Inspirational quote

For those of us on whatever rung of the comedy-writing ladder, these stoic words may or may not be a source of inspiration.

"I'm just gonna be endlessly repeating "plod forever". Don't expect to get there, don't think there's going to be a top to this mountain, just plod forever.
Imagine it is a mountain with no top. Just keep on going, and then you can't be let down. If you start getting false hopes, don't. You've got to say "plod forever". Don't let other thoughts come in."

Not the words of some begrizzled comedy writer, but the amazingly-couragous Sir Ranulph Fiennes who has just scaled Everest at the age of 65, despite trying before and having a heart attack into the bargain.

It did strike a resonant chord though...I mean obviously writing some wanky sketches or a few scripts doesn't even make the tiniest dent in Sir Fienne's achievements, but still the message is there. Keep strong and keep on going. "Plod forever".

It's perhaps an uninspiring quote at first glance - but he made it. He plodded forever and made it.

Anyway, thought I'd share my thoughts. I'm probably just in an extra-good mood 'cos I watched the new Star Trek movie tonight.

And, on the plus side, it's very rare to get frostbite while writing comedy.

Good on him, though.

I'll plod off now.

'Plod Forever'.. a chant you're unlikely to hear in prison footie matches.

Still, fair do's to Sir Ranulph.

Quote: Lee Henman @ May 22 2009, 1:52 AM BST

" If you start getting false hopes, don't. You've got to say "plod forever". Don't let other thoughts come in."

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Thanks for that great quote.
I must admit, I first thought you were going to apply it to having sex with the wife.

Can kind of relate to this, in a small way. A few years ago I was in Oban waiting to join a boat, and not having done any hillwalking in years, I decided to bag my first Monroe. Unhelpfully my guidebook, rather than sending me up the easy ridge route, had me ascend straight up. There was not a vestige of a path, the ground was so boggy the soles of my boots peeled away, I did not see another soul all day, and the weather seemed to be turning against me. By the time I was maybe a third of the way up, I realised I was not going to make it to the top. So I told myself I would just walk to the next ridge and jack it in. After I had told myself this perhaps twenty or thirty times, I found myself on the summit, surveying spectacular views on all sides.

It is a life lesson that subsequently has seen me good in other situations.

Quote: NoggetFred @ May 23 2009, 6:02 AM BST

Thanks for that great quote.
I must admit, I first thought you were going to apply it to having sex with the wife.

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No, sex with your wife is usually pretty good actually!

Quote: Timbo @ May 23 2009, 9:51 AM BST

Can kind of relate to this, in a small way. A few years ago I was in Oban waiting to join a boat, and not having done any hillwalking in years, I decided to bag my first Monroe. Unhelpfully my guidebook, rather than sending me up the easy ridge route, had me ascend straight up. There was not a vestige of a path, the ground was so boggy the soles of my boots peeled away, I did not see another soul all day, and the weather seemed to be turning against me. By the time I was maybe a third of the way up, I realised I was not going to make it to the top. So I told myself I would just walk to the next ridge and jack it in. After I had told myself this perhaps twenty or thirty times, I found myself on the summit, surveying spectacular views on all sides.

It is a life lesson that subsequently has seen me good in other situations.

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Yep...keep on going. Whenever anyone asks me how things are I generally say "Not bad, plodding on". In one way it sounds a bit defeatist but it's actually the opposite. I see myself as a bit like the tortoise in the tortoise / hare fable.

Quote: Lee Henman @ May 23 2009, 12:00 PM BST

I see myself as a bit like the tortoise in the tortoise / hare fable.

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Except your version is hare-less.

Totally agree with plodding on. My mantra has always been Perseverance. No endeavour can succeed without that quality. I think even talent takes a back seat in its company because less talented people have succeeded because they pressed on while talented people failed after the first or subsequent hurdle.

Quote: Griff @ May 23 2009, 3:44 PM BST

Perseverance is important. But maybe tempered with realism.

I mean I could keep turning up at auditions to be the next James Bond for the rest of my life. 10/10 for perseverance and following the dream. 0/10 for wasting my life.

Writing's not quite the same as that, because it's fun whether you "get there" or not. But I think maybe once you've written 10 sitcoms and nobody's interested, there's no shame in thinking well maybe sitcom-writing isn't your thing. Even Mitchell and Webb (and/or maybe Lee and Herring) said in that Guardian comedy-writing guide "if nobody's laughing after five years you should probably give up".

This isn't intended to piss on Lee's inspirational quote (although it may seem like it!). It's just the flip side of the coin, I guess.

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There is that small annoying fact that you also need a modicum of talent to succeed, but I try not to let that deter me.

Quote: Griff @ May 23 2009, 4:24 PM BST

Where is Marc P today anyway?

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Listening to inspirational quotes on his iPlod.

By hare-less, Lee, I meant hairless. I guess an aural pun doesn't quite pass on in written form.

To qualify what I said: You can have wads of talent but if you give up after the first or umpteenth inevitable rejection, that talent was ultimately wasted. If talent is the sole determinant of 'making it' then the people at the top of their field should always be the most talented but this isn't always the case. Lesser talented people (in all walks of life) can fare better than more talented people. Yep, there has to be an underlying ability but that ability (great or small) has to be tied into other personality traits.

Imho.

Never mind try again, fail again fail better,

Quote: Lee Henman @ May 23 2009, 12:00 PM BST

No, sex with your wife is usually pretty good actually!

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Define 'your'. Your own or Nogget's...or mine?

If at first you don't succed, hire a systems analyst.

Quote: SlagA @ May 23 2009, 6:56 PM BST

By hare-less, Lee, I meant hairless. I guess an aural pun doesn't quite pass on in written form.

To qualify what I said: You can have wads of talent but if you give up after the first or umpteenth inevitable rejection, that talent was ultimately wasted. If talent is the sole determinant of 'making it' then the people at the top of their field should always be the most talented but this isn't always the case. Lesser talented people (in all walks of life) can fare better than more talented people. Yep, there has to be an underlying ability but that ability (great or small) has to be tied into other personality traits.

Imho.

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Wise words, SlagA. So what you are saying (from a man's point of view) is:

You can have a large cock and loads of potential sexual expertise but if you give up looking for sex after the first or umpteenth inevitable rejection - that large cock and potential sexual expertise was ultimately wasted.

Quote: Morrace @ May 23 2009, 8:26 PM BST

You can have a large cock and loads of potential sexual expertise but if you give up looking for sex after the first or umpteenth inevitable rejection - that large cock and potential sexual expertise was ultimately wasted.

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I see you've read my autobiography then, Morrace?