--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: My ambition was to stop waiting tables…" description: "\"My ambition was to stop waiting tables. That was how I measured success: finally, I was able to stop waiting tables, and I was able to pay the rent, an..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dc1/graham-norton-11498_able_my-ambition-was-to-stop-waiting-tables-t_3167044.png" --- # My ambition was to stop waiting tables. That was how I… ![“My ambition was to stop waiting tables. That was how I measured success: finally, I was able to stop waiting tables, and I was able to pay the rent, and that was by being a stand-up comic. Not a very good stand-up comic, but good enough to make a living.” quote by Graham Norton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dc1/graham-norton-11498_able_my-ambition-was-to-stop-waiting-tables-t_3167044.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dc1/graham-norton-11498_able_my-ambition-was-to-stop-waiting-tables-t_3167044.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dc1/graham-norton-11498_able_my-ambition-was-to-stop-waiting-tables-t_3167044.png) > “My ambition was to stop waiting tables. That was how I measured success: finally, I was able to stop waiting tables, and I was able to pay the rent, and that was by being a stand-up comic. Not a very good stand-up comic, but good enough to make a living.” [Graham Norton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-norton/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Describes success as moving from a low‑pay job to a creative career that provides financial stability, even if not perfect. **In simple terms:** Success is leaving a bad job for a creative one that pays. Key Takeaway Pursue work you love that also meets basic needs. Themes career transition financial independence creative work Mood hopeful realistic Type motivational career When to use this quote - career planning - budgeting - comedy gigs Key Concepts career change financial stability creative fulfillment Questions to Reflect On - What does “good enough” mean to you? - How will you sustain creative work long term? A Different Perspective Success may be fragile if the new job isn’t sustainable. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ambition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ambition/) [Being](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being/) [Comedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comedy/) [Comic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comic/) [Good enough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-enough/) [Rent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rent/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/) [Waiting tables](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/waiting-tables/) ## Related quotes > [My ambition is to stop showing off. I'd love to be a tweedy academic. I'd be happy living in a croft. I like making…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandi-toksvig/my-ambition-is-to-stop-showing-off-i-d-love-to-be-a-tweedy-academic-i/) [Sandi Toksvig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandi-toksvig/) > [I like good stories above all else... and kickin' art really goes the final stretch to ensure a comic is good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-kirkman/i-like-good-stories-above-all-else-and-kickin-art-really-goes-the/) [Robert Kirkman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-kirkman/) > [It took forever for me to get work because I was a political comic, and now it's become good business, and God knows how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-black/it-took-forever-for-me-to-get-work-because-i-was-a-political-comic/) [Lewis Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-black/) > [Any comic is a very good actor. Look at Don Rickles. He is saying the same joke every night for 20 years and making…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-rivers/any-comic-is-a-very-good-actor-look-at-don-rickles-he-is-saying-the/) [Joan Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-rivers/) > [When I was a struggling actress in New York in my 20s I worked in a burger joint called Diane's Uptown. I actually loved…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-bullock/when-i-was-a-struggling-actress-in-new-york-in-my-20s-i-worked-in-a/) [Sandra Bullock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-bullock/) > [Before I quit waiting tables, I never had more than like three days off in a row really for many, many years. I never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bridget-everett/before-i-quit-waiting-tables-i-never-had-more-than-like-three-days/) [Bridget Everett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bridget-everett/) > [I can always go back to waiting tables, but I won't be very good at it. I'll never be good at it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-birbiglia/i-can-always-go-back-to-waiting-tables-but-i-won-t-be-very-good-at-it/) [Mike Birbiglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-birbiglia/) > [I have to say, doing theater, that's what you're trained to do. Doing film, when I first started doing it, felt like something else…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viola-davis/i-have-to-say-doing-theater-that-s-what-you-re-trained-to-do-doing/) [Viola Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viola-davis/) > [Waiting tables has never paid my bills, a fact which I prefer to hide from my colleagues with deep sighs about the price of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-chang/waiting-tables-has-never-paid-my-bills-a-fact-which-i-prefer-to-hide/) [David Chang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-chang/) > [I was a waitress years ago when I was first trying to become an actress, waiting tables in New York City.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-dickens/i-was-a-waitress-years-ago-when-i-was-first-trying-to-become-an/) [Kim Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-dickens/) > [I want to quit. Not performing, but being a woman altogether. I want to throw my hands in the air, after reading a mean…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-schumer/i-want-to-quit-not-performing-but-being-a-woman-altogether-i-want-to/) [Amy Schumer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-schumer/) > [I stopped waiting tables in my 40s, and I think that's the story of a lot of people around me. We're all in our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bridget-everett/i-stopped-waiting-tables-in-my-40s-and-i-think-that-s-the-story-of-a/) [Bridget Everett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bridget-everett/) > [“When Marino's needs us, we chip in.I just hate when chipping involves waiting tables. I have to write down orders so I don't forget…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-jensen/when-marino-s-needs-us-we-chip-in-i-just-hate-when-chipping-involves/) [Melissa Jensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-jensen/) > [In the creative arts you draw a special power. The discipline required is awesome to be an actor or an actress, to be really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/in-the-creative-arts-you-draw-a-special-power-the-discipline-required/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [I really believe waiting tables, and service industry jobs in general, make you a better person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judy-greer/i-really-believe-waiting-tables-and-service-industry-jobs-in-general/) [Judy Greer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judy-greer/) ## More by Graham Norton > [If it was possible for me to adopt, I probably would, but no one's going to let me adopt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-norton/if-it-was-possible-for-me-to-adopt-i-probably-would-but-no-one-s/) [Graham Norton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-norton/) > [I am really bad at actually interviewing people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-norton/i-am-really-bad-at-actually-interviewing-people/) [Graham Norton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-norton/) > [I loved Lucille Ball growing up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-norton/i-loved-lucille-ball-growing-up/) [Graham Norton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-norton/) > [I've heard other gay people say when they were growing up they felt 'foreign.' Growing up, I was able to label these feelings as:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-norton/i-ve-heard-other-gay-people-say-when-they-were-growing-up-they-felt/) [Graham Norton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-norton/) > [Do I have more depth than I'm given credit for? No!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-norton/do-i-have-more-depth-than-i-m-given-credit-for-no/) [Graham Norton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-norton/) > [I always say I'd rather be miserable by myself than unhappy in a relationship.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-norton/i-always-say-i-d-rather-be-miserable-by-myself-than-unhappy-in-a/) [Graham Norton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-norton/) > [The BBC will always be attacked by whoever is in government. It is that George Bush thing of 'If you're not with us you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-norton/the-bbc-will-always-be-attacked-by-whoever-is-in-government-it-is/) [Graham Norton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-norton/) > [Well, certainly I think American television is - that's proper TV.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-norton/well-certainly-i-think-american-television-is-that-s-proper-tv/) [Graham Norton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-norton/) > [My mobile rang around lunchtime one day, and it was George Michael. He wanted to come in on Friday. We were like, 'okay, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-norton/my-mobile-rang-around-lunchtime-one-day-and-it-was-george-michael-he/) [Graham Norton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-norton/) > [I've so exceeded what I ever wanted to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-norton/i-ve-so-exceeded-what-i-ever-wanted-to-do/) [Graham Norton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-norton/) > [I bet Maurice Gibb's heart monitor was singing the tune of Stayin' Alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-norton/i-bet-maurice-gibb-s-heart-monitor-was-singing-the-tune-of-stayin/) [Graham Norton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-norton/) > [It sounds deeply shallow, but for brief spells every member of the public can be fascinating.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-norton/it-sounds-deeply-shallow-but-for-brief-spells-every-member-of-the/) [Graham Norton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-norton/) > [I think the word is adult!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-norton/i-think-the-word-is-adult/) [Graham Norton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-norton/) > [Where I get bored is when I show up for a shoot and they want me to wear a feather boa. Too obvious a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-norton/where-i-get-bored-is-when-i-show-up-for-a-shoot-and-they-want-me-to/) [Graham Norton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-norton/) > [In my experience the difference between a straight and a bisexual is about four pints](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-norton/in-my-experience-the-difference-between-a-straight-and-a-bisexual-is/) [Graham Norton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-norton/) [Explore all 59 Graham Norton quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-norton/) ## More Able quotes > [I am certain that children always know more than they are able to tell, and that makes the big difference between them and adults,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-lusseyran/i-am-certain-that-children-always-know-more-than-they-are-able-to/) [Jacques Lusseyran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-lusseyran/) > [I have observed this in my experience of slavery, - that whenever my condition was improved, instead of its increasing my contentment, it only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/i-have-observed-this-in-my-experience-of-slavery-that-whenever-my/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [There is something about the South that accepts the supernatural. 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I'm still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nas/i-think-i-ve-had-the-longest-career-of-strength-focus-and-still-being/) [Nas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nas/) > [I have that need in me, I want everyone to love me, but I'm embarrassed by that need, so I wanted to cover it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-jeselnik/i-have-that-need-in-me-i-want-everyone-to-love-me-but-i-m-embarrassed/) [Anthony Jeselnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-jeselnik/) > [Thinking about the things that happened, I don't know any other ball player would could have done what he (Jackie Robinson) did. To be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pee-wee-reese/thinking-about-the-things-that-happened-i-don-t-know-any-other-ball/) [Pee Wee Reese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pee-wee-reese/) > [I wanted to remember in order to be able to return.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anais-nin/i-wanted-to-remember-in-order-to-be-able-to-return/) [Anais Nin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anais-nin/) > [Government schools, with your tax money, now discourage the teaching of multiplication tables by rote memorization but teach reading by the 'look-and-say' method which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-perry/government-schools-with-your-tax-money-now-discourage-the-teaching-of/) Greg Perry > [I don't know if I would qualify as mainstream. 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