"Remember that nobody will ever get ahead of you as long as he is kicking you in the seat of the pants"
About this Quote
The intent is less about forgiveness than leverage. Winchell isn’t asking you to rise above; he’s telling you to read the power dynamic correctly. The kick is proof of proximity and proof of threat: you’re close enough to be targeted, which implies you’re close enough to matter. Enemies, in this view, are a kind of involuntary fan club.
The subtext is pure Winchell: competition is constant, reputation is currency, and attention is a weapon. In the mid-century media ecosystem he helped shape, “getting ahead” wasn’t only career advancement; it was dominance in a public narrative. His advice flatters the listener into resilience while slyly normalizing a world where people take shots at you as a form of professional commentary. If you’re being kicked, you’re already in the race; the only mistake is thinking the kick means you’re losing.
Quote Details
| Topic | Witty One-Liners |
|---|---|
| Source | Help us find the source |
| Cite |
Citation Formats
APA Style (7th ed.)
Winchell, Walter. (2026, January 16). Remember that nobody will ever get ahead of you as long as he is kicking you in the seat of the pants. FixQuotes. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/remember-that-nobody-will-ever-get-ahead-of-you-122254/
Chicago Style
Winchell, Walter. "Remember that nobody will ever get ahead of you as long as he is kicking you in the seat of the pants." FixQuotes. January 16, 2026. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/remember-that-nobody-will-ever-get-ahead-of-you-122254/.
MLA Style (9th ed.)
"Remember that nobody will ever get ahead of you as long as he is kicking you in the seat of the pants." FixQuotes, 16 Jan. 2026, https://fixquotes.com/quotes/remember-that-nobody-will-ever-get-ahead-of-you-122254/. Accessed 10 Feb. 2026.









