Skip to content
quotesby

About this quote

What does it mean?
Keaton acknowledges the genius and innovation of others, feeling overwhelmed by their achievements.
In plain terms
He admires a genius so much he feels he can never reach their level.
What can you take from it?
Recognizing greatness can inspire humility and ambition.

Where it applies

  • learning
  • mentorship
  • creative growth

Putting it to work

  • study great work
  • stay humble
  • acknowledge mastery

Questions to consider

  • How do you handle feeling outclassed?
  • What inspires you to keep going?

Another view

It focuses on personal limitation rather than actionable steps to improve.

More from Buster Keaton

  1. I could tell you that those wonderful stories were 90% Buster's... I was often ashamed to take the money, much less the credit.

    Permalink to quote #24
  2. I just want that one day, when I retire, that people still remember me like they remember Buster. I really want someone to respect me the way they respect Bust…

    Permalink to quote #26
  3. The screen was just a white sheet. They had this flickering machine. That was the first time I saw this angel with a white face and these beautiful eyes. I kne…

    Permalink to quote #23

Related quotes

  1. I have recently re-read much of Chekhov and it's a humbling experience. I don't even claim Chekhov as an influence because he influenced all of us. Like Shakes…

    Alice MunroAlice Munro quote #3
  2. Do I believe in God? Yes, when I am working. When I am submissive and modest, I feel myself to be greatly helped by someone who causes me to do things that exc…

    Henri MatisseHenri Matisse quote #25
  3. If I have any justification for having lived it's simply, I'm nothing but faults, failures and so on, but I have tried to make a good pair of shoes. There's so…

    Arthur MillerArthur Miller quote #34