--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The number one metaphor I have in my mind…" description: "\"The number one metaphor I have in my mind for writing a screenplay is that...you're trying to climb a mountain blindfolded. And the funny thing about t..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/680/michael-arndt-21037_blindfolded_the-number-one-metaphor-i-have-in-my-min_798119.jpg" --- # The number one metaphor I have in my mind for writing a… ![“The number one metaphor I have in my mind for writing a screenplay is that...you're trying to climb a mountain blindfolded. And the funny thing about that is, you think, 'Okay, that's hard because you're climbing up a rock face, and you don't know where you're going, and you don't know where the…” quote by Michael Arndt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/680/michael-arndt-21037_blindfolded_the-number-one-metaphor-i-have-in-my-min_798119.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/680/michael-arndt-21037_blindfolded_the-number-one-metaphor-i-have-in-my-min_798119.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/680/michael-arndt-21037_blindfolded_the-number-one-metaphor-i-have-in-my-min_798119.jpg) > “The number one metaphor I have in my mind for writing a screenplay is that...you're trying to climb a mountain blindfolded. And the funny thing about that is, you think, 'Okay, that's hard because you're climbing up a rock face, and you don't know where you're going, and you don't know where the top is, you can't see what's below you...' But actually the hardest part about climbing a mountain blindfolded is just finding the mountain.” [Michael Arndt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-arndt/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Writing a screenplay feels like climbing a mountain without sight, where the biggest challenge is simply identifying the story’s core direction. **In simple terms:** Screenwriting is navigating an unseen path, first finding the story’s shape. Key Takeaway Clarify your story’s central goal before proceeding. Themes creativity writing uncertainty Mood frustrated determined Type advice inspirational When to use this quote - drafting a script - storyboarding - pitch meetings - creative blocks Key Concepts narrative structure vision goal setting Questions to Reflect On - What core idea defines your story? - How can you map the plot before writing? A Different Perspective Finding the mountain can be vague without clear premises or outlines. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Climbing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/climbing/) [Climbing A Mountain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/climbing-a-mountain/) [Climbing mountain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/climbing-mountain/) [Climbing up](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/climbing-up/) [Faces](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faces/) [Funny things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/funny-things/) [Metaphor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/metaphor/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) [Rocks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rocks/) [Screenplays](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/screenplays/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [Writing a screenplay is like climbing a mountain. 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'tis but to fill A certain portion of uncertain paper: Some liken it to climbing up a hill,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-byron/what-is-the-end-of-fame-tis-but-to-fill-a-certain-portion-of/) [Lord Byron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-byron/) > [Of course, if you think of a European or American household in the '50s, so what were the things that when people started climbing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esa-pekka-salonen/of-course-if-you-think-of-a-european-or-american-household-in-the-50s/) [Esa-Pekka Salonen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esa-pekka-salonen/) > [So I always liked to sing, and apparently when I was about four or five I also started to be attracted to pianos and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vienna-teng/so-i-always-liked-to-sing-and-apparently-when-i-was-about-four-or/) Vienna Teng > [I try to serve the character all the time; this one took a lot of work and was consuming. 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Every race, in my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-rudisha/races-always-are-good-to-show-where-you-are-reaching-in-your-training/) [David Rudisha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-rudisha/) > [There is no pleasure in flying to the top! The pleasure is climbing up there step by step, feeling every single muscle!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/there-is-no-pleasure-in-flying-to-the-top-the-pleasure-is-climbing-up/) [Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [It might sound crazy, but filming in a conflict zone, in Afghanistan, and being a female filmmaker was the easy part. I found people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pietra-brettkelly/it-might-sound-crazy-but-filming-in-a-conflict-zone-in-afghanistan/) [Pietra Brettkelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pietra-brettkelly/) ## More by Michael Arndt > [If you only know something one way, then you don't really know it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-arndt/if-you-only-know-something-one-way-then-you-don-t-really-know-it/) [Michael Arndt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-arndt/) > [I had read enough mediocre scripts and was determined not to inflict another one on the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-arndt/i-had-read-enough-mediocre-scripts-and-was-determined-not-to-inflict/) [Michael Arndt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-arndt/) > [My thing is that most scripts arent bad scripts, theyre just not finished yet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-arndt/my-thing-is-that-most-scripts-arent-bad-scripts-theyre-just-not/) [Michael Arndt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-arndt/) > [I like to begin every screenplay with a burst of delusional self-confidence. 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However, I also usually have 5 or 6…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-arndt/i-can-write-two-scripts-concurrently-but-i-usually-prefer-to-do-one/) [Michael Arndt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-arndt/) > [I figured I’d probably write 50 scripts in my life. Out of those 50, I figured maybe five would be produced, and that maybe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-arndt/i-figured-i-d-probably-write-50-scripts-in-my-life-out-of-those-50-i/) [Michael Arndt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-arndt/) > [We have the freedom to excel or inhibit our potential. You are the grand designer of your thoughts and emotions. At some level or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-arndt/we-have-the-freedom-to-excel-or-inhibit-our-potential-you-are-the/) [Michael Arndt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-arndt/) > [If you write a bunch of different characters with a bunch of different opinions, you end up with these long scenes of everyone standing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-arndt/if-you-write-a-bunch-of-different-characters-with-a-bunch-of/) [Michael Arndt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-arndt/) > [Adversity challenges the masks we hide behind, revealing sides of ourselves we have not yet comfortably with the world outside. It is why we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-arndt/adversity-challenges-the-masks-we-hide-behind-revealing-sides-of/) [Michael Arndt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-arndt/) > [You never want your second act or the whole movie to just be this relentless march towards its goal. You want things to take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-arndt/you-never-want-your-second-act-or-the-whole-movie-to-just-be-this/) [Michael Arndt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-arndt/) > [It drives me crazy when people say, "All we're trying to do is create entertainment." I feel like people go to movies for more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-arndt/it-drives-me-crazy-when-people-say-all-we-re-trying-to-do-is-create/) [Michael Arndt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-arndt/) [Explore all 30 Michael Arndt quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-arndt/) ## More Blindfolded quotes > [“The best part about being kidnapped is being blindfolded and getting kicked into the trunk of a car. Boy, normally I have to beg…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/the-best-part-about-being-kidnapped-is-being-blindfolded-and-getting/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [They're all so highly educated, you know. 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Putting emotions before reason.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mwanandeke-kindembo/sometimes-we-choose-to-be-blindfolded-with-the-love-of-life-putting/) [Mwanandeke Kindembo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mwanandeke-kindembo/) > [Love needs no map, for it can find it's way blindfolded.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/love-needs-no-map-for-it-can-find-it-s-way-blindfolded/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [All chess masters can play one game blindfolded.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-koltanowski/all-chess-masters-can-play-one-game-blindfolded/) George Koltanowski > [“I shifted in my seat, curious about the tension that idea caused in my body. Every time I thought of a blindfolded restrained man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cybill-cain/i-shifted-in-my-seat-curious-about-the-tension-that-idea-caused-in-my/) [Cybill Cain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cybill-cain/) > [Fix reason firmly in her seat, and call on her tribunal for every fact, every opinion. 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Only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/man-passes-through-the-present-with-his-eyes-blindfolded-he-is/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) > [Is so interesting, is that when you're blindfolded and you're talking to somebody the conversation goes to places that it would never go if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fernando-meirelles/is-so-interesting-is-that-when-you-re-blindfolded-and-you-re-talking/) [Fernando Meirelles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fernando-meirelles/) Browse all 77 Blindfolded quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The number one metaphor I have in my mind for writing a screenplay is that...you're trying to climb a mountain blindfolded. And the funny thing about that is, you think, 'Okay, that's hard because you're climbing up a rock face, and you don't know where you're going, and you don't know where the top is, you can't see what's below you...' 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