The question

Looking back, which parts of your working life mattered, and which parts only seemed important at the time?
Ted Turner

Broadcaster and businessman; founder of CNN

Recorded said elsewhere, not written here
I lived on a couch in my office for ten years, and then luckily, I got wealthy enough to build a little penthouse on the roof — 700 square feet — and I moved up there. It was a lot nicer. I just walked up the stairs one floor. My office was on the top floor, and I just walked up to go to bed, and that way, I had another hour to work every day, because when I walked downstairs, I was instantly in my office without having to fight traffic.

Academy of Achievement interview, 20 October 2007 source ↗

Others on this question

View all 7 →
Sir Roger Bannister Middle-distance runner and neurologist; first man to run a mile in under four minutes
So the values were career, medicine. Sport was something other, something to be set aside.
Recorded Academy of Achievement interview, 7 June 2002 source ↗
John Wooden Basketball coach at UCLA, 1948-1975; winner of ten NCAA championships
That's all I was: a teacher. That's all I was as a basketball coach, just a teacher.
Recorded Academy of Achievement interview, 28 October 2000 source ↗
Steve Martin Comedian, actor and writer
I did stand-up comedy for 18 years. 10 of those years were spent learning, four years were spent refining, and four years were spent in wild success. I was seeking comic originality, and fame fell on me as a byproduct. The course was more plodding than heroic.
Recorded Terry Gross, Fresh Air, NPR, 8 May 2020 source ↗
Theodore Roosevelt 26th President of the United States, 1901–1909; Governor of New York 1899–1900; Assistant Secretary of the Navy 1897–1898
Nothing in the world is worth having or worth doing unless it means effort, pain, difficulty…I have never in my life envied a human being who led an easy life. I have envied a great many people who led difficult lives and led them well.
Recorded Humoropedia source ↗

More from Ted Turner

View profile →

More on craft & work

Also answered this

Pete Rozelle, Theodore Roosevelt, Steve Martin, Amy Tan, Sir Roger Bannister, John Wooden

Search the directory for somebody in particular.

Explore further

Report this answer