I have a responsibility to pass on to the next generation what I learned from my teachers, ... It keeps me young and reminds me where I came from. Teaching young artists is like giving water to a flower.
Isaac SternRead
Outsiders always look for a reason to explain why they are not inside. They never look in the mirror. Let's face it, the profession I'm in is a very simple and a very cruel one. There is no way that you can create a career for someone without talent and no way to stop a career of someone with talent.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote highlights the importance of self-reflection and the inevitability of talent in shaping one's career.
Isaac Stern emphasizes that many individuals outside a profession often seek external reasons for their exclusion rather than reflecting on their own capabilities. He points out a harsh truth about talent in the arts: it's critical for success, and no amount of effort can substitute for innate talent. This perspective challenges individuals to examine their own abilities rather than blame external factors for their lack of success.
Themes
TalentSelf-ReflectionCareerSuccessProfession
In practice
Example use cases
During a motivational speech to aspiring musicians, one could quote this to underline the necessity of self-assessment.
More from Isaac Stern
All quotes →Music is the thousandth of a millisecond between one note and another; how you get from one to the other-that's where the music is.
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When you believe in something, you can move mountains.
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Music is like making love: either all or nothing.
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The greatest wealth of this nation is not only the mergers of giant corporations or the possibility of further globalization of the infrastructure of the world. In the United States, our greatest single source of wealth is the minds and talent of our young people. Not to use it is stupid - to waste it is a crime.
Isaac SternRead
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