Steve Martin has spent more than five decades making people laugh, but his talents extend far beyond comedy. Born August 14, 1945, in Waco, Texas, Martin moved with his family to Southern California as a child. And during this time he developed an early fascination with magic, comedy and performing.
When he was 10, he got a job selling guidebooks at the newly opened Disneyland. He later worked in Disney’s magic shop, where he demonstrated magic tricks. And as a teenager he developed his own magic and comedy act.
Martin’s fascination with performing began early. As he recalled in a 2008 Fresh Air interview with Terry Gross, “I just loved comedy.” He put on skits with a friend in high school and practiced magic tricks in front of a mirror for hours. “I was just inclined towards show business, but I didn’t know what. I just liked being on stage.”
That early fascination eventually led to an extraordinary career. Martin became one of the most celebrated stand-up comedians of his generation before expanding into acting, writing, music and television. His career has included such films as The Jerk, Roxanne and Father of the Bride, as well as Grammy-winning music and the acclaimed television series Only Murders in the Building.
In honor of Martin’s birthday on August 14, it’s a fitting time to celebrate not only his extraordinary career but also some of the wisdom he has gathered along the way.
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Quote of the Day by Steve Martin
“Thankfully, perseverance is a great substitute for talent.”—Steve Martin
Martin wrote those words in his 2007 memoir, Born Standing Up: A Comic’s Life, which chronicles his journey from a young performer experimenting with magic and comedy to one of the biggest stand-up stars in the country. The quote appears as Martin reflects on himself at age 18 and the skills he believed he possessed at the time.
The line is classic Steve Martin. It’s funny, self-deprecating and delivered with a wink. But there is a serious observation underneath the humor. Martin writes that at 18 he had no particular gifts for singing or dancing, and that the only acting he did was essentially shouting. Then comes the punchline: “Thankfully, perseverance is a great substitute for talent.”
Martin’s own career gives those words added meaning. He later described his 18 years in stand-up as 10 years spent learning, four years refining and four years in wild success. Rather than portraying his rise as an overnight triumph, he characterized the journey as more “plodding than heroic.”
Related: Friedrich Nietzsche’s Quote on Persevering Through Hard Times Still Resonates Today
Deeper Meaning Behind Steve Martin’s Quote
Martin’s words offer a refreshing reminder that natural talent isn’t the only thing that determines what we can accomplish. Someone may begin with an obvious gift, but that gift still has to be developed. Another person may begin with less apparent ability but gradually become exceptional through practice, curiosity and determination.
That is especially meaningful when we compare our beginnings with someone else’s finished product. It’s easy to look at a successful performer, artist, writer, athlete or entrepreneur and assume they were simply born knowing how to do what they do. Martin’s story suggests something different. What looks like effortless talent from the outside can actually be the result of years of experimentation, failure, practice and refinement.
There is also something liberating about the humor in Martin’s words. You don’t have to be extraordinary on day one. You don’t even have to know exactly what you’re doing. You can start with an interest, follow your curiosity and keep working at something until you discover what you’re capable of.
For anyone who has ever worried that they aren’t talented enough to pursue a dream, Martin’s quote offers an encouraging answer. Talent may give you a head start, but perseverance can keep you moving forward. And sometimes, the person who keeps going is the one who eventually becomes very good at something they once weren’t sure they could do at all.
Related: Quote of the Day: George Strait Proves That the Road to Success Isn’t a Straight Line
More Quotes from Steve Martin
“I was seeking comic originality, and fame fell on me as a byproduct.” “Comedy is a distortion of what is happening, and there will always be something happening.” “Be so good they can’t ignore you.” “It’s pain that changes our lives.” “Mike Nichols once told me that I always aimed high in something low. I loved that.”
Next, Quote of the Day: John Green Perfectly Captures the Absurdity of Toxic Positivity
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