--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It's great if a pilot starts off great…" description: "\"It's great if a pilot starts off great and if it doesn't start off so great it's not that big a deal: everybody's baby is born ugly. But you want to kn..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ca/timothy-olyphant-10280_baby_it-s-great-if-a-pilot-starts-off-great-a_1531510.jpg" --- # It's great if a pilot starts off great and if it doesn't… ![“It's great if a pilot starts off great and if it doesn't start off so great it's not that big a deal: everybody's baby is born ugly. But you want to know, if given the opportunity: Where are we going? What's the story we're trying to tell?” quote by Timothy Olyphant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ca/timothy-olyphant-10280_baby_it-s-great-if-a-pilot-starts-off-great-a_1531510.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ca/timothy-olyphant-10280_baby_it-s-great-if-a-pilot-starts-off-great-a_1531510.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ca/timothy-olyphant-10280_baby_it-s-great-if-a-pilot-starts-off-great-a_1531510.jpg) > “It's great if a pilot starts off great and if it doesn't start off so great it's not that big a deal: everybody's baby is born ugly. But you want to know, if given the opportunity: Where are we going? What's the story we're trying to tell?” [Timothy Olyphant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-olyphant/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A pilot may begin imperfectly, but the focus should be on the overall narrative and direction rather than initial flaws. **In simple terms:** Start imperfect, aim for story. Key Takeaway Prioritize vision over early perfection. Themes creativity storytelling growth Mood reflective determined Type inspirational analytical When to use this quote - TV series launch - film project - personal branding - creative brainstorming Key Concepts narrative purpose pilot development Questions to Reflect On - What story drives your project? - How do you balance early imperfections with future vision? A Different Perspective Initial flaws can distract from long‑term goals. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Baby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/baby/) [Opportunity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opportunity/) [Pilot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pilot/) [Pilots](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pilots/) [Stories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stories/) [Story](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/story/) ## Related quotes > [I still love a great pilot as much as I did the day I started at NBC.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-reilly/i-still-love-a-great-pilot-as-much-as-i-did-the-day-i-started-at-nbc/) [Kevin Reilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-reilly/) > [To be a great pilot you have to make a pact with the devil, but don't let him swallow you up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernst-udet/to-be-a-great-pilot-you-have-to-make-a-pact-with-the-devil-but-don-t/) Ernst Udet > [The great pilot can sail even when his canvass is rent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/the-great-pilot-can-sail-even-when-his-canvass-is-rent/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) > [“Thankfully, though, personalities are not born ugly; they are learned ugly”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/thankfully-though-personalities-are-not-born-ugly-they-are-learned/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When I was born I was so ugly the doctor slapped my mother.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rodney-dangerfield/when-i-was-born-i-was-so-ugly-the-doctor-slapped-my-mother/) [Rodney Dangerfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rodney-dangerfield/) > [It's no one's fault to be born ugly, but, honestly, must it be worn as a symbol of pride?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-collins/it-s-no-one-s-fault-to-be-born-ugly-but-honestly-must-it-be-worn-as-a/) [Joan Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-collins/) > [“But what was tragic about the girl was that she had not been born ugly. She might even have been a pretty child, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/but-what-was-tragic-about-the-girl-was-that-she-had-not-been-born/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [If I'd been born ugly, you'd never have heard of Pele.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-best/if-i-d-been-born-ugly-you-d-never-have-heard-of-pele/) [George Best](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-best/) > [If I had been born ugly, you would have never heard of Pele](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-best/if-i-had-been-born-ugly-you-would-have-never-heard-of-pele/) [George Best](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-best/) > [“There are many accidents of biology that are beyond our control. Some of us are short, some of us are tall. Some of us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-stead/there-are-many-accidents-of-biology-that-are-beyond-our-control-some/) Philip Stead > [Some days are born ugly. 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It's not their fault, and I for one have never held it against a man that he is ugly.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-gemmell/some-people-are-born-ugly-it-s-not-their-fault-and-i-for-one-have/) [David Gemmell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-gemmell/) > [ I became an instant fan of the show \[Underground\] seconds into the opening frames of the pilot. When that drone shot carried us through… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aisha-hinds/i-became-an-instant-fan-of-the-show-underground-seconds-into-the/) [Aisha Hinds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aisha-hinds/) ## More by Timothy Olyphant > [I'll admit a little something: If I go to one of those hotels where there's, like, a $50 omelet, I'm taking the silverware home…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-olyphant/i-ll-admit-a-little-something-if-i-go-to-one-of-those-hotels-where/) [Timothy Olyphant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-olyphant/) > [A rice cooker has changed my life. The overnight-oatmeal deal is a big win at the Olyphant house.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-olyphant/a-rice-cooker-has-changed-my-life-the-overnight-oatmeal-deal-is-a-big/) [Timothy Olyphant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-olyphant/) > [I'm in show business, and we have a long history here of making movies about law enforcement officers. If you're my age, and you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-olyphant/i-m-in-show-business-and-we-have-a-long-history-here-of-making-movies/) [Timothy Olyphant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-olyphant/) > [Kids on the set tend to be a pain, and if they're not, their parents are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-olyphant/kids-on-the-set-tend-to-be-a-pain-and-if-they-re-not-their-parents-are/) [Timothy Olyphant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-olyphant/) > [I know the difference between someone coming up to you on the street and saying, 'Hey, you're that dude, right. 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Any of those John Ford movies…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-olyphant/there-s-so-many-great-western-films-let-s-see-red-river-any-of-those/) [Timothy Olyphant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-olyphant/) > [You're never quite sure, when you first get something if you really have a sense of what an opportunity it is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-olyphant/you-re-never-quite-sure-when-you-first-get-something-if-you-really/) [Timothy Olyphant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-olyphant/) > [I didn't inherit any great success and the problems that came with it, and yet I was able to keep working and supporting myself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-olyphant/i-didn-t-inherit-any-great-success-and-the-problems-that-came-with-it/) [Timothy Olyphant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-olyphant/) > [I'm attracted to roles that are unpredictable, and if I can get my hands on something like that, I'm thrilled. 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