Sylvester Stallone says people who are struggling should try pursuing their aims, because failure is not as costly as never making the attempt. Speaking as “Rocky” reaches its 50th anniversary, he reflected on how the film’s story of an underdog boxer echoed his own path from poverty to Hollywood success.

In an interview about his memoir, “The Steps”, Stallone recalled being broke in his early twenties and said he once sold his dog. He described his motto as “I tried”, and said ushering at a cinema taught him about films by letting him watch audience reactions. He also recalled producers nearly cutting Rocky’s “go the distance” speech, which he argued expressed the film’s central idea.