“I know quite certainly that I myself have no special talent; curiosity, obsession and dogged endurance, combined with self-criticism, have brought me to my ideas.”
Share this quote
Attribution note
No reliable primary or scholarly source confirms this exact wording as Albert Einstein's. It is widely circulated under his name and is listed as commonly attributed.
About this quote
This wording, beginning "I know quite certainly that I myself have no special…," circulates under Einstein's name and focuses on quite, certainly, myself. No strong source for the exact text was found, so the page presents it as commonly attributed while still explaining its practical connection to creativity and wisdom.
When to use it
- Use "I know quite certainly that I myself have no special…" in a creativity discussion, then ask which concrete claim the wording makes.
- Compare its treatment of quite with certainly in a lesson, essay, or editorial note before drawing a conclusion.
- Before sharing it as Einstein's exact words, display the attribution caveat and follow the evidence link recorded on the page.