John Lloyd was being interviewed on his career as a TV and radio producer.
One of his first shows was the News Quiz.
Then The Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy.
Next he produced Not the Nine O’clock News.
Then Spitting Image.
Then Blackadder.
He was the originator of Have I Got News For You.
Now he produces and writes QI.
That’s an incredible body of work for one person.
The presenter asked him if any of this had been a struggle.
John said obviously it had been a struggle.
Consisting of fallouts, multiple sackings, and missed opportunities.
He became depressed, wondering why he was always starting great projects, then getting fired from them by the people he worked with and respected.
John said this was his pattern in life, and depressed him.
Until he came to realise that, actually, what seemed like disaster each time was actually opportunity in disguise.
John’s mantra became ‘Disaster is a gift’.
He wouldn’t have done nearly so much with his life if he hadn’t been fired so many times.
He’d have just stayed where he was.
But each time they let him go, it meant he was forced to start something new again.
So that each disaster was actually an opportunity in disguise.
Then he told a story about his father.
He’d been a captain in the Navy in the war, in charge of three motor torpedo boats.
These were small, fragile, extremely fast boats, made out of plywood and driven by massive engines.
Their job was to use their speed to get as close as possible to bigger ships.
Then drop their torpedoes and get away fast.
Their speed was their only defence.
One day in 1942, John’s father was returning from an overnight raid against the German held coast of Europe.
Everyone was so exhausted, the lookout mistook the cliffs of Dover for a cloud formation.
All three motor torpedo boats drove at full speed up onto the beach.
John’s father thought it was a disaster and the end of his career.
In the event, it wasn’t held against him.
But if those boats had been serviceable he would have been sent on another mission immediately.
The mission was to stop the channel dash by the Scharnhorst and Gneisenau.
The Germans had caught the British completely by surprise and sent two massive battleships up the English Channel.
They were protected by another seven warships, forty motor torpedo boats, and nearly three hundred aeroplanes.
British high command panicked and sent out whatever they had.
This consisted of six old Swordfish, fabric and wood, biplane torpedo bombers.
All six were easily shot down and thirteen men died in what was virtually a suicide attack.
If John’s father hadn’t run aground the day before, his boats would certainly have been sent out on a similar suicide attack.
John’s father would have suffered the same fate as the Swordfish crews.
And John would never have been born.
So for John, his mantra ‘Disaster is a gift’ was true even before he was born.
http://styled-comments.blogspot.ro/2013/03/336.html
Anca - 4 March 2013 12:32 am
As Charles R. Swindoll said: “We are all faced with a series of great opportunities brilliantly disguised as impossible situations.”
Parvez - 4 March 2013 1:45 am
THANKS, Dave – from someone who has been fired many times. This is so much more impactful than the by-now-cliched ‘that which does not destroy us makes us stronger’.
Robin. - 4 March 2013 11:58 am
Reminds me of Paul Arden
Robbie - 4 March 2013 12:02 pm
The fickle finger of fate?
john p woods - 4 March 2013 12:24 pm
That story reminds me of my Father. He used to tell me that ‘praise is poisonous’ as it spoils you. And that a misfortune is a good teacher.
Angelina - 4 March 2013 12:46 pm
According to many Stoics there is no such thing as a disaster. It is just our perception of the ‘bad thing’ that makes it so. Bad things do happen but they are rarely disasterous in facts sometimes another opportunity opens up.
Jim Powell - 4 March 2013 3:02 pm
Great post. Reminds of this classic good luck/bad luck story:
“There is a Taoist story of an old farmer who had worked his crops for many years.
One day his horse ran away.
Upon hearing the news, his neighbours came to visit. “Such bad luck,” they said sympathetically.
“Maybe,” the farmer replied.
The next morning the horse returned, bringing with it three other wild horses.
“How wonderful,” the neighbours exclaimed.
“Maybe,” replied the old man.
The following day, his son tried to ride one of the untamed horses, was thrown, and broke his leg.
The neighbours again came to offer their sympathy on his misfortune.
“Maybe,” answered the farmer.
The day after, military officials came to the village to draft young men into the army. Seeing that the son’s leg was broken, they passed him by.
The neighbours congratulated the farmer on how well things had turned out. “Maybe,” said the farmer…”
Liam Tate - 4 March 2013 4:47 pm
I always liked that story too, Liam.
Dav Trott - 4 March 2013 5:42 pm
Thanks for this post Dave – boy you know how to package inspiration!! Much needed at present.
I am also reminded of the transformational story of Alexander Shulgin, whose near-septicaemia experience on a submarine (where medical emergency really is and emergency) led him into the world of psychopharmacology. All because of a glass of fresh orange juice in a Liverpool hospital.
The sun always rises….
Brian Towell - 5 March 2013 11:41 am
That sounds like a great story Brian.
I’ll have to look it up, thanks.
Dave Trott - 5 March 2013 12:08 pm
Dave,
Whenever I go to WHS
I always have a little browse.
Can’t help it.
Quote:- The Popes.
“Pope Paul XX111 placed his cape over John Paul 1 before he died hinting at his successor”.
Had he not done that to JP1, perhaps a Polish Cardinal may never have been elected.
Had JP2 never been elected, Solidarity may never have received Vatican funding.
We may all still have been living in the Cold War.
When we use a stepladder its best not to miss a rung.
I don’t know how many times
something has delayed me getting in the car.
Something seemingly daft.
Forgotten my mobile or whatever.
So I’m travelling late
to find either there’s been a traffic accident
where I should have been at that moment in time
or something else.
The man who operates the crane
where the helicopter crashed in London
was late for work that day.
I bet he’ll never be on time for work ever again.
Kev - 6 March 2013 6:41 am
“When we use a stepladder its best not to miss a rung.”
Really nice line Kev.
Dave Trott - 6 March 2013 9:39 am
Thenks for that Dave.
I’m really chuffed.
It probably comes from falling through the loft a couple of times.
Kev - 7 March 2013 5:52 am