Simon Sebag Montefiore Quotes

The prospect of being a father made me ask myself a question. How do you know what kind of adult your child will turn out to be? And how much can you control that?

I am indebted to my father for living, but to my teacher for living well.

Now here I am almost 52 years old, it's really easy. I'm way more at peace. But when you're a competitor, and you're as intent on becoming the best in the world as I was, it comes with consequences.

Why I have had such a huge career and why I have sold over four million books, is that people can do what I share with them to do.

I began working quite young, writing, growing, maturing, always striving to top myself - to make people laugh hard at things they know and believe deep in their hearts to be true.

I see my upbringing as a great success story. By disciplining me, my parents inculcated self-discipline. And by restricting my choices as a child, they gave me so many choices in my life as an adult. Because of what they did then, I get to do the work I love now.

I'm currently raising a 15 year old son and an 18 year old daughter, which a guess is my punishment for a wild youth!

A lot of my success, and a lot of who I am now, is because of my dad, and the way he raised me and taught me how to have a work ethic.

I needed time to stand back and go through a lot more experience in life. Then I have something to write about, joke or to animate.

I think it just has to do with getting older and getting better at what it was I was doing, and that I could take something small and kind of take my time with it. I think actually what that has to do with is I quit drinking. Before that I told myself I could only drink if I was - if I was writing, I had to be drinking. So I was on a timer, because eventually you get too drunk to write.

If you're serious about becoming a wealthy, powerful, sophisticated, healthy, influential, cultured and unique individual, keep a journal. Don't trust your memory. When you listen to something valuable, write it down. When you come across something important, write it down.

My mother raised me to be a writer.

I really learned it all from mothers.

Read a lot, write a lot is the great commandment.

You don't need to go to a therapist, you don't need to do all kinds of things. If you want to write, you physically have to do it.

Parents who indulge themselves 'in moderation' may have children who indulge themselves to excess.

Just write every day of your life. Read intensely.

Most of what I know about writing I've learned through running every day.

I've surpassed any goal I set for myself as far as my body, my career, and getting married.

Maybe writing can't be taught, but editing can be taught—prayer, fasting and self-mutilation.

It depends on what your dream might be, as to whether or not it's still possible when you're, say, fifty or sixty. You won't ever pitch for the big leagues, for example. But I believe anyone, regardless of age, can write if he or she is willing to do the work, and I'm talking about spending at least an hour or two at it almost every day for five to ten years.

Throughout my childhood, my parents dropped me off at a multitude of therapists' offices in hopes that I'd avoid growing up to be the kind of asshole who writes books about them. Also because it was sometimes easier than finding a nanny.

As I get older and write more books I'm definitely allowing the humorous side of my personality more rein in my work.

I'm a better musician now, and I rarely practice because age has taught me the value of economy. And I think I'm a better writer now because I don't waste as much time, dilly-dallying and sassafrassin' and sloop and sloppin' and frying eggs. When you start writing, half the time you're just saying howdy to the page. My process now is a little more lean and muscular. I don't waste a lot of time. When I had kids, I learned how much time I had before, and how much time you actually need to do something. If you don't have time, you'll just do it and get it done.

My success has a lot to do with my private life. I've matured a lot by first becoming a husband and now a father. My life is in the right direction. And that helps a player to thrive. One thing is linked with the other. My private life has helped me.