Stewart Lee Quotes

All the conscious decisions that I have taken in my life have never borne fruit. Not even come close! So, I am just very happy not planning.

I had no release in 2013. I worked on four films; none of them saw the light of day.

I have done so many stupid commercials and terrible other little projects that never went anywhere and just ended up being terrible.

Anybody who is an entrepreneur is a person who essentially has impaired judgment. The odds of success are zilch.

I have probably purchased fifty 'hot tips' in my career, maybe even more. When I put them all together, I know I am a net loser.

I identify with someone wanting something to work out, but not being able to get through the rocks to the river.

I don't know the key to success, but the key to failure is trying to please everybody.

I lost a year or two in there, trying to get films financed that I didn't know would never get financing.

If you chase something too desperately, it eludes you.

I cannot give you the formula for success, but I can give you the formula for failure - which is: Try to please everybody.

Every time I make one appointee I make nine disappointees.

The number of businesses that fold due to bad partnerships is staggering. In some cases, they are charlatans, in others inept business people, and others find themselves unable to scale with any growth.

I will always face the conundrum that the subjects I'm attracted to aren't essentially commercial.

When you are not successful, nobody listens to you.

Ideas that most people derided as ridiculous have produced the best outcomes. Don't do the obvious thing.

Many people with jobs have a fantasy about all the amazing things they would do if they didn't need to work. In reality, if they had the drive and commitment to do actually do those things, they wouldn't let a job get in the way.

As for performing live, I just never imagined how it would work out; for good reason, because it doesn't just work out - not the way you think it will. It's a chance that you take.

Having a record company and putting out my own CD. There's clothes and shoes. There's also an upcoming book deal that I'm trying to do. I'm trying to be positive. I'm a big fan of the Nobel Peace Prize.

Because I can go to Vegas and make the money I do, I'm able to spend a lot more time producing music that I love.

I tried [being a mogul]. It bores me. I don't really want to produce other people's movies. Because they're either grown-up filmmakers like Steven Soderbergh or Kathryn Bigelow that didn't really need me - and I've produced both of them. It's fun to sit around with them and be collegial, but they don't need me. They can make the film without me. I make my own stuff. There are tons and tons of other things I'm interested in that have nothing to do with movies or are documentary projects.

Comfort is the enemy of creativity.

If you want to do good research, it's important not to know too much. This almost sounds contradictory but really if you know too much and you get an idea, you will sort of talk yourself out of trying it because you figure it won't work. But if you know just the right amount and you get enthusiastic about your project, you go ahead, you do it and if you're lucky things'll work out.

The problem with putting it all on the line is that it might not work out. The problem with not putting it all on the line is that it will never (ever) change things for the better. Not much of a choice, I think.

I'm very practical as a person as well, and I think that's where I get confidence from. As impulsive and spontaneous as I am, I'm still very practical. I always have been. I work out my pros and cons, and then I make an informed decision on whether I should do something or not. I really believe if you're going to do something, you have to do it 100 percent; otherwise it's better not to do it.

I don't need to feel 100% safe, but I have to feel like there's room for me to go a little bit insane if I'm going to have good ideas. Because a good idea is a new idea and if you start going around like, "I have this new idea!" most people are gonna be like, "I've never heard that before, that sounds fishy."