--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Our best work can't possibly appeal to…" description: "\"Our best work can't possibly appeal to the average masses, only our average work can. Finding the humility to happily walk away from those that don't g..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c98/seth-godin-152_ability_our-best-work-can-t-possibly-appeal-to-t_1158857.jpg" --- # Our best work can't possibly appeal to the average masses… ![“Our best work can't possibly appeal to the average masses, only our average work can. Finding the humility to happily walk away from those that don't get it unlocks our ability to do great work.” quote by Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c98/seth-godin-152_ability_our-best-work-can-t-possibly-appeal-to-t_1158857.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c98/seth-godin-152_ability_our-best-work-can-t-possibly-appeal-to-t_1158857.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c98/seth-godin-152_ability_our-best-work-can-t-possibly-appeal-to-t_1158857.jpg) > “Our best work can't possibly appeal to the average masses, only our average work can. Finding the humility to happily walk away from those that don't get it unlocks our ability to do great work.” [Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Great work often goes unrecognized by the masses; only mediocre work appeals broadly. **In simple terms:** Excellent work may not please everyone; average work does. Key Takeaway Focus on creating exceptional work, not mass appeal. Themes excellence audience humility creativity Mood thoughtful inspirational Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - product design - artistic creation - entrepreneurship - marketing strategy Key Concepts mass market niche quality recognition Questions to Reflect On - What does “great work” mean to you? - How do you balance excellence with audience needs? A Different Perspective Great work can still fail without proper positioning; market fit matters. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/) [Humility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humility/) [Mass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mass/) ## Related quotes > [The only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/the-only-way-to-be-truly-satisfied-is-to-do-what-you-believe-is-great-2/) [Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) > [If you're working with a spreadsheet or a thread of correspondence or a set of data, I'm not sure you're doing your best work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/if-you-re-working-with-a-spreadsheet-or-a-thread-of-correspondence-or/) [Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/) > [By my definition, most art has nothing to do with oil paint or marble. Art is what we're doing when we do our best…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/by-my-definition-most-art-has-nothing-to-do-with-oil-paint-or-marble/) [Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/) > [It turns out that the people who like their jobs the most are also the ones who are doing the best work, making the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/it-turns-out-that-the-people-who-like-their-jobs-the-most-are-also-2/) [Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/) > [Isn't the drawing board the place where all the best work happens? It's not a bad thing to go back there. It's the entire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/isn-t-the-drawing-board-the-place-where-all-the-best-work-happens-it/) [Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/) > [You are far more likely to do your best work if you are willing to delight a few as opposed to soothe the masses.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/you-are-far-more-likely-to-do-your-best-work-if-you-are-willing-to/) [Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/) > [“It turns out that the people who like their jobs the most are also the ones who are doing the best work, making the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/it-turns-out-that-the-people-who-like-their-jobs-the-most-are-also/) [Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/) > [The secret of getting on the shortlist is doing your best work fearlessly for a long time before you get on the list.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/the-secret-of-getting-on-the-shortlist-is-doing-your-best-work/) [Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/) > [Art is what we're doing when we do our best work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/art-is-what-we-re-doing-when-we-do-our-best-work/) [Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/) > [The instinct to produce great work doesn't require a fancy notebook.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/the-instinct-to-produce-great-work-doesn-t-require-a-fancy-notebook/) [Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/) > [It's rare to find a consistently creative or insightful person who is also an angry person. They can't occupy the same space, and if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/it-s-rare-to-find-a-consistently-creative-or-insightful-person-who-is/) [Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/) > [Great work is always shunned at first.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/great-work-is-always-shunned-at-first/) [Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/) > [As you've probably discovered, great work makes us uncomfortable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/as-you-ve-probably-discovered-great-work-makes-us-uncomfortable/) [Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/) > [Great work is the result of seeking out tension, not avoiding it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/great-work-is-the-result-of-seeking-out-tension-not-avoiding-it/) [Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/) > [I do my best work when I am in pain and turmoil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sting/i-do-my-best-work-when-i-am-in-pain-and-turmoil/) [Sting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sting/) ## More by Seth Godin > [“You weren't born to be a cog in the giant industrial machine. You were trained to become a cog. There's an alternative available to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/you-weren-t-born-to-be-a-cog-in-the-giant-industrial-machine-you-were/) [Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/) > [Forgive yourself for not being the richest, the thinnest, the tallest, the one with the best hair. Forgive yourself for not being the most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/forgive-yourself-for-not-being-the-richest-the-thinnest-the-tallest/) [Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/) > [The easier it is to quantify, the less it's worth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/the-easier-it-is-to-quantify-the-less-it-s-worth/) [Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/) > [Developing expertise or assets that are not easily copied is essential; otherwise you're just a middleman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/developing-expertise-or-assets-that-are-not-easily-copied-is/) [Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/) > [Leadership is a choice. It's the choice not to do nothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/leadership-is-a-choice-it-s-the-choice-not-to-do-nothing/) [Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/) > [The next thing you do today will be the most important thing on your agenda, because, after all, you're doing it next. Well, perhaps…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/the-next-thing-you-do-today-will-be-the-most-important-thing-on-your/) [Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/) > [I look at Starbucks, Howard Schultz has made many brilliant decisions, and one of the things that they did was they invented the third…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/i-look-at-starbucks-howard-schultz-has-made-many-brilliant-decisions/) [Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/) > [Be relentlessly generous, without focusing on when it will come back to you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/be-relentlessly-generous-without-focusing-on-when-it-will-come-back/) [Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/) > [The public square is more public than ever, but minds are rarely changed in 140 character bursts and by selfies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/the-public-square-is-more-public-than-ever-but-minds-are-rarely/) [Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/) > [Making an average pitch to average people, or having an average gala for average people isn't going to scale anymore. You've got to find…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/making-an-average-pitch-to-average-people-or-having-an-average-gala/) [Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/) > [Our job is to make change. Our job is to connect to people, to interact with them in a way that leaves them better…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/our-job-is-to-make-change-our-job-is-to-connect-to-people-to-interact/) [Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/) > [“Life is actually far better than it is in the movies. And it takes longer.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/life-is-actually-far-better-than-it-is-in-the-movies-and-it-takes/) [Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/) > [I don't think there's a shortage of remarkable ideas. I think your business has plenty of great opportunities to do great things. Nope, what's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/i-don-t-think-there-s-a-shortage-of-remarkable-ideas-i-think-your/) [Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/) > [The mirror we hold up to the person next to us is one of the most important pictures she will ever see.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/the-mirror-we-hold-up-to-the-person-next-to-us-is-one-of-the-most/) [Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/) > [If you're a marketer who doesn't know how to invent, design, influence, adapt, and ultimately discard products, then you're no longer a marketer. You're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/if-you-re-a-marketer-who-doesn-t-know-how-to-invent-design-influence/) [Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/) [Explore all 1,110 Seth Godin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/) ## 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": "Our best work can't possibly appeal to the average masses, only our average work can. 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