--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: My natural abilities weren't necessarily…" description: "\"My natural abilities weren't necessarily brute power and strength. They were more about the ability to endure and not give up.\" — Tommy Caldwell" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c29/tommy-caldwell-20808_ability_my-natural-abilities-weren-t-necessarily_2368088.jpg" --- # My natural abilities weren't necessarily brute power and… ![“My natural abilities weren't necessarily brute power and strength. They were more about the ability to endure and not give up.” quote by Tommy Caldwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c29/tommy-caldwell-20808_ability_my-natural-abilities-weren-t-necessarily_2368088.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c29/tommy-caldwell-20808_ability_my-natural-abilities-weren-t-necessarily_2368088.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c29/tommy-caldwell-20808_ability_my-natural-abilities-weren-t-necessarily_2368088.jpg) > “My natural abilities weren't necessarily brute power and strength. They were more about the ability to endure and not give up.” [Tommy Caldwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-caldwell/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Endurance, not raw strength, defines success; perseverance outweighs brute force. **In simple terms:** Endurance beats raw strength. Key Takeaway Focus on building stamina and resilience. Themes perseverance resilience mindset Mood motivational inspirational Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - marathon training - mountaineering - career challenges Key Concepts psychology physical training goal setting Questions to Reflect On - How can you train mental endurance? - When is strength more critical than perseverance? A Different Perspective May underestimate the need for strength in some tasks. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/) [Nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature/) [Power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/power/) [Power and strength](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/power-and-strength/) [Strength](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/strength/) ## Related quotes > [That which distinguishes man from the brute is his power, in dealing with Nature, to milk her laws, and make them give forth their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/that-which-distinguishes-man-from-the-brute-is-his-power-in-dealing/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [For where the instrument of intelligence is added to brute power and evil will, mankind is powerless in its own defense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dante-alighieri/for-where-the-instrument-of-intelligence-is-added-to-brute-power-and/) [Dante Alighieri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dante-alighieri/) > [“People talk about the ability to endure. To endure anything and everything, to keep going, to be strong. But you can do that only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iain-reid/people-talk-about-the-ability-to-endure-to-endure-anything-and/) [Iain Reid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iain-reid/) > [I don't know what frightens me more, the power that crushes us, or our endless ability to endure it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-david-roberts/i-don-t-know-what-frightens-me-more-the-power-that-crushes-us-or-our/) [Gregory David Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-david-roberts/) > [The instinct to survive will never change, neither will the human body's amazing ability to endure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lofty-wiseman/the-instinct-to-survive-will-never-change-neither-will-the-human-body/) Lofty Wiseman > [“Bravery is the ability to endure, even unto death, all types of terrible, terrifying and painful situations and we live in a time when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-lynn-hope/bravery-is-the-ability-to-endure-even-unto-death-all-types-of/) [Donna Lynn Hope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-lynn-hope/) > [There are four things you need for greatness: the ability to sacrifice, the ability to endure pain whether it's physical or mental, the ability…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerome-bettis/there-are-four-things-you-need-for-greatness-the-ability-to-sacrifice/) [Jerome Bettis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerome-bettis/) > [“The warmth of your heart is tauntingly near, but you reserve it as you shut me out in the blizzard of your doubt. Is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shykia-bell/the-warmth-of-your-heart-is-tauntingly-near-but-you-reserve-it-as-you/) Shykia Bell > [What I do is based on powers we all have inside us; the ability to endure; the ability to love, to carry on, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-reeve/what-i-do-is-based-on-powers-we-all-have-inside-us-the-ability-to/) [Christopher Reeve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-reeve/) > [The ability to endure change helps you survive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/varsha-sharma/the-ability-to-endure-change-helps-you-survive/) [Varsha Sharma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/varsha-sharma/) > [“A woman that is patient has the ability to endure provocation, pain, annoyance etc, with much calm and strength.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agu-jaachynma-n-e/a-woman-that-is-patient-has-the-ability-to-endure-provocation-pain/) [Agu Jaachynma N.E](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agu-jaachynma-n-e/) > [“NINA: ...what's important is...the ability to endure. To be able to bear one's cross and have faith. I have faith, and it's not so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-sea-gull-anton-chekhov/nina-what-s-important-is-the-ability-to-endure-to-be-able-to-bear-one/) The Sea Gull Anton Chekhov > [The ability to endure and accept hardships became my mantra.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhinav-bindra/the-ability-to-endure-and-accept-hardships-became-my-mantra/) [Abhinav Bindra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhinav-bindra/) > [Natural abilities are like natural plants; they need pruning by study.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/natural-abilities-are-like-natural-plants-they-need-pruning-by-study/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I fight in the ring on my natural abilities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nigel-benn/i-fight-in-the-ring-on-my-natural-abilities/) [Nigel Benn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nigel-benn/) ## More by Tommy Caldwell > [I'm always climbing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-caldwell/i-m-always-climbing/) [Tommy Caldwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-caldwell/) > [Climbing a big wall over several days is like running a giant construction project: constantly making lists, rigging ropes, organising food, figuring out camera…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-caldwell/climbing-a-big-wall-over-several-days-is-like-running-a-giant/) [Tommy Caldwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-caldwell/) > [I crave time in Yosemite like I crave food and water.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-caldwell/i-crave-time-in-yosemite-like-i-crave-food-and-water/) [Tommy Caldwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-caldwell/) > [One of the reasons the Dawn Wall climb went so viral is that you get great Internet access on El Cap. It's like the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-caldwell/one-of-the-reasons-the-dawn-wall-climb-went-so-viral-is-that-you-get/) [Tommy Caldwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-caldwell/) > [I tend to walk through life sort of looking through a pair of binoculars, and I focus on certain things and push out the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-caldwell/i-tend-to-walk-through-life-sort-of-looking-through-a-pair-of/) [Tommy Caldwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-caldwell/) > [My motivation is internal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-caldwell/my-motivation-is-internal/) [Tommy Caldwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-caldwell/) > [I have different shoes for different types of climbing, six or seven different shoes that I alternate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-caldwell/i-have-different-shoes-for-different-types-of-climbing-six-or-seven/) [Tommy Caldwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-caldwell/) > [I don't journal that much, honestly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-caldwell/i-don-t-journal-that-much-honestly/) [Tommy Caldwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-caldwell/) > [“She encouraged him in her sweetest voice. “Stick with it, you can do it. You got it, push hard.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-caldwell/she-encouraged-him-in-her-sweetest-voice-stick-with-it-you-can-do-it/) [Tommy Caldwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-caldwell/) > [“All I can say is that I’m grateful that in many ways they just let me be. They didn’t want my rough start to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-caldwell/all-i-can-say-is-that-i-m-grateful-that-in-many-ways-they-just-let-me/) [Tommy Caldwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-caldwell/) > [I read all the Krakauer books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-caldwell/i-read-all-the-krakauer-books/) [Tommy Caldwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-caldwell/) > [I've been climbing my whole life, so I know a lot of the feelings, the smells; these memories are pretty distinct in my mind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-caldwell/i-ve-been-climbing-my-whole-life-so-i-know-a-lot-of-the-feelings-the/) [Tommy Caldwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-caldwell/) > [Every climb is different. The Dawn Wall was so dry and aggressive that my fingers would dry out to the point where they would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-caldwell/every-climb-is-different-the-dawn-wall-was-so-dry-and-aggressive-that/) [Tommy Caldwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-caldwell/) > [“This obsession is a curious thing. Sometimes wonder about the merits of devoting so much of myself to a singular climbing objective. Much of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-caldwell/this-obsession-is-a-curious-thing-sometimes-wonder-about-the-merits/) [Tommy Caldwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-caldwell/) > [I love that idea of mastery.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-caldwell/i-love-that-idea-of-mastery/) [Tommy Caldwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-caldwell/) [Explore all 30 Tommy Caldwell quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-caldwell/) ## 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": "My natural abilities weren't necessarily brute power and strength. 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