No one remembers who climbed Mount Everest the second time.

I think it all comes down to motivation. If you really want to do something, you will work hard for it.

Adventuring can be for the ordinary person with ordinary qualities, such as I regard myself.

I don't know if I particularly want to be remembered for anything. I personally do not think I'm a great gift to the world. I've been very fortunate.

Strong motivation is the most important factor in getting you to the top

I have a number of heroes I still have warm feelings about. [Derek] Shackleton, for instance, was definitely, and still is, one of my great heroes.

In those days we were punished very frequently and I felt that it was often unjust, and so I would resist the desire to agree with many, many things. So I used to get beaten quite frequently and I more or less accepted it as part of life.