“If hard work is not another name for talent, it is the best possible substitute for it.”

“Graphology is another in a long list of quack substitutes for hard work. It is appealing to those who are impatient with such troublesome matters as research, evidence analysis, reasoning, logic, and hypothesis testing.”

Robert Todd Carroll book The Skeptic's Dictionary

“Genius is 1% talent and 99% percent hard work…”

Albert Einstein (1879–1955) German-born physicist and founder of the theory of relativity

“Everybody has talent, but ability takes hard work.”

Michael Jordan (1963) American retired professional basketball player and businessman

“Thankfully, persistence is a great substitute for talent.”

Steve Martin (1945) American actor, comedian, musician, author, playwright, and producer

“Talent is cheaper than table salt. What separates the talented individual from the successful one is a lot of hard work.”

Stephen King (1947) American author

“… talent means nothing, while experience, acquired in humility and with hard work, means everything.”

Patrick Süskind (1949) German writer and screenwriter

“Hard work and training. There's no secret formula. I lift heavy, work hard and aim to be the best.”

Ronnie Coleman (1964) American bodybuilder

“Chubstitute (a name for a fat substitute)”

Jonathan Larson (1960–1996) American composer and playwright

“Writing is hard work. Even when you start with the raw ingredients – a mad family, a sense of humour, talent…it’s hard work. But you do get to sit around in silk pyjamas all day.”

Carole Morin British writer