There is no sudden leap into the stratosphere. There is only advancing step by step, slowly and tortuously, up the pyramid towards your goals.
Source: In The Ultimate Success Quotations Library, 1997.
-- Ben Stein, (Nov 25 1944-____), US actor, author, game show host; He is best known as Mr. Cantwell, the science teacher, on The Wonder Years; was also MC for Win Ben Stein's Money.