--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: just because you’re great at something…" description: "\"“just because you’re great at something doesn’t mean you’re good at everything. Unfortunately, this fact is routinely ignored by those who engage in—ta..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a60/steven-d-levitt-5284_competence_just-because-you-re-great-at-something-d_657414.jpg" --- # just because you’re great at something doesn’t mean you’re… ![“just because you’re great at something doesn’t mean you’re good at everything. Unfortunately, this fact is routinely ignored by those who engage in—take a deep breath—ultracrepidarianism, or “the habit of giving opinions and advice on matters outside of one’s knowledge or competence.” quote by Steven D. Levitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a60/steven-d-levitt-5284_competence_just-because-you-re-great-at-something-d_657414.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a60/steven-d-levitt-5284_competence_just-because-you-re-great-at-something-d_657414.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a60/steven-d-levitt-5284_competence_just-because-you-re-great-at-something-d_657414.jpg) > ““just because you’re great at something doesn’t mean you’re good at everything. Unfortunately, this fact is routinely ignored by those who engage in—take a deep breath—ultracrepidarianism, or “the habit of giving opinions and advice on matters outside of one’s knowledge or competence.”” [Steven D. Levitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-d-levitt/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Being skilled in one area doesn’t guarantee competence elsewhere; overconfidence leads people to give uninformed advice. **In simple terms:** Skill in one field ≠ expertise in all. Key Takeaway Recognize limits of knowledge. Themes competence humility expertise Mood cautious reflective Type psychological advice When to use this quote - career advice - public commentary - decision making Key Concepts overconfidence ultracrepidarianism Questions to Reflect On - When do you admit you don’t know? - How can you guard against overconfidence? A Different Perspective People may still value confident but uninformed opinions. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Habits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/habits/) ## Related quotes > [“Just because you're great at something doesn't mean you're good at everything.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-d-levitt/just-because-you-re-great-at-something-doesn-t-mean-you-re-good-at/) [Steven D. Levitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-d-levitt/) > [I never minded giving my opinions. They are just opinions, and I had studied music and I had strong feelings. I was happy for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wynton-marsalis/i-never-minded-giving-my-opinions-they-are-just-opinions-and-i-had/) [Wynton Marsalis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wynton-marsalis/) > [Anybody is qualified, according to everybody, for giving opinions upon poetry. It is not so in chemistry and mathematics. Nor is it so, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-barrett-browning/anybody-is-qualified-according-to-everybody-for-giving-opinions-upon/) [Elizabeth Barrett Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-barrett-browning/) > [“I keep my mouth shut, because I can't keep listening to this shit and giving my opinions without charging eighty dollars an hour.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kara-taylor/i-keep-my-mouth-shut-because-i-can-t-keep-listening-to-this-shit-and/) [Kara Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kara-taylor/) > [“Just remember: other people’s opinions are simply that—other people’s opinions. They are not fact, and they are certainly not “the truth.” It is your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margie-warrell/just-remember-other-people-s-opinions-are-simply-that-other-people-s/) [Margie Warrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margie-warrell/) > [I'm very happy that major players are always giving their opinions about my life, my game. I am very thankful for that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neymar/i-m-very-happy-that-major-players-are-always-giving-their-opinions/) [Neymar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neymar/) > [There is much to be said in favour of modern journalism. By giving us the opinions of the uneducated, it keeps us in touch…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/there-is-much-to-be-said-in-favour-of-modern-journalism-by-giving-us/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [So many people giving you so many opinions about how you look. It's hard for me to gauge what people are sometimes getting at.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freida-pinto/so-many-people-giving-you-so-many-opinions-about-how-you-look-it-s/) [Freida Pinto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freida-pinto/) > ["Statesman" presumes I'm out there giving opinions all the time about things, and no, I'm not interested in opining on a lot of subjects.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/statesman-presumes-i-m-out-there-giving-opinions-all-the-time-about/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [I have zero desire, just so you know, to be in the limelight. I don't think it's good for the country to have a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/i-have-zero-desire-just-so-you-know-to-be-in-the-limelight-i-don-t/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [As a person, I was born to give out my opinions. By giving out my opinions, I realize who I am. As long as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ai-weiwei/as-a-person-i-was-born-to-give-out-my-opinions-by-giving-out-my/) [Ai Weiwei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ai-weiwei/) > [I appreciate all the kids who come up and enjoy my play at OU. But everybody giving me their opinions is where I draw…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baker-mayfield/i-appreciate-all-the-kids-who-come-up-and-enjoy-my-play-at-ou-but/) [Baker Mayfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baker-mayfield/) > [I do not think that it is right for me to start giving opinions about the human rights situation of any country, including Gambia,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fatou-bensouda/i-do-not-think-that-it-is-right-for-me-to-start-giving-opinions-about/) [Fatou Bensouda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fatou-bensouda/) > [To a man, marriage means giving up four out of five of the chiffonier drawers; to a woman, giving up four out of five…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-rowland/to-a-man-marriage-means-giving-up-four-out-of-five-of-the-chiffonier/) [Helen Rowland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-rowland/) > [My city and state are Rome. But as a human being? The world. So for me, "good" can only mean what's good for both…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-aurelius/my-city-and-state-are-rome-but-as-a-human-being-the-world-so-for-me/) [Marcus Aurelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-aurelius/) ## More by Steven D. Levitt > [“Here is the broader point: whatever problem you're trying to solve, make sure you're not just attacking the noisy part of the problem that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-d-levitt/here-is-the-broader-point-whatever-problem-you-re-trying-to-solve/) [Steven D. Levitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-d-levitt/) > [“Human beings, for all our accomplishments, can be fragile animals. Most of us don't take criticism well at all.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-d-levitt/human-beings-for-all-our-accomplishments-can-be-fragile-animals-most/) [Steven D. Levitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-d-levitt/) > [“The ECLS data do show, for instance, that a child with a lot of books in his home tends to test higher than a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-d-levitt/the-ecls-data-do-show-for-instance-that-a-child-with-a-lot-of-books/) [Steven D. Levitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-d-levitt/) > [“In a complex world where people can be atypical in an infinite number of ways, there is great value in discovering the baseline. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-d-levitt/in-a-complex-world-where-people-can-be-atypical-in-an-infinite-number/) [Steven D. Levitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-d-levitt/) > [“Morning robberies yield far more than afternoon robberies . . .' - When to Rob a Bank: A Rouge Economist's Guide to the World…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-d-levitt/morning-robberies-yield-far-more-than-afternoon-robberies-when-to-rob/) [Steven D. Levitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-d-levitt/) > [“The more complex a problem is, the harder it is to capture good feedback. You can gather a lot of facts, and that may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-d-levitt/the-more-complex-a-problem-is-the-harder-it-is-to-capture-good/) [Steven D. Levitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-d-levitt/) > [ “\[...\]if you are hoping to damage opponents' mental health, go ahead and tell them how inferior or dim-witted or nasty they are. But even… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-d-levitt/if-you-are-hoping-to-damage-opponents-mental-health-go-ahead-and-tell/) [Steven D. Levitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-d-levitt/) > [“If asked how we'd behave in a situation that pits a private benefit against the greater good, most of us won't admit to favoring…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-d-levitt/if-asked-how-we-d-behave-in-a-situation-that-pits-a-private-benefit/) [Steven D. Levitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-d-levitt/) > [“The impulse to investigate can only be set free if you stop pretending to know answers that you don't. Because the incentives to pretend…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-d-levitt/the-impulse-to-investigate-can-only-be-set-free-if-you-stop/) [Steven D. Levitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-d-levitt/) > [“From 2002 to 2008, the United States was fighting bloody wars in Afghanistan and Iraq; among active military personnel, there were an average 1,643…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-d-levitt/from-2002-to-2008-the-united-states-was-fighting-bloody-wars-in/) [Steven D. Levitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-d-levitt/) > [“But if you are hell-bent on persuading someone, or if your back is truly against the wall, you might as well give it your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-d-levitt/but-if-you-are-hell-bent-on-persuading-someone-or-if-your-back-is/) [Steven D. Levitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-d-levitt/) > [“Just because you're great at something doesn't mean you're good at everything.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-d-levitt/just-because-you-re-great-at-something-doesn-t-mean-you-re-good-at/) [Steven D. Levitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-d-levitt/) > [“For until you can admit what you don't yet know, it's virtually impossible to learn what you need to.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-d-levitt/for-until-you-can-admit-what-you-don-t-yet-know-it-s-virtually/) [Steven D. Levitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-d-levitt/) > [“Sometimes in life, going straight up the middle is the boldest move of all.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-d-levitt/sometimes-in-life-going-straight-up-the-middle-is-the-boldest-move-of/) [Steven D. Levitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-d-levitt/) > [“When it comes to solving problems, one of the best ways to start is by putting away your moral compass. Why? When you are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-d-levitt/when-it-comes-to-solving-problems-one-of-the-best-ways-to-start-is-by/) [Steven D. Levitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-d-levitt/) [Explore all 98 Steven D. Levitt quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-d-levitt/) ## More Competence quotes > [A bad artist almost always tries to conceal his incompetence by whooping up a new formula.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken/a-bad-artist-almost-always-tries-to-conceal-his-incompetence-by/) [H. L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken/) > [“You understand how much you know about a subject the moment you give explanations to someone who doesn't know anything about it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luigina-sgarro/you-understand-how-much-you-know-about-a-subject-the-moment-you-give/) [Luigina Sgarro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luigina-sgarro/) > [Bruce Katz is a spectacular talent! He's a brilliant composer and arranger who uses uncommon and unique musical intelligence to redefine jazz and blues…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-coryell/bruce-katz-is-a-spectacular-talent-he-s-a-brilliant-composer-and/) [Larry Coryell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-coryell/) > [Let us be thankful for health and competence, and, above all, for a quiet conscience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/izaak-walton/let-us-be-thankful-for-health-and-competence-and-above-all-for-a/) [Izaak Walton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/izaak-walton/) > [“it is easier to do a job right than to explain why you didnt”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-van-buren/it-is-easier-to-do-a-job-right-than-to-explain-why-you-didnt/) [Martin Van Buren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-van-buren/) > [Can you understand why the Congress, most states and most cities refuse to pass legislation requiring the registration and licensing of any and all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-forbes/can-you-understand-why-the-congress-most-states-and-most-cities/) [Malcolm Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-forbes/) > [You can't fake competence, creativity, or sexual arousal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-coupland/you-can-t-fake-competence-creativity-or-sexual-arousal/) [Douglas Coupland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-coupland/) > [Everybody's got a different circle of competence. The important thing is not how big the circle is. The important thing is staying inside the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-buffett/everybody-s-got-a-different-circle-of-competence-the-important-thing/) [Warren Buffett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-buffett/) > [Friendships are nice. So is competence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-crichton/friendships-are-nice-so-is-competence/) [Michael Crichton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-crichton/) > [Having spent years ruining the housing markets with their interference, leading to a housing meltdown that has taken the whole economy down with it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/having-spent-years-ruining-the-housing-markets-with-their/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [ A nominee \[to Supreme Court\] must possess the competence, character and temperament to serve on the bench. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herb-kohl/a-nominee-to-supreme-court-must-possess-the-competence-character-and/) [Herb Kohl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herb-kohl/) > [Over the first two weeks of the Donald Trump administration, Steve Bannon has emerged as one of the most powerful figures in the White…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-goodman/over-the-first-two-weeks-of-the-donald-trump-administration-steve/) [Amy Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-goodman/) > [The individual attributes of warmth and competence are often perceived to be negatively correlated. That doesn't mean they actually are, but that's how people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-pfeffer/the-individual-attributes-of-warmth-and-competence-are-often/) [Jeffrey Pfeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-pfeffer/) > [Do not stop thinking of life as an adventure. You have no security unless you can live bravely, excitingly, imaginatively; unless you can choose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-roosevelt/do-not-stop-thinking-of-life-as-an-adventure-you-have-no-security/) [Eleanor Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-roosevelt/) > [Great writers zealously learn the craft of their profession so they can release the power and the depth of their imagination and experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-bishop/great-writers-zealously-learn-the-craft-of-their-profession-so-they/) [Leonard Bishop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-bishop/) Browse all 452 Competence quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“just because you’re great at something doesn’t mean you’re good at everything. 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