--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Education isn't everything, for a start…" description: "\"Education isn't everything, for a start it isn't an elephant\" — Spike Milligan" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/442/spike-milligan-3695_education_education-isn-t-everything-for-a-start-i_2506686.jpg" --- # Education isn't everything, for a start it isn't an elephant ![“Education isn't everything, for a start it isn't an elephant” quote by Spike Milligan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/442/spike-milligan-3695_education_education-isn-t-everything-for-a-start-i_2506686.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/442/spike-milligan-3695_education_education-isn-t-everything-for-a-start-i_2506686.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/442/spike-milligan-3695_education_education-isn-t-everything-for-a-start-i_2506686.jpg) > “Education isn't everything, for a start it isn't an elephant” [Spike Milligan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spike-milligan/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Highlights that education alone doesn't guarantee success or fulfillment **In simple terms:** Education alone isn't everything Key Takeaway Value diverse experiences alongside learning Themes education humor perspective Mood reflective lighthearted Type observational humorous When to use this quote - career planning - personal development - parenting - social mobility Key Concepts critical thinking life balance Questions to Reflect On - How do you complement formal education? - What non‑academic skills matter most to you? A Different Perspective Education may not address practical skills or emotional intelligence ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education/) [Education Isn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education-isn-682333/) [Elephant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/elephant/) [Elephants](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/elephants/) [Isn Elephant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/isn-elephant-1115370/) [Isn Start](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/isn-start-972009/) [Start Isn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/start-isn-1115371/) ## Related quotes > [What always start has its end, matter what isn't how you start it, instead how surprisingly you end it up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/what-always-start-has-its-end-matter-what-isn-t-how-you-start-it/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It's amazing how ideas start out, isn't it?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nigel-farage/it-s-amazing-how-ideas-start-out-isn-t-it/) [Nigel Farage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nigel-farage/) > [The knife flaying the elephant does not have to be large, only sharp!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-norton/the-knife-flaying-the-elephant-does-not-have-to-be-large-only-sharp/) [Andre Norton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-norton/) > [The U.N. bureaucracy has grown to elephantine proportions. Now that the Cold War is over, we are asking that elephant to do gymnastics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-albright/the-u-n-bureaucracy-has-grown-to-elephantine-proportions-now-that-the/) [Madeleine Albright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-albright/) > [Making films is about having absolute and foolish confidence; the challenge for all of us is to have the heart of a poet and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mira-nair/making-films-is-about-having-absolute-and-foolish-confidence-the/) [Mira Nair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mira-nair/) > [When you hear the elephant music you're hearing what they mean to make.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-soldier/when-you-hear-the-elephant-music-you-re-hearing-what-they-mean-to-make/) [Dave Soldier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-soldier/) > [I feel as if I go to Africa, I may never come back. I'm just going to live with the animals and adopt an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dianna-agron/i-feel-as-if-i-go-to-africa-i-may-never-come-back-i-m-just-going-to/) [Dianna Agron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dianna-agron/) > [Now he saw another elephant emerge from the place where it had stood hidden in the trees. Very slowly it walked to the mutilated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lois-lowry/now-he-saw-another-elephant-emerge-from-the-place-where-it-had-stood/) [Lois Lowry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lois-lowry/) > [when there's an elephant in the room, you can't pretend it isn't there and just discuss the ants.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-wittlinger/when-there-s-an-elephant-in-the-room-you-can-t-pretend-it-isn-t-there/) [Ellen Wittlinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-wittlinger/) > [The elephant is never won by anger; nor must that man who would reclaim a lion take him by the teeth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dryden/the-elephant-is-never-won-by-anger-nor-must-that-man-who-would/) [John Dryden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dryden/) > [No Child Left Behind ... is a giraffe with an elephant's body. ... You can't take the vision of Ted Kennedy and merge it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-rauschenberger/no-child-left-behind-is-a-giraffe-with-an-elephant-s-body-you-can-t/) [Steve Rauschenberger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-rauschenberger/) > [And that is how Goodwin problems were always fixed. Fix them on the surface but don't go to the root, always ignoring the elephant…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cecelia-ahern/and-that-is-how-goodwin-problems-were-always-fixed-fix-them-on-the/) [Cecelia Ahern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cecelia-ahern/) > [Unlike the primate hand, the elephant's grasping organ is also its nose. Elephants use their trunks not only to reach food but also to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frans-de-waal/unlike-the-primate-hand-the-elephant-s-grasping-organ-is-also-its/) [Frans de Waal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frans-de-waal/) > [If you've never seen an elephant ski, then you've never been on acid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-izzard/if-you-ve-never-seen-an-elephant-ski-then-you-ve-never-been-on-acid/) [Eddie Izzard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-izzard/) > [I watched a film called 'Elephant' recently. Its not stylish in the sense of expensive suits and Italian cars, but the styling on every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tinie-tempah/i-watched-a-film-called-elephant-recently-its-not-stylish-in-the/) [Tinie Tempah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tinie-tempah/) ## More by Spike Milligan > [“My sister Laura's bigger than me And lifts me up quite easily. I can't lift her, I've tried and tried; She must have something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spike-milligan/my-sister-laura-s-bigger-than-me-and-lifts-me-up-quite-easily-i-can-t/) [Spike Milligan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spike-milligan/) > [Money couldn't buy friends, but you got a better class of enemy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spike-milligan/money-couldn-t-buy-friends-but-you-got-a-better-class-of-enemy/) [Spike Milligan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spike-milligan/) > [If you kill me, I promise you - you will never take me alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spike-milligan/if-you-kill-me-i-promise-you-you-will-never-take-me-alive/) [Spike Milligan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spike-milligan/) > [Her mother was a cultivated woman - she was born in a greenhouse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spike-milligan/her-mother-was-a-cultivated-woman-she-was-born-in-a-greenhouse/) [Spike Milligan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spike-milligan/) > [Said Hamlet to Ophelia, I'll draw a sketch of thee. What kind of pencil shall I use? 2B or not 2B?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spike-milligan/said-hamlet-to-ophelia-i-ll-draw-a-sketch-of-thee-what-kind-of-pencil/) [Spike Milligan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spike-milligan/) > [I'm a hero wid coward's legs, I'm a hero from the waist up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spike-milligan/i-m-a-hero-wid-coward-s-legs-i-m-a-hero-from-the-waist-up/) [Spike Milligan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spike-milligan/) > [To Harry Secombe: I hope you die first as I don't want you singing at my funeral.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spike-milligan/to-harry-secombe-i-hope-you-die-first-as-i-don-t-want-you-singing-at/) [Spike Milligan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spike-milligan/) > [May 8th 1943. Deluge. The rain not only fell mainly on the plain in Spain; it also fell mainly on the back of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spike-milligan/may-8th-1943-deluge-the-rain-not-only-fell-mainly-on-the-plain-in/) [Spike Milligan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spike-milligan/) > [The experience of being in the Army changed my whole life; I never believed that an organization such as ours could ever go to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spike-milligan/the-experience-of-being-in-the-army-changed-my-whole-life-i-never/) [Spike Milligan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spike-milligan/) > [“The die was cast. It was a proud day for the Milligan family as I was taken from the house. "I'm too young to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spike-milligan/the-die-was-cast-it-was-a-proud-day-for-the-milligan-family-as-i-was/) [Spike Milligan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spike-milligan/) > [How long was I in the army? Five foot eleven.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spike-milligan/how-long-was-i-in-the-army-five-foot-eleven/) [Spike Milligan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spike-milligan/) > [Never return to a doctor whose office plants have died. After five days in hospital, I took a turn for the nurse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spike-milligan/never-return-to-a-doctor-whose-office-plants-have-died-after-five/) [Spike Milligan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spike-milligan/) > [Render any politician down and there's enough fat to fry an egg.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spike-milligan/render-any-politician-down-and-there-s-enough-fat-to-fry-an-egg/) [Spike Milligan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spike-milligan/) > [It's all in the mind, you know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spike-milligan/it-s-all-in-the-mind-you-know/) [Spike Milligan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spike-milligan/) > [If a robin redbreast in a cage Puts all heaven in a rage, How feels heaven when Dies the billionth battery hen?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spike-milligan/if-a-robin-redbreast-in-a-cage-puts-all-heaven-in-a-rage-how-feels/) [Spike Milligan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spike-milligan/) [Explore all 124 Spike Milligan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spike-milligan/) ## More Education quotes > [I put myself in the student's place and remember the frustrations, doubts, determination, and desires I felt when I was going through the initial…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-martinez/i-put-myself-in-the-student-s-place-and-remember-the-frustrations/) [Ted Martinez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-martinez/) > [“In school you are taught to obey and not to think straight for your own good. Otherwise the world would be full of millionaires…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mwanandeke-kindembo/in-school-you-are-taught-to-obey-and-not-to-think-straight-for-your/) [Mwanandeke Kindembo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mwanandeke-kindembo/) > [For successful education there must always be a certain freshness in the knowledge dealt with. It must be either new in itself or invested…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-north-whitehead/for-successful-education-there-must-always-be-a-certain-freshness-in/) [Alfred North Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-north-whitehead/) > [Where I grew up, learning was a collective activity. But when I got to school and tried to share learning with other students that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-giroux/where-i-grew-up-learning-was-a-collective-activity-but-when-i-got-to/) [Henry Giroux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-giroux/) > [There's no authoritarian structure at Reed College, but the education is conservative. So what you have is a lot of students who are very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-miller/there-s-no-authoritarian-structure-at-reed-college-but-the-education/) [Donald Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-miller/) > [“What's the best thing about being in college? Good teachers. They inspire you, they entertain you, and you end up learning a ton even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/what-s-the-best-thing-about-being-in-college-good-teachers-they/) [Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/) > [“If one has not a head of steel it will burst; if he has not within it a brain of liquid quicksilver, he will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ioannes-amos-commenius/if-one-has-not-a-head-of-steel-it-will-burst-if-he-has-not-within-it/) [Ioannes Amos Commenius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ioannes-amos-commenius/) > [“let us not teach / what we have learned badly / and not profited by”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-d-hilda-doolittle/let-us-not-teach-what-we-have-learned-badly-and-not-profited-by/) [H.D. (Hilda Doolittle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-d-hilda-doolittle/) > [“It took me years to learn to sit at my desk for more than two minutes at a time, to put up with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erica-jong/it-took-me-years-to-learn-to-sit-at-my-desk-for-more-than-two-minutes/) [Erica Jong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erica-jong/) > [According to Plato, we don't learn anything. Our soul has lived so many lives that we know everything. Teachers and education can only remind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-palahniuk/according-to-plato-we-don-t-learn-anything-our-soul-has-lived-so-many/) [Chuck Palahniuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-palahniuk/) > [“I only began to enjoy studying after I got through the educational system and became a so-called member of society. If something interested me,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-only-began-to-enjoy-studying-after-i-got-through-the-educational/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If you had made the acquiring of ignorance the study of your life, you could not have graduated with higher honor than you could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/if-you-had-made-the-acquiring-of-ignorance-the-study-of-your-life-you/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [How wonderful it would be, I thought, if only we could practice the teachings of the Buddha as he really taught them from his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dzogchen-ponlop-rinpoche/how-wonderful-it-would-be-i-thought-if-only-we-could-practice-the/) [Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dzogchen-ponlop-rinpoche/) > [English teachers tend to put more thought in the books than the author did](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/english-teachers-tend-to-put-more-thought-in-the-books-than-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When will society, like a mother, take care of all her children?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horace-mann/when-will-society-like-a-mother-take-care-of-all-her-children/) [Horace Mann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horace-mann/) [Browse all 37,666 Education quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Education isn't everything, for a start it isn't an elephant", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Spike Milligan" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spike-milligan/education-isn-t-everything-for-a-start-it-isn-t-an-elephant/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Education" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spike-milligan/education-isn-t-everything-for-a-start-it-isn-t-an-elephant/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/442/spike-milligan-3695_education_education-isn-t-everything-for-a-start-i_2506686.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/442/spike-milligan-3695_education_education-isn-t-everything-for-a-start-i_2506686.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/442/spike-milligan-3695_education_education-isn-t-everything-for-a-start-i_2506686.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Education isn't everything, for a start it isn't an elephant” — Spike Milligan", "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": "Spike Milligan", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spike-milligan/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Education isn't everything, for a start...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spike-milligan/education-isn-t-everything-for-a-start-it-isn-t-an-elephant/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spike-milligan/education-isn-t-everything-for-a-start-it-isn-t-an-elephant/#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 } } ] } ```