--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: [Y]ou weren't born with a talent for…" description: "\"[Y]ou weren't born with a talent for witchcraft: it didn't come easily; you worked hard at it because you wanted it. You forced the world to give it to..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4e4/terry-pratchett-19_born_y-ou-weren-t-born-with-a-talent-for-witc_2996252.jpg" --- # \[Y\]ou weren't born with a talent for witchcraft: it didn't… ![“[Y]ou weren't born with a talent for witchcraft: it didn't come easily; you worked hard at it because you wanted it. You forced the world to give it to you, no matter the price, and the price is and always will be high... People say you don't find witchcraft; witchcraft finds you. But you've found…” quote by Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4e4/terry-pratchett-19_born_y-ou-weren-t-born-with-a-talent-for-witc_2996252.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4e4/terry-pratchett-19_born_y-ou-weren-t-born-with-a-talent-for-witc_2996252.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4e4/terry-pratchett-19_born_y-ou-weren-t-born-with-a-talent-for-witc_2996252.jpg) > “\[Y\]ou weren't born with a talent for witchcraft: it didn't come easily; you worked hard at it because you wanted it. You forced the world to give it to you, no matter the price, and the price is and always will be high... People say you don't find witchcraft; witchcraft finds you. But you've found it, even if at the time you didn't know what it was you were finding, and you grabbed it by its scrawny neck and made it work for you.” [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote emphasizes that mastery comes from relentless effort and sacrifice, not innate talent; one must seize opportunities and shape them to one’s will. **In simple terms:** Hard work and sacrifice create mastery, not talent alone. Key Takeaway Commit fully, accept the cost, and shape your destiny. Themes determination effort power choice Mood determined intense reflective Type motivational philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - career advancement - creative projects - skill acquisition - entrepreneurship - personal transformation Key Concepts willpower self‑determination cost of ambition Questions to Reflect On - What are you willing to sacrifice for mastery? - How do you turn obstacles into opportunities? A Different Perspective It may overlook privilege or external barriers that limit access to opportunities. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Talent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/talent/) [Witchcraft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/witchcraft/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [From Augustine down, theologians have tried to compel people to accept their special interpretation of the Scripture, and the tortures of the inquisition, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matilda-joslyn-gage/from-augustine-down-theologians-have-tried-to-compel-people-to-accept/) [Matilda Joslyn Gage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matilda-joslyn-gage/) > [“There’s the basic unwritten rule of witchcraft, which is ‘Don’t do what you will, do what I say.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/there-s-the-basic-unwritten-rule-of-witchcraft-which-is-don-t-do-what/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [The thing about witchcraft," said Mistress Weatherwax, "is that it's not like school at all. First you get the test, and then afterward you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/the-thing-about-witchcraft-said-mistress-weatherwax-is-that-it-s-not/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“A witch ought never to be frightened in the darkest forest, Granny Weatherwax had once told her, because she should be sure in her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/a-witch-ought-never-to-be-frightened-in-the-darkest-forest-granny/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [Your average witch is not, by nature, a social animal as far as other witches are concerned. There's a conflict of dominant personalities. There's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/your-average-witch-is-not-by-nature-a-social-animal-as-far-as-other/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [Your average witch is not, by nature, a social animal… The natural size of a coven is one. Witches only get together when they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/your-average-witch-is-not-by-nature-a-social-animal-the-natural-size/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [First Thoughts are the everyday thoughts. Everyone has those. Second Thoughts are the thoughts you think about the way you think. People who enjoy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/first-thoughts-are-the-everyday-thoughts-everyone-has-those-second/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“Tiffany got up early and lit the fires. 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If I don't help them, who will?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/you-can-t-not-help-people-just-because-they-re-stupid-or-forgetful-or/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [As in the instances of alchemy, astrology, witchcraft, and other such popular creeds, political economy, has a plausible idea at the root of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ruskin/as-in-the-instances-of-alchemy-astrology-witchcraft-and-other-such/) [John Ruskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ruskin/) > [“I had stood and stared at the webbing of steel then wished for a hole to climb through. The wires had just unraveled without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penelope-fletcher/i-had-stood-and-stared-at-the-webbing-of-steel-then-wished-for-a-hole/) [Penelope Fletcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penelope-fletcher/) > [If we cannot shape our destiny there as no such thing as witchcraft.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-malraux/if-we-cannot-shape-our-destiny-there-as-no-such-thing-as-witchcraft/) [Andre Malraux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-malraux/) > [“Could you tell me how to grow--or is it unconveyed--like Melody--or Witchcraft?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-dickinson/could-you-tell-me-how-to-grow-or-is-it-unconveyed-like-melody-or/) [Emily Dickinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-dickinson/) > [It was a spring without voices. 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I am as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/but-i-did-not-return-until-half-past-four-this-morning-and-i/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“The universe contains any amount of horrible ways to be woken up, such as the noise of the mob breaking down the front door,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/the-universe-contains-any-amount-of-horrible-ways-to-be-woken-up-such/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“Someone broke from the scrum and, punching and kicking, staggered towards the Klatchian goal. "Isn't that man your butler?" said Ahmed. "Yes." "One of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/someone-broke-from-the-scrum-and-punching-and-kicking-staggered/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [It's an interesting fact that fewer than 17 % of Real cats end their lives with the same name they started with. 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And now it's full of young people.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/there-were-more-old-people-the-world-was-full-of-them-said-the-wizard/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“Hobson was big and heavyset, but not exactly fat; he was probably what you’d get if you shaved a bear.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/hobson-was-big-and-heavyset-but-not-exactly-fat-he-was-probably-what/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“There is a night that never comes to an end… The clock of the world turns under its own shadow. Midnight is a moving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/there-is-a-night-that-never-comes-to-an-end-the-clock-of-the-world/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“You'd like Freedom, Truth, and Justice, wouldn't you, Comrade Sergeant?' said Reg encouragingly. 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I can't detect no trace of fear none whatsoever Roomy cranium all possible videos of all possible outcomes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/you-are-not-apprehensive-are-you-i-can-t-detect-no-trace-of-fear-none/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [Imagination, not intelligence, made us human.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/imagination-not-intelligence-made-us-human/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) [Explore all 3,328 Terry Pratchett quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) ## More Born quotes > [My mother says I didn't open my eyes for eight days after I was born, but when I did, the first thing I saw…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-taylor/my-mother-says-i-didn-t-open-my-eyes-for-eight-days-after-i-was-born/) [Elizabeth Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-taylor/) > [I always thought if I was born 2000 years earlier, I would be a monk, probably carving a monastery or some giant pantheon buildings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenova-chen/i-always-thought-if-i-was-born-2000-years-earlier-i-would-be-a-monk/) [Jenova Chen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenova-chen/) > [The real world out there isn't nearly as nice as some people prefer it to be, so don't swallow everything your high-born teachers tell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-real-world-out-there-isn-t-nearly-as-nice-as-some-people-prefer/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Anybody looking for a quiet life has picked the wrong century to born in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/anybody-looking-for-a-quiet-life-has-picked-the-wrong-century-to-born/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I was born and raised in Orlando, where the economy and culture has been powerfully shaped by tourism, and so I've long been interested…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-van-den-berg/i-was-born-and-raised-in-orlando-where-the-economy-and-culture-has/) [Laura van den Berg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-van-den-berg/) > [I know that in the rap game you've got a lot of people, that come from poverty, was born in poverty and if it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-connor/i-know-that-in-the-rap-game-you-ve-got-a-lot-of-people-that-come-from/) [Jon Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-connor/) > [Nothing old is ever reborn but neither does it totally disappear. 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