Quote: Willie Boy, Saturday, 27 Sep 2008 09:31We live in pressurised times; work, money, health…and all the rest.
So, if you happen to be feeling under pressure, to get that book written, review done, dog walked, debts cleared, children fed, relationship sorted, whatever…it may be worth recalling the words of Keith Miller, ex-WWII pilot and legendary Australian cricketer of the 40s and 50s, regarded as the greatest ever ‘all round’ Aussie player. He had the lot; a great athlete, film-star looks and adored by men and women alike. Recalled by Michael Parkinson in the Radio Times, and when asked about the sorts of pressures he was operating under, Miller, replied:
"Pressure is not playing sport, pressure is having a Messerschmitt up your arse at twenty thousand feet." Well said! The actor David Niven, who mostly appeared very relaxed was asked why he was always so incredibly cheerful. David used to reply, 'Well, old bean, life is really so bloody awful that I feel it's my absolute duty to be chirpy and try and make everybody else happy too.' ...
Sometimes it's not possible, but he kept his irrepressible sense of humour to the end, even when afflicted by motor neurone disease.
One of his last anecdotes concerned the time an old friend accosted him in Gstaad with 'Niv, how the hell are you?' 'W-well,' he croaked, 'I've got this m-m-motor neu . . ." The friend interrupted him with, 'I've got a new motor too! A Mercedes!'
Any more annecdotes or sayings for grace under pressure? Perhaps there's a book in this. With this, and members writing funny reviews of famous books on the other thread, hopefully we won't become known as the "YWO 'perhaps there's a book in this' site"!
Feeling under pressure?
27 Sep 2008, 09:31
