--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Coming up through the ranks of any…" description: "\"Coming up through the ranks of any calling can be rough, but that battered soul who survives the early years of courting the comic muse comes close to ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f3c/dick-cavett-3310_any_coming-up-through-the-ranks-of-any-calli_538477.jpg" --- # Coming up through the ranks of any calling can be rough… ![“Coming up through the ranks of any calling can be rough, but that battered soul who survives the early years of courting the comic muse comes close to knowing what only the soldier knows: What combat is like.” quote by Dick Cavett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f3c/dick-cavett-3310_any_coming-up-through-the-ranks-of-any-calli_538477.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f3c/dick-cavett-3310_any_coming-up-through-the-ranks-of-any-calli_538477.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f3c/dick-cavett-3310_any_coming-up-through-the-ranks-of-any-calli_538477.jpg) > “Coming up through the ranks of any calling can be rough, but that battered soul who survives the early years of courting the comic muse comes close to knowing what only the soldier knows: What combat is like.” [Dick Cavett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-cavett/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Early struggles in a creative field forge resilience similar to a soldier’s combat experience. **In simple terms:** Early hardship builds resilience. Key Takeaway Embrace early challenges to grow. Themes creativity resilience growth Mood inspirational reflective Type motivational philosophical When to use this quote - artistic pursuits - writing - stand‑up comedy - early career setbacks Key Concepts psychology career development Questions to Reflect On - How have early challenges shaped your craft? - What strategies keep you resilient? A Different Perspective Not all early hardships lead to mastery; some may cause burnout. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Combat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/combat/) [Comic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comic/) [Muse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/muse/) [Soldier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/soldier/) [Soul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/soul/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) ## Related quotes > [“so we were playing all this game then and thinking that to be a soldier was to be the best thing in the world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/uzodinma-iweala/so-we-were-playing-all-this-game-then-and-thinking-that-to-be-a/) [Uzodinma Iweala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/uzodinma-iweala/) > [Victory in combat is like sex with a prostitute. For a moment you forget everything in the sudden physical rush, but then you have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-marlantes/victory-in-combat-is-like-sex-with-a-prostitute-for-a-moment-you/) [Karl Marlantes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-marlantes/) > [Every soldier knows this simple fact: If you don't know your enemy, you will not be able to defeat him,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tulsi-gabbard/every-soldier-knows-this-simple-fact-if-you-don-t-know-your-enemy-you/) [Tulsi Gabbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tulsi-gabbard/) > [“Dying, in other words — like combat, like becoming a parent, like any transformative life event — doesn’t always reveal or intensify aspects of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-senior/dying-in-other-words-like-combat-like-becoming-a-parent-like-any/) [Jennifer Senior](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-senior/) > [“He is the true soldier who knows how to die and stand his ground in the midst of a hail of bullets.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/he-is-the-true-soldier-who-knows-how-to-die-and-stand-his-ground-in/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [“So few people were left who knew what combat was like. People were so easy to frighten. Combat taught a man what to fear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-clancy/so-few-people-were-left-who-knew-what-combat-was-like-people-were-so/) [Tom Clancy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-clancy/) > [Fortifications, artillery, foreign aid - will be of no value, unless the ordinary soldier knows that it is HE guarding his country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-gustaf-emil-mannerheim/fortifications-artillery-foreign-aid-will-be-of-no-value-unless-the/) Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim > [Flipping through the 'Toronto Star' one day in 2008, I noticed a piece about a phenomenal boxer from the Philippines who had won several…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-hill/flipping-through-the-toronto-star-one-day-in-2008-i-noticed-a-piece/) [Dan Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-hill/) > [“As long as your father's alive, you aren't yet the duchess. All that deference isn't truly warranted, is it?" In an oppressive tone, Lady…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-dodd/as-long-as-your-father-s-alive-you-aren-t-yet-the-duchess-all-that/) [Christina Dodd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-dodd/) > [You can usually tell how healthy a ballet company is by the degree of your interest in the middle ranks of the dancers -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-gottlieb/you-can-usually-tell-how-healthy-a-ballet-company-is-by-the-degree-of/) [Robert Gottlieb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-gottlieb/) > [Who included me among the ranks of the human race?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-brodsky/who-included-me-among-the-ranks-of-the-human-race/) [Joseph Brodsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-brodsky/) > [When I was coming up through the ranks, I won a lot - and probably won too much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kyle-busch/when-i-was-coming-up-through-the-ranks-i-won-a-lot-and-probably-won/) [Kyle Busch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kyle-busch/) > [The lust to meet authors ranks low, I think, on the roll of holy appetites; but it is an authentic pang.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-updike/the-lust-to-meet-authors-ranks-low-i-think-on-the-roll-of-holy/) [John Updike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-updike/) > [“Books were so simple about these things, fairy tales so straightforward! There were peasants, and then there were kings and queens. Sometimes there were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liz-braswell/books-were-so-simple-about-these-things-fairy-tales-so/) [Liz Braswell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liz-braswell/) > [From the Chinese perspective, Korea ranks about third or fourth in terms of trading volume and about third in terms of investment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-myung-bak/from-the-chinese-perspective-korea-ranks-about-third-or-fourth-in/) [Lee Myung-bak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-myung-bak/) ## More by Dick Cavett > [A conversation does not have to be scintillating in order to be memorable. I once met a president of the United States, and his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-cavett/a-conversation-does-not-have-to-be-scintillating-in-order-to-be/) [Dick Cavett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-cavett/) > [I don't see the future as bright, language-wise. I see it as a glass half empty - and evaporating quickly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-cavett/i-don-t-see-the-future-as-bright-language-wise-i-see-it-as-a-glass/) [Dick Cavett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-cavett/) > [I'm not all that enthralled by show business, and I'm not that much of a highbrow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-cavett/i-m-not-all-that-enthralled-by-show-business-and-i-m-not-that-much-of/) [Dick Cavett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-cavett/) > [I know what it feels like to be a gun lover.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-cavett/i-know-what-it-feels-like-to-be-a-gun-lover/) [Dick Cavett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-cavett/) > [Meryl Streep belongs on anybody's list of greats.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-cavett/meryl-streep-belongs-on-anybody-s-list-of-greats/) [Dick Cavett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-cavett/) > [Radio, which was a much better medium than television will ever be, was easy and pleasant to listen to. Your mind filled automatically with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-cavett/radio-which-was-a-much-better-medium-than-television-will-ever-be-was/) [Dick Cavett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-cavett/) > [I guess the best advice I ever got or anyone could get for doing a talk show, though it has not been easy very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-cavett/i-guess-the-best-advice-i-ever-got-or-anyone-could-get-for-doing-a/) [Dick Cavett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-cavett/) > [William F. Buckley was a man who had a great capacity for fun and for amusing himself by amazing others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-cavett/william-f-buckley-was-a-man-who-had-a-great-capacity-for-fun-and-for/) [Dick Cavett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-cavett/) > [Just think of all the billions of coincidences that don't happen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-cavett/just-think-of-all-the-billions-of-coincidences-that-don-t-happen/) [Dick Cavett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-cavett/) > [I eat at this German-Chinese restaurant and the food is delicious. The only problem is that an hour later you're hungry for power.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-cavett/i-eat-at-this-german-chinese-restaurant-and-the-food-is-delicious-the/) [Dick Cavett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-cavett/) > [I have a long list of things that make me mad.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-cavett/i-have-a-long-list-of-things-that-make-me-mad/) [Dick Cavett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-cavett/) > [“The idea that hunting is one against one is ludicrous. It's one animal versus the hunter, the manufacturer of the rifle, the bullet maker,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-cavett/the-idea-that-hunting-is-one-against-one-is-ludicrous-it-s-one-animal/) [Dick Cavett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-cavett/) > [Chris Matthews can't start any sentence without 'Let me ask you this... ' And I love Chris Matthews! But almost everybody in journalism does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-cavett/chris-matthews-can-t-start-any-sentence-without-let-me-ask-you-this/) [Dick Cavett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-cavett/) > [You would have to be naive to think you can appear on television and not have the material edited in some way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-cavett/you-would-have-to-be-naive-to-think-you-can-appear-on-television-and/) [Dick Cavett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-cavett/) > [I'm not sure why writing for others became harder. Probably a reluctance to give away anything you might conceivably use yourself caused a block.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-cavett/i-m-not-sure-why-writing-for-others-became-harder-probably-a/) [Dick Cavett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-cavett/) [Explore all 134 Dick Cavett quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-cavett/) ## More Any quotes > [Amongst the financial Twitterati, the term 'muppets' has come to describe any client used and abused by some financial predator. I've adopted the term…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-ritholtz/amongst-the-financial-twitterati-the-term-muppets-has-come-to/) [Barry Ritholtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-ritholtz/) > [At the very beginning, I was a page at Letterman, and I freelanced for any place that would let me write any word. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-schwartz/at-the-very-beginning-i-was-a-page-at-letterman-and-i-freelanced-for/) [Ben Schwartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-schwartz/) > [Any incarnation of 'Batman' I am delighted to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-west/any-incarnation-of-batman-i-am-delighted-to-do/) [Adam West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-west/) > [If we accept being talked to any kind of a way, then we are telling ourselves we are not quite worth the best. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/if-we-accept-being-talked-to-any-kind-of-a-way-then-we-are-telling/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [A lot of people have been saying 'The 100' reminds them of 'Lord Of The Flies,' 'Lost' and 'Battlestar Galactica,' and all of those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-avgeropoulos/a-lot-of-people-have-been-saying-the-100-reminds-them-of-lord-of-the/) [Marie Avgeropoulos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-avgeropoulos/) > [I have never been in, nor have I had any strong particular desire to be in, what is termed a costume drama, but I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-freeman/i-have-never-been-in-nor-have-i-had-any-strong-particular-desire-to/) [Martin Freeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-freeman/) > [We were so poor as kids. I didn't even see a bathtub, running water, hot water, commode - we didn't have any of that.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-robertson/we-were-so-poor-as-kids-i-didn-t-even-see-a-bathtub-running-water-hot/) [Phil Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-robertson/) > [We earned any fans with the way we play.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-white/we-earned-any-fans-with-the-way-we-play/) [Jimmy White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-white/) > [Hard work and a good education will take you further than any government program.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-schock/hard-work-and-a-good-education-will-take-you-further-than-any/) [Aaron Schock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-schock/) > [Anyone who's read my 'Terror in the Skies' series knows that I have not been writing with an eye toward approval from any government…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-jacobsen/anyone-who-s-read-my-terror-in-the-skies-series-knows-that-i-have-not/) [Annie Jacobsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-jacobsen/) > [The system in Germany is different, as you sign up with a company for two or three years, and you work exclusively with them;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-wlaschiha/the-system-in-germany-is-different-as-you-sign-up-with-a-company-for/) [Tom Wlaschiha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-wlaschiha/) > [I'm writing about real things. Real people. Real characters. You have to believe what I write about is true or you wouldn't pay any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-reed/i-m-writing-about-real-things-real-people-real-characters-you-have-to/) [Lou Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-reed/) > [I haven't shut any doors, and I'm really open to anything, so I think it's just about the material and what is going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danielle-panabaker/i-haven-t-shut-any-doors-and-i-m-really-open-to-anything-so-i-think/) [Danielle Panabaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danielle-panabaker/) > [I never want to look back on any moment and say I could have done more. So I go all in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-haze/i-never-want-to-look-back-on-any-moment-and-say-i-could-have-done/) [Scott Haze](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-haze/) > [I love the sea, but I avoid any sort of seaside resort that has skyscrapers or seaside entertainments.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quentin-blake/i-love-the-sea-but-i-avoid-any-sort-of-seaside-resort-that-has/) [Quentin Blake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quentin-blake/) Browse all 6,938 Any quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Coming up through the ranks of any calling can be rough, but that battered soul who survives the early years of courting the comic muse comes close to knowing what only the soldier knows: What combat is like.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Dick Cavett" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-cavett/coming-up-through-the-ranks-of-any-calling-can-be-rough-but-that/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Any" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-cavett/coming-up-through-the-ranks-of-any-calling-can-be-rough-but-that/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f3c/dick-cavett-3310_any_coming-up-through-the-ranks-of-any-calli_538477.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f3c/dick-cavett-3310_any_coming-up-through-the-ranks-of-any-calli_538477.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f3c/dick-cavett-3310_any_coming-up-through-the-ranks-of-any-calli_538477.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Coming up through the ranks of any calling can be rough, but that battered soul who survives the early years…” — Dick Cavett", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Dick Cavett", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-cavett/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Coming up through the ranks of...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-cavett/coming-up-through-the-ranks-of-any-calling-can-be-rough-but-that/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-cavett/coming-up-through-the-ranks-of-any-calling-can-be-rough-but-that/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```