--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The first step to getting good is…" description: "\"The first step to getting good is admitting that you aren't (yet).\" — Seth Godin" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/174/seth-godin-152_admitting_the-first-step-to-getting-good-is-admitt_2104627.png" --- # The first step to getting good is admitting that you… ![“The first step to getting good is admitting that you aren't (yet).” quote by Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/174/seth-godin-152_admitting_the-first-step-to-getting-good-is-admitt_2104627.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/174/seth-godin-152_admitting_the-first-step-to-getting-good-is-admitt_2104627.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/174/seth-godin-152_admitting_the-first-step-to-getting-good-is-admitt_2104627.png) > “The first step to getting good is admitting that you aren't (yet).” [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. Improvement begins with humility, acknowledging current limitations before growth. **In simple terms:** Admit you’re not good yet. Key Takeaway Embrace humility to start learning. Themes humility growth learning Mood reflective motivational Type advice inspirational When to use this quote - career development - personal improvement - skill acquisition Key Concepts self-awareness skill development Questions to Reflect On - What skill are you avoiding because you feel inadequate? - How can humility accelerate your learning? A Different Perspective Admitting lack doesn’t guarantee progress without action. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Admitting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/admitting/) [Admitting Aren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/admitting-aren-4220597/) [First step](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/first-step/) [First steps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/first-steps/) [Firsts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/firsts/) [Getting Good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/getting-good/) [Good Admitting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-admitting-1916244/) [Step Getting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/step-getting-339701/) [Steps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/steps/) ## Related quotes > [My biggest strength in life is that I'm good at learning and I'm really good at admitting when I'm wrong and recalibrating my perspective.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/montaigne/my-biggest-strength-in-life-is-that-i-m-good-at-learning-and-i-m/) [Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/montaigne/) > [Knowing where you are going is the first step to getting there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-blanchard/knowing-where-you-are-going-is-the-first-step-to-getting-there/) [Ken Blanchard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-blanchard/) > [“To ‘give up’ on the idea of ‘giving up’ is the first step in ‘getting up.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-d-lounsbrough/to-give-up-on-the-idea-of-giving-up-is-the-first-step-in-getting-up/) [Craig D. Lounsbrough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-d-lounsbrough/) > [It's that first step-getting out the door-that's the toughest. If you can do that, you've already won.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-j-blige/it-s-that-first-step-getting-out-the-door-that-s-the-toughest-if-you/) [Mary J. Blige](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-j-blige/) > [“The first step towards getting somewhere is to decide you’re not going to stay where you are. —John Pierpont “J.P.” Morgan”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-hyatt/the-first-step-towards-getting-somewhere-is-to-decide-you-re-not-2/) [Michael Hyatt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-hyatt/) > [The first step towards getting somewhere is to decide that you are not going to stay where you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-first-step-towards-getting-somewhere-is-to-decide-that-you-are/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“The first step towards getting somewhere is to decide you’re not going to stay where you are.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-hyatt/the-first-step-towards-getting-somewhere-is-to-decide-you-re-not/) [Michael Hyatt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-hyatt/) > [The first step towards getting somewhere is to arm yourself with stable state of your mind.Learn to be patient in adversity & have courage…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dranil-kr-sinha/the-first-step-towards-getting-somewhere-is-to-arm-yourself-with/) [DrAnil Kr Sinha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dranil-kr-sinha/) > [The first step to getting anywhere is deciding you're no longer willing to stay where you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ace-kid/the-first-step-to-getting-anywhere-is-deciding-you-re-no-longer/) [Ace Kid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ace-kid/) > [I step back not for giving up, I step back for getting ready to kick the ball.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christa-eva/i-step-back-not-for-giving-up-i-step-back-for-getting-ready-to-kick/) [Christa Eva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christa-eva/) > [Admitting one's ignorance is the first step in acquiring knowledge ...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/socrates/admitting-one-s-ignorance-is-the-first-step-in-acquiring-knowledge/) [Socrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/socrates/) > [The first step in solving a problem is admitting there is a problem to be solved.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-seeger/the-first-step-in-solving-a-problem-is-admitting-there-is-a-problem/) [Pete Seeger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-seeger/) > [Often admitting our weakness and fear is the first step to finding rest in God. Our trust in Him isn't conveyed though superhuman confidence…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracie-peterson/often-admitting-our-weakness-and-fear-is-the-first-step-to-finding/) [Tracie Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracie-peterson/) > [Being good is making it look easy, but getting good is never easy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/being-good-is-making-it-look-easy-but-getting-good-is-never-easy/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Conductors start getting good when everybody else retires.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-rattle/conductors-start-getting-good-when-everybody-else-retires/) [Simon Rattle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-rattle/) ## 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 Admitting quotes > [I think there's a lot of power in admitting that you don't know everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kit-williamson/i-think-there-s-a-lot-of-power-in-admitting-that-you-don-t-know/) [Kit Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kit-williamson/) > [“The truth is I do love you. Admitting that means opening myself up to all that pain when you leave. After you realize this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-moran/the-truth-is-i-do-love-you-admitting-that-means-opening-myself-up-to/) [Kelly Moran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-moran/) > [“Admitting we're not heroic is when we're the most heroic of all”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dorian-scrubs/admitting-we-re-not-heroic-is-when-we-re-the-most-heroic-of-all/) [John Dorian- scrubs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dorian-scrubs/) > [“Maybe that is what growing up was all about. It was about changing your mind. Opening it right up. Admitting to yourself that you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-haig/maybe-that-is-what-growing-up-was-all-about-it-was-about-changing/) [Matt Haig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-haig/) > [Admitting weakness seems to be such a severe psychic threat for Bush that when he makes a mistake it's safer just to reinforce it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tina-brown/admitting-weakness-seems-to-be-such-a-severe-psychic-threat-for-bush/) [Tina Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tina-brown/) > [Another person is, at the heart of it, unknowable. And if you cannot know a person enough to always guess what they’re capable of,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deb-caletti/another-person-is-at-the-heart-of-it-unknowable-and-if-you-cannot/) [Deb Caletti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deb-caletti/) > [The first step is always admitting you have a problem.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-first-step-is-always-admitting-you-have-a-problem/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The only tough thing is admitting to my wife how much a certain article of clothing costs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taye-diggs/the-only-tough-thing-is-admitting-to-my-wife-how-much-a-certain/) [Taye Diggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taye-diggs/) > [There is a difference between admitting and confessing. Admitting involves softening, making excuses for things that cannot be excused; confessing just names the crimes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/there-is-a-difference-between-admitting-and-confessing-admitting/) [Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/) > [Nobody likes me!" "I wish I could like you, Charlie Brown, but I can't... If I were to like you, it would be admitting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-m-schulz/nobody-likes-me-i-wish-i-could-like-you-charlie-brown-but-i-can-t-if/) [Charles M. Schulz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-m-schulz/) > [how can he love me then not? He went,he ran. And I cannot bring him back. Yet I left the door metaphorically wide open,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freya-north/how-can-he-love-me-then-not-he-went-he-ran-and-i-cannot-bring-him/) [Freya North](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freya-north/) > [First and foremost, be faithful to your superiors, keep all promises, refuse the friendship of all who are not like you; and if you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/first-and-foremost-be-faithful-to-your-superiors-keep-all-promises/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [Oust me if you want, but if I stepped down, I would be admitting guilt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-temer/oust-me-if-you-want-but-if-i-stepped-down-i-would-be-admitting-guilt/) [Michel Temer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-temer/) > [I think that lawyers are terrible at admitting that they're wrong. And not just admitting it; also realizing it. Most lawyers are very successful,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-dershowitz/i-think-that-lawyers-are-terrible-at-admitting-that-they-re-wrong-and/) [Alan Dershowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-dershowitz/) > [Courageous? Courageous would have been admitting weakness and leaving Dauntless, no matter what shame accompanied it. Pride is what killed Al, and it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/courageous-courageous-would-have-been-admitting-weakness-and-leaving/) [Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/) [Browse all 302 Admitting quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/admitting/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The first step to getting good is admitting that you aren't (yet).", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Seth Godin" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/the-first-step-to-getting-good-is-admitting-that-you-aren-t-yet/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Admitting" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/the-first-step-to-getting-good-is-admitting-that-you-aren-t-yet/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/174/seth-godin-152_admitting_the-first-step-to-getting-good-is-admitt_2104627.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/174/seth-godin-152_admitting_the-first-step-to-getting-good-is-admitt_2104627.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/174/seth-godin-152_admitting_the-first-step-to-getting-good-is-admitt_2104627.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The first step to getting good is admitting that you aren't (yet).” — Seth Godin", "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": "Seth Godin", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The first step to getting good...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/the-first-step-to-getting-good-is-admitting-that-you-aren-t-yet/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/the-first-step-to-getting-good-is-admitting-that-you-aren-t-yet/#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 } } ] } ```