that I'm very comfortable with it. Confidence, not perfection, is the goal.”

[Scott Berkun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-berkun/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Deep mastery of material builds confidence, which is more valuable than flawless perfection.

**In simple terms:** Know your material well to feel confident, not perfect.

Key Takeaway

Prioritize thorough understanding over flawless performance.

Themes

learning confidence perfection

Mood

confident determined

Type

inspirational practical

When to use this quote

- presentations
- teaching
- exams
- public speaking

Key Concepts

mastery growth mindset

Questions to Reflect On

- How do you ensure mastery without obsessing over perfection?
- What strategies keep you comfortable under pressure?

A Different Perspective

Perfectionism can still hinder progress despite confidence.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Comfortable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comfortable/) [Comfortable Confidence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comfortable-confidence-2225088/) [Confidence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/confidence/) [Confidence Perfection](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/confidence-perfection-510337/) [Excellence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/excellence/) [Goal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goal/) [Goals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goals/) [Know Material](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/know-material-593365/) [Knows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knows/) [Material Comfortable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/material-comfortable-3436100/) [Materials](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/materials/) [Not perfect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/not-perfect/) [Perfection](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/perfection/) [Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wells/)

## Related quotes

> [I'm quite proud of my rear... I don't obsess over my flaws, because I see my body as a whole. Besides, I think men…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shakira/i-m-quite-proud-of-my-rear-i-don-t-obsess-over-my-flaws-because-i-see/)

[Shakira](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shakira/)

> [Perfection is sharpened by passing through debacle without fear &amp; come out with belief &amp; confidence.Perfection is not doing extraordinary thing,perfection is doing ordinary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dranil-kr-sinha/perfection-is-sharpened-by-passing-through-debacle-without-fear-come/)

[DrAnil Kr Sinha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dranil-kr-sinha/)

> [You know what the material is so that you never play it the same way twice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cecil-taylor/you-know-what-the-material-is-so-that-you-never-play-it-the-same-way/)

[Cecil Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cecil-taylor/)

> [We're so used to the tests telling me if I'm smart or not. It's telling me if I know the material or not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sal-khan/we-re-so-used-to-the-tests-telling-me-if-i-m-smart-or-not-it-s/)

[Sal Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sal-khan/)

> [Oh no we don't play with silly girls All I know is the material girls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicki-minaj/oh-no-we-don-t-play-with-silly-girls-all-i-know-is-the-material-girls/)

[Nicki Minaj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicki-minaj/)

> [The acting is better when you know your material is being judged.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-newhart/the-acting-is-better-when-you-know-your-material-is-being-judged/)

[Bob Newhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-newhart/)

> [I feel more comfortable confidence-wise. You get to the NHL, and you're nervous about trying things. With experience, you're not as afraid of being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-st-louis/i-feel-more-comfortable-confidence-wise-you-get-to-the-nhl-and-you-re/)

[Martin St. Louis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-st-louis/)

> [Find what makes you feel comfortable. The confidence you wear your clothes in is what's really going to shine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hayley-hasselhoff/find-what-makes-you-feel-comfortable-the-confidence-you-wear-your/)

[Hayley Hasselhoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hayley-hasselhoff/)

> [That is what I liked about being on stage. I was comfortable there, and I could be myself with confidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-gaynor/that-is-what-i-liked-about-being-on-stage-i-was-comfortable-there-and/)

[Gloria Gaynor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-gaynor/)

> [Every time I get in the McLaren I feel more comfortable, my confidence increases and I feel more at home with the team.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lando-norris/every-time-i-get-in-the-mclaren-i-feel-more-comfortable-my-confidence/)

[Lando Norris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lando-norris/)

> [Just remember that, ultimately, dressing is always about attitude, feeling comfortable and confidence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-moss/just-remember-that-ultimately-dressing-is-always-about-attitude/)

[Kate Moss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-moss/)

> [I can say across Europe that many principles that have been taken for granted here around free speech, and around civil liberties and an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-can-say-across-europe-that-many-principles-that-have-been-taken-for/)

[Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/)

> [Look, we are human, we make mistakes. I will gladly shout from the rooftops that I am not perfect. Nor will I ever be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dianna-agron/look-we-are-human-we-make-mistakes-i-will-gladly-shout-from-the/)

[Dianna Agron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dianna-agron/)

> [I'm not the one to back down and I don't give up, and believe me, I'm not perfect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dawn-staley/i-m-not-the-one-to-back-down-and-i-don-t-give-up-and-believe-me-i-m/)

[Dawn Staley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dawn-staley/)

> [The pursuit of perfection is frustrating and a waste of time, because nothing is ever perfect. The pursuit of excellence is commendable and worthwhile.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-kulwicki/the-pursuit-of-perfection-is-frustrating-and-a-waste-of-time-because/)

[Alan Kulwicki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-kulwicki/)

## More by Scott Berkun

> [“We develop ulcers, high blood pressure, headaches, and other physical problems in part because our stress systems aren’t designed to handle the “dangers” of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-berkun/we-develop-ulcers-high-blood-pressure-headaches-and-other-physical/)

[Scott Berkun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-berkun/)

> [ “Human beings, who are almost unique \[among animals\] in having the ability to learn from the experience of others, are also remarkable for their… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-berkun/human-beings-who-are-almost-unique-among-animals-in-having-the/)

[Scott Berkun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-berkun/)

> [“What good is something that scales well if it sucks? Why is size the ultimate goal or even a goal at all?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-berkun/what-good-is-something-that-scales-well-if-it-sucks-why-is-size-the/)

[Scott Berkun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-berkun/)

> [It seems that bad advice that's fun will always be better known than than good advice that's dull-no matter how useless that fun advice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-berkun/it-seems-that-bad-advice-that-s-fun-will-always-be-better-known-than/)

[Scott Berkun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-berkun/)

> [ When I'm the speaker, I know that special moment \[just before speaking\] is the only time I will have the entire audience's full attention.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-berkun/when-i-m-the-speaker-i-know-that-special-moment-just-before-speaking/)

[Scott Berkun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-berkun/)

> [“The best lesson from the myths of Newton and Archimedes is to work passionately but to take breaks. Sitting under trees and relaxing in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-berkun/the-best-lesson-from-the-myths-of-newton-and-archimedes-is-to-work/)

[Scott Berkun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-berkun/)

> [“Defensive management is blind to recognizing how obsessing about preventing bad things also prevents good things from happening or sometimes even prevents anything from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-berkun/defensive-management-is-blind-to-recognizing-how-obsessing-about/)

[Scott Berkun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-berkun/)

> [I don’t want to be perfect. I want to be useful, I want to be good, and I want to sound like myself. Trying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-berkun/i-don-t-want-to-be-perfect-i-want-to-be-useful-i-want-to-be-good-and/)

[Scott Berkun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-berkun/)

> [“I believe anyone can teach anyone anything. But I mean this in a specific sense. If you have two dedicated, reasonably intelligent people, one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-berkun/i-believe-anyone-can-teach-anyone-anything-but-i-mean-this-in-a/)

[Scott Berkun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-berkun/)

> [“The Greeks were so committed to ideas as supernatural forces that they created an entire group of goddesses (not one but nine) to represent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-berkun/the-greeks-were-so-committed-to-ideas-as-supernatural-forces-that/)

[Scott Berkun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-berkun/)

> [For centuries before Google, MIT, and IDEO, modern hotbeds of innovation, we struggled to explain any kind of creation, from the universe itself to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-berkun/for-centuries-before-google-mit-and-ideo-modern-hotbeds-of-innovation/)

[Scott Berkun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-berkun/)

> [No one has died from giving a bad presentation. Well, at least one person did, President William Henry Harrison, but he developed pneumonia after…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-berkun/no-one-has-died-from-giving-a-bad-presentation-well-at-least-one/)

[Scott Berkun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-berkun/)

> [“History can’t give attention to what’s been lost, hidden, or deliberately buried; it is mostly a telling of success, not the partial failures that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-berkun/history-can-t-give-attention-to-what-s-been-lost-hidden-or/)

[Scott Berkun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-berkun/)

> [Good public speaking is based on good private thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-berkun/good-public-speaking-is-based-on-good-private-thinking/)

[Scott Berkun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-berkun/)

> [It's rare for people to genuinely try to understand what others are trying to say.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-berkun/it-s-rare-for-people-to-genuinely-try-to-understand-what-others-are/)

[Scott Berkun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-berkun/)

[Explore all 54 Scott Berkun quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-berkun/)

## More Comfortable quotes

> [I could not limit my values and pursuits to what makes others comfortable. Being possessed by a promise I live without options. I will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-johnson/i-could-not-limit-my-values-and-pursuits-to-what-makes-others/)

[Bill Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-johnson/)

> [How much more comfortable it is to say 'Yes, and...' than 'Yes, but...'.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-fagg/how-much-more-comfortable-it-is-to-say-yes-and-than-yes-but/)

[Lawrence Fagg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-fagg/)

> [If I had my brothers I think with just a little bit of the correct marketing, I'd like to be almost exclusively in small…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-bozzio/if-i-had-my-brothers-i-think-with-just-a-little-bit-of-the-correct/)

[Terry Bozzio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-bozzio/)

> [I'm more comfortable modelling as a man because I don't get any criticism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rain-dove/i-m-more-comfortable-modelling-as-a-man-because-i-don-t-get-any/)

[Rain Dove](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rain-dove/)

> [I'm aware of who I am and I'm comfortable with who I choose to date.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shibani-dandekar/i-m-aware-of-who-i-am-and-i-m-comfortable-with-who-i-choose-to-date/)

[Shibani Dandekar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shibani-dandekar/)

> [Money is only used for two things. One, it's to make you comfortable, and the more comfortable you are the more creative you will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-proctor/money-is-only-used-for-two-things-one-it-s-to-make-you-comfortable/)

[Bob Proctor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-proctor/)

> [I am comfortable talking about sex scenes and stuff, but to me, when it's physically explicit, I do feel prudish and uncomfortable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phoebe-waller-bridge/i-am-comfortable-talking-about-sex-scenes-and-stuff-but-to-me-when-it/)

[Phoebe Waller-Bridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phoebe-waller-bridge/)

> [It's my intention to make something stand outside the realm of album art, but it also feels comfortable to me to be in it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dyer-baizley/it-s-my-intention-to-make-something-stand-outside-the-realm-of-album/)

[John Dyer Baizley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dyer-baizley/)

> [There's always gonna be people with a lot of money making film, and the goal is to make profit and carry on. It is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clint-howard/there-s-always-gonna-be-people-with-a-lot-of-money-making-film-and/)

[Clint Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clint-howard/)

> [There are those that say, if you do the uncomfortable thing long enough, it will become comfortable. But we are really not encouragers of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esther-hicks/there-are-those-that-say-if-you-do-the-uncomfortable-thing-long/)

[Esther Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esther-hicks/)

> [It's like my second home, 'It.' And I would like to return to it, because I feel very comfortable with it, and I have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-muschietti/it-s-like-my-second-home-it-and-i-would-like-to-return-to-it-because/)

[Andy Muschietti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-muschietti/)

> [I was a bit overweight as a teenager, which may be why I'm more comfortable playing with clothes than showing my body.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orla-brady/i-was-a-bit-overweight-as-a-teenager-which-may-be-why-i-m-more/)

[Orla Brady](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orla-brady/)

> [When you're comfortable with someone you love, the silence is the best.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/britney-spears/when-you-re-comfortable-with-someone-you-love-the-silence-is-the-best/)

[Britney Spears](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/britney-spears/)

> [Our families and our homes are the center of American life, Everything we do is to make those homes-and the lives in them-more beautiful,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-stewart/our-families-and-our-homes-are-the-center-of-american-life-everything/)

[Martha Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-stewart/)

> [You build the bonds through the community and police force, build bonds of understanding, and then when people feel comfortable in their communities, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-kaine/you-build-the-bonds-through-the-community-and-police-force-build/)

[Tim Kaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-kaine/)

[Browse all 4,560 Comfortable quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comfortable/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "My intent is simply to know my material so well that I'm very comfortable with it. Confidence, not perfection, is the goal.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Scott Berkun"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-berkun/my-intent-is-simply-to-know-my-material-so-well-that-i-m-very/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Comfortable"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-berkun/my-intent-is-simply-to-know-my-material-so-well-that-i-m-very/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/981/scott-berkun-12409_comfortable_my-intent-is-simply-to-know-my-material_1988727.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/981/scott-berkun-12409_comfortable_my-intent-is-simply-to-know-my-material_1988727.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/981/scott-berkun-12409_comfortable_my-intent-is-simply-to-know-my-material_1988727.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“My intent is simply to know my material so well that I'm very comfortable with it. Confidence, not…” — Scott Berkun",
                "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": "Scott Berkun",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-berkun/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "My intent is simply to know...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-berkun/my-intent-is-simply-to-know-my-material-so-well-that-i-m-very/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-berkun/my-intent-is-simply-to-know-my-material-so-well-that-i-m-very/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
