--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It doesn’t matter how smart you are or…" description: "\"“It doesn’t matter how smart you are or what you know; if you learn to put those two things together, to let your pain drive your talent, you can becom..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/09f/vernon-davis-13867_encouraging_it-doesn-t-matter-how-smart-you-are-or-w_3208044.png" --- # It doesn’t matter how smart you are or what you know; if… ![“It doesn’t matter how smart you are or what you know; if you learn to put those two things together, to let your pain drive your talent, you can become the best at anything you do in life.” quote by Vernon Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/09f/vernon-davis-13867_encouraging_it-doesn-t-matter-how-smart-you-are-or-w_3208044.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/09f/vernon-davis-13867_encouraging_it-doesn-t-matter-how-smart-you-are-or-w_3208044.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/09f/vernon-davis-13867_encouraging_it-doesn-t-matter-how-smart-you-are-or-w_3208044.png) > ““It doesn’t matter how smart you are or what you know; if you learn to put those two things together, to let your pain drive your talent, you can become the best at anything you do in life.”” [Vernon Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vernon-davis/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Combining intelligence with personal pain can fuel extraordinary achievement if you channel it constructively. **In simple terms:** Use your pain as a catalyst for talent. Key Takeaway Turn hardship into motivation. Themes resilience growth motivation skill development Mood determined inspired Type motivational practical When to use this quote - career advancement - sports - artistic pursuits - education Key Concepts psychology self‑efficacy mindset Questions to Reflect On - What personal pain can you transform into drive? - How can you balance emotion and logic? A Different Perspective Pain alone doesn’t guarantee success; discipline is also needed. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Drive Talent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/drive-talent-5693618/) [Encouraging](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/encouraging/) [Experiences](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/experiences/) [Hopeful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hopeful/) [Know Learn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/know-learn/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Life skills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-skills/) [Motivating](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/motivating/) [Reality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reality/) [Self healing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self-healing/) [Smart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/smart/) [Talent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/talent/) [Talent Best](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/talent-best-998837/) [Wisdom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wisdom/) [Wise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wise/) ## Related quotes > [“Make no mistake: You will be challenged at some point in time. We all are. That’s just life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vernon-davis/make-no-mistake-you-will-be-challenged-at-some-point-in-time-we-all/) [Vernon Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vernon-davis/) > [“I knew exactly what kind of effort I was going to need to get where I wanted to go.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vernon-davis/i-knew-exactly-what-kind-of-effort-i-was-going-to-need-to-get-where-i/) [Vernon Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vernon-davis/) > [While there's plenty to be said for drive and talent, it was my parents' support that started me on the path that led me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tichina-arnold/while-there-s-plenty-to-be-said-for-drive-and-talent-it-was-my/) [Tichina Arnold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tichina-arnold/) > [“It is not so much about fighting against the ego; it is more about harmonizing with it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-sara/it-is-not-so-much-about-fighting-against-the-ego-it-is-more-about/) [Grace Sara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-sara/) > [“Control is an illusion that you must give up.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-sara/control-is-an-illusion-that-you-must-give-up/) [Grace Sara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-sara/) > [“Find your bones. Believe in what you are.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-sara/find-your-bones-believe-in-what-you-are/) [Grace Sara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-sara/) > [“Everything is within your power, and your power is within you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janice-trachtman/everything-is-within-your-power-and-your-power-is-within-you/) [Janice Trachtman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janice-trachtman/) > [“Jealousy, and attempting to match others in life and stride, is self-abandonment.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-sara/jealousy-and-attempting-to-match-others-in-life-and-stride-is-self/) [Grace Sara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-sara/) > [“Surrendering is not giving up--it is gaining strength.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-sara/surrendering-is-not-giving-up-it-is-gaining-strength/) [Grace Sara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-sara/) > [“Forgiveness is a skill gained by those willing to change.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-sara/forgiveness-is-a-skill-gained-by-those-willing-to-change/) [Grace Sara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-sara/) > [“Your actions show what you know, and your replies to obstacles give clarity into what you will learn.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-sara/your-actions-show-what-you-know-and-your-replies-to-obstacles-give/) [Grace Sara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-sara/) > [“If you take society’s definition of knowing oneself, you will become lost in the many translations.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-sara/if-you-take-society-s-definition-of-knowing-oneself-you-will-become/) [Grace Sara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-sara/) > [“Taking care of yourself will take care of more than yourself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-sara/taking-care-of-yourself-will-take-care-of-more-than-yourself/) [Grace Sara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-sara/) > [If hard work is not another name for talent, it is the best possible substitute for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-hard-work-is-not-another-name-for-talent-it-is-the-best-possible/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Part of the business of being an artist is abetting talent. The best do that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/faith-sullivan/part-of-the-business-of-being-an-artist-is-abetting-talent-the-best/) [Faith Sullivan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/faith-sullivan/) ## More by Vernon Davis > [The thing that made me happy is you live to see the next day and you get an opportunity to do it again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vernon-davis/the-thing-that-made-me-happy-is-you-live-to-see-the-next-day-and-you/) [Vernon Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vernon-davis/) > [Life is all about the unexpected.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vernon-davis/life-is-all-about-the-unexpected/) [Vernon Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vernon-davis/) > [Usually, I'll have egg whites, turkey sausage, fruit, and oatmeal for breakfast. For lunch I'll have some grilled chicken or a turkey burger with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vernon-davis/usually-i-ll-have-egg-whites-turkey-sausage-fruit-and-oatmeal-for/) [Vernon Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vernon-davis/) > [It's just like any athlete, we all want a new contract. But I'm not going to stress over it. It's not the end of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vernon-davis/it-s-just-like-any-athlete-we-all-want-a-new-contract-but-i-m-not/) [Vernon Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vernon-davis/) > [“I stood up to go shake hands with him and I don’t remember anything else. What I do recall is the crowd yelling and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vernon-davis/i-stood-up-to-go-shake-hands-with-him-and-i-don-t-remember-anything/) [Vernon Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vernon-davis/) > [I became intrigued with the whole development sector, going into a community, building it up, coming up with a plan from an architectural standpoint,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vernon-davis/i-became-intrigued-with-the-whole-development-sector-going-into-a/) [Vernon Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vernon-davis/) > [Everything that I do, I put my teammates first. To me, that's the mark of a true leader. That's what I want to be.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vernon-davis/everything-that-i-do-i-put-my-teammates-first-to-me-that-s-the-mark/) [Vernon Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vernon-davis/) > [To recover from workouts I typically drink a 20-gram protein shake, float in the pool for 15 minutes, then do a hot-and-cold tub contrast soak.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vernon-davis/to-recover-from-workouts-i-typically-drink-a-20-gram-protein-shake/) [Vernon Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vernon-davis/) > [I bleed red and gold. I'm all about the 49ers. I love the 49ers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vernon-davis/i-bleed-red-and-gold-i-m-all-about-the-49ers-i-love-the-49ers/) [Vernon Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vernon-davis/) > [“My mother—with all the embarrassment and hurt that she caused me in my youth—ended up giving me the drive and the fire I needed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vernon-davis/my-mother-with-all-the-embarrassment-and-hurt-that-she-caused-me-in/) [Vernon Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vernon-davis/) > [If you want success, you have to work hard at it and realize that it takes time; it doesn't come to you overnight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vernon-davis/if-you-want-success-you-have-to-work-hard-at-it-and-realize-that-it/) [Vernon Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vernon-davis/) > [As far as my career goes, I've never really had an opportunity to reflect on what I've done, with taking in the accolades and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vernon-davis/as-far-as-my-career-goes-i-ve-never-really-had-an-opportunity-to/) [Vernon Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vernon-davis/) > [I wake up each and everyday happy because of all of the great things that I have going on in my life and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vernon-davis/i-wake-up-each-and-everyday-happy-because-of-all-of-the-great-things/) [Vernon Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vernon-davis/) > [I don't drink alcohol at all except for special occasions. I definitely do think that it really takes a toll on your body over…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vernon-davis/i-don-t-drink-alcohol-at-all-except-for-special-occasions-i/) [Vernon Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vernon-davis/) > [But when it comes to my career, my job, something that I love so much and something that I'm passionate about, I can't let…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vernon-davis/but-when-it-comes-to-my-career-my-job-something-that-i-love-so-much/) [Vernon Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vernon-davis/) [Explore all 49 Vernon Davis quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vernon-davis/) ## More Encouraging quotes > [My father was very encouraging.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paolo-nutini/my-father-was-very-encouraging/) [Paolo Nutini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paolo-nutini/) > [Change your attitude and gain some altitude. Believe me, you'll love it up here.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/change-your-attitude-and-gain-some-altitude-believe-me-you-ll-love-it/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [“It is not so much about fighting against the ego; it is more about harmonizing with it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-sara/it-is-not-so-much-about-fighting-against-the-ego-it-is-more-about/) [Grace Sara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-sara/) > [Always remember, there is more strength in you than you ever realized or even imagined. Certainly nothing can keep you down if you are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-vincent-peale/always-remember-there-is-more-strength-in-you-than-you-ever-realized/) [Norman Vincent Peale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-vincent-peale/) > [I am encouraged President Obama now says he will fulfill his constitutional obligation to seek authorization for any potential military action in Syria. This…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rand-paul/i-am-encouraged-president-obama-now-says-he-will-fulfill-his/) [Rand Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rand-paul/) > [“Today if anything is trying to hold you back, give no attention to it. Get your hopes up, get your faith up, look up,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germany-kent/today-if-anything-is-trying-to-hold-you-back-give-no-attention-to-it/) [Germany Kent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germany-kent/) > [Anytime I get the chance to sing or work with Michael John, it is such an incredibly fertile and incredibly creative and safe and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audra-mcdonald/anytime-i-get-the-chance-to-sing-or-work-with-michael-john-it-is-such/) [Audra McDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audra-mcdonald/) > [Don't be afraid of failure, be afraid of not trying in the first place.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-forleo/don-t-be-afraid-of-failure-be-afraid-of-not-trying-in-the-first-place/) [Marie Forleo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-forleo/) > [“Stop focusing on your past mistakes. Don’t be ashamed of the things that you’ve done. We ALL have made mistakes. Don’t you see? All…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-lahart/stop-focusing-on-your-past-mistakes-don-t-be-ashamed-of-the-things/) [Stephanie Lahart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-lahart/) > [“Sigh like the wind--open your arms, your chest, your heart--and all creatures will hum to you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penelope-smith/sigh-like-the-wind-open-your-arms-your-chest-your-heart-and-all/) [Penelope Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penelope-smith/) > [Don't you know that day dawns after night, showers displace drought, and spring and summer follow winter? Then, have hope! Hope forever, for God…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/don-t-you-know-that-day-dawns-after-night-showers-displace-drought/) [Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/) > [It's awfully important to win with humility. It's also important to lose. I hate to lose worse than anyone, but if you never lose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bear-bryant/it-s-awfully-important-to-win-with-humility-it-s-also-important-to/) [Bear Bryant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bear-bryant/) > [I had a mother who taught me there is no such thing as failure. It is just a temporary postponement of success.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/buddy-ebsen/i-had-a-mother-who-taught-me-there-is-no-such-thing-as-failure-it-is/) [Buddy Ebsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/buddy-ebsen/) > [Make the rest of your life the best of your life. Create a life that feels good on the inside, not one that just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/make-the-rest-of-your-life-the-best-of-your-life-create-a-life-that/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Although he knew all the best — or, at least, the least boring — stories in the Bible, Mr. Merrill was most appealing because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/although-he-knew-all-the-best-or-at-least-the-least-boring-stories-in/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) [Browse all 717 Encouraging quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/encouraging/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“It doesn’t matter how smart you are or what you know; if you learn to put those two things together, to let your pain drive your talent, you can become the best at anything you do in life.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Vernon Davis" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vernon-davis/it-doesn-t-matter-how-smart-you-are-or-what-you-know-if-you-learn-to/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Encouraging" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vernon-davis/it-doesn-t-matter-how-smart-you-are-or-what-you-know-if-you-learn-to/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/09f/vernon-davis-13867_encouraging_it-doesn-t-matter-how-smart-you-are-or-w_3208044.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/09f/vernon-davis-13867_encouraging_it-doesn-t-matter-how-smart-you-are-or-w_3208044.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/09f/vernon-davis-13867_encouraging_it-doesn-t-matter-how-smart-you-are-or-w_3208044.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It doesn’t matter how smart you are or what you know; if you learn to put those two things together, to let…” — Vernon Davis", "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": "Vernon Davis", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vernon-davis/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“It doesn’t matter how smart you...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vernon-davis/it-doesn-t-matter-how-smart-you-are-or-what-you-know-if-you-learn-to/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vernon-davis/it-doesn-t-matter-how-smart-you-are-or-what-you-know-if-you-learn-to/#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 } } ] } ```