--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I was teaching airplane mechanics when I…" description: "\"I was teaching airplane mechanics when I realized it was more fun to make them laugh. I was laid off one more time and I never looked back, although it..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/879/alonzo-bodden-21455_airplane_i-was-teaching-airplane-mechanics-when-i_2705269.jpg" --- # I was teaching airplane mechanics when I realized it was… ![“I was teaching airplane mechanics when I realized it was more fun to make them laugh. I was laid off one more time and I never looked back, although it was nice to have a steady paycheck and benefits.” quote by Alonzo Bodden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/879/alonzo-bodden-21455_airplane_i-was-teaching-airplane-mechanics-when-i_2705269.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/879/alonzo-bodden-21455_airplane_i-was-teaching-airplane-mechanics-when-i_2705269.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/879/alonzo-bodden-21455_airplane_i-was-teaching-airplane-mechanics-when-i_2705269.jpg) > “I was teaching airplane mechanics when I realized it was more fun to make them laugh. I was laid off one more time and I never looked back, although it was nice to have a steady paycheck and benefits.” [Alonzo Bodden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alonzo-bodden/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Teaching airplane mechanics was fun, but making people laugh proved more rewarding, leading to a career change despite stable income. **In simple terms:** Laughing outweighed steady paycheck. Key Takeaway Follow passion over security when possible. Themes career change humor ful satisfaction risk taking Mood inspirational reflective Type career advice personal growth When to use this quote - stand‑up comedy - teaching - entrepreneurship - risk management Key Concepts personal fulfillment career transition Questions to Reflect On - What holds you back from pursuing joy? - How to mitigate financial risk? A Different Perspective Financial stability can be a strong deterrent to change. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Airplane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/airplane/) [Airplane Mechanics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/airplane-mechanics-2763946/) [Benefits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/benefits/) [Fun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fun/) [I realized](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/i-realized/) [Laid off](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/laid-off/) [Laugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/laugh/) [Laughing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/laughing/) [Mechanic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mechanic/) [Mechanics Realized](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mechanics-realized-2763945/) [More time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/more-time/) [Nice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nice/) [Paychecks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/paychecks/) [Realized Fun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/realized-fun-1516774/) [Steady](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/steady/) [Teaching](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/teaching/) [Teaching Airplane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/teaching-airplane-2763947/) ## Related quotes > [“Do not let anyone tell you that these people made work of play. They simply realized that the most fun lies in seeing and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldo-leopold/do-not-let-anyone-tell-you-that-these-people-made-work-of-play-they/) [Aldo Leopold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldo-leopold/) > [I realized the more fun I had, the more relaxed I was working, the better I worked.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-murray/i-realized-the-more-fun-i-had-the-more-relaxed-i-was-working-the/) [Bill Murray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-murray/) > [What really happened was one day in my late five I went out and I found my dad in the garage staining some wood…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/autumn-de-forest/what-really-happened-was-one-day-in-my-late-five-i-went-out-and-i/) [Autumn de Forest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/autumn-de-forest/) > [I am concerned about the economy. I was the first one laid off.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-gore/i-am-concerned-about-the-economy-i-was-the-first-one-laid-off/) [Al Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-gore/) > [When I was leaving Yemen to come to America, things were tough. My dad had just been laid off, and it was a challenge.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barkhad-abdi/when-i-was-leaving-yemen-to-come-to-america-things-were-tough-my-dad/) [Barkhad Abdi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barkhad-abdi/) > [Programs like food stamps, unemployment insurance, Medicaid, and job retraining help Americans get back on their feet when they are down and out and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hank-johnson/programs-like-food-stamps-unemployment-insurance-medicaid-and-job/) [Hank Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hank-johnson/) > [Everyone gets laid off and everyone in Hollywood gets unemployment for six months while they're looking for a new job. So I would just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-jeselnik/everyone-gets-laid-off-and-everyone-in-hollywood-gets-unemployment/) [Anthony Jeselnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-jeselnik/) > [Why multiply instances? It is written, the Heavens and the Earth shall fade away like a Vesture; which indeed they are: the Time-vesture of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-carlyle/why-multiply-instances-it-is-written-the-heavens-and-the-earth-shall/) [Thomas Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-carlyle/) > [In the 1980s and 1990s, Jack Welch, the CEO of General Electric, laid off over 100,000 employees. His reward? When he retired from GE,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/in-the-1980s-and-1990s-jack-welch-the-ceo-of-general-electric-laid/) [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) > [We shuffle out of office buildings after being laid-off by draconian bosses; we sit on hold for ten minutes only to be told by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-weinstein/we-shuffle-out-of-office-buildings-after-being-laid-off-by-draconian/) [Alexander Weinstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-weinstein/) > [It's also time to hold Donald Trump accountable to what he governed on. I thought the next morning after the election, there was a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katrina-vanden-heuvel/it-s-also-time-to-hold-donald-trump-accountable-to-what-he-governed/) [Katrina vanden Heuvel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katrina-vanden-heuvel/) > [When the worms are scarce, what does a hen do? Does she stop scratching? She does not. She scratches all the harder. A lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-c-forbes/when-the-worms-are-scarce-what-does-a-hen-do-does-she-stop-scratching/) [B. C. Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-c-forbes/) > [We have seen numerous instances in which American businesses have brought in foreign skilled workers after having laid off skilled American workers, simply because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/we-have-seen-numerous-instances-in-which-american-businesses-have/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [It's easy, almost comforting, to dismiss Trumpism as the cry of laid-off men in rust-belt states shaking their wrinkled fists at the juggernaut of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fraser-nelson/it-s-easy-almost-comforting-to-dismiss-trumpism-as-the-cry-of-laid/) [Fraser Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fraser-nelson/) > [When you have a large amount of the workforce being laid off, some of them have no other choice but to go out there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daymond-john/when-you-have-a-large-amount-of-the-workforce-being-laid-off-some-of/) [Daymond John](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daymond-john/) ## More by Alonzo Bodden > [I didn't understand NASCAR until I met some NASCAR fans. You talk to a couple of NASCAR fans and you'll see where a shiny…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alonzo-bodden/i-didn-t-understand-nascar-until-i-met-some-nascar-fans-you-talk-to-a/) [Alonzo Bodden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alonzo-bodden/) > [In a relationship you have to communicate, which means listening to her talk. Ladies, you fake orgasms. We fake listening.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alonzo-bodden/in-a-relationship-you-have-to-communicate-which-means-listening-to/) [Alonzo Bodden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alonzo-bodden/) > [Every day theres something new. Something's going to destroy us all. Then it disappears.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alonzo-bodden/every-day-theres-something-new-something-s-going-to-destroy-us-all/) [Alonzo Bodden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alonzo-bodden/) > [I have fantasies of burning down an insurance company just so THEY have to make a claim.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alonzo-bodden/i-have-fantasies-of-burning-down-an-insurance-company-just-so-they/) [Alonzo Bodden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alonzo-bodden/) > [I wish airplanes were more like elementary school with someone up front telling everyone to sit down and shut up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alonzo-bodden/i-wish-airplanes-were-more-like-elementary-school-with-someone-up/) [Alonzo Bodden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alonzo-bodden/) > [I wasn't always a comic, I used to do honest work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alonzo-bodden/i-wasn-t-always-a-comic-i-used-to-do-honest-work/) [Alonzo Bodden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alonzo-bodden/) > [You can't bring tweezers on an airplane. If I'm on a plane and you try to hijack it with tweezers, I'll whip your ass,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alonzo-bodden/you-can-t-bring-tweezers-on-an-airplane-if-i-m-on-a-plane-and-you-try/) [Alonzo Bodden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alonzo-bodden/) > [Nothing good ever climbed up the side of a boat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alonzo-bodden/nothing-good-ever-climbed-up-the-side-of-a-boat/) [Alonzo Bodden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alonzo-bodden/) > [I don't like conservatives. They always talk about the good old days. I'm black, we have no good old days.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alonzo-bodden/i-don-t-like-conservatives-they-always-talk-about-the-good-old-days-i/) [Alonzo Bodden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alonzo-bodden/) > [Comedy is the drug, when they laugh it's like I'm a jazz musician and they hear it, and they get it. It's power to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alonzo-bodden/comedy-is-the-drug-when-they-laugh-it-s-like-i-m-a-jazz-musician-and/) [Alonzo Bodden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alonzo-bodden/) > [There are three goals for any comedian: to make a living as a comedian; I've been fortunate to do that. To make a name…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alonzo-bodden/there-are-three-goals-for-any-comedian-to-make-a-living-as-a-comedian/) [Alonzo Bodden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alonzo-bodden/) > [The difference, generally speaking, between sportbike people and cruiser people is that sportbike people like performance skill and wear safety gear; cruisers like chrome,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alonzo-bodden/the-difference-generally-speaking-between-sportbike-people-and/) [Alonzo Bodden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alonzo-bodden/) > [I could always make people laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alonzo-bodden/i-could-always-make-people-laugh/) [Alonzo Bodden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alonzo-bodden/) > [I grew up in the suburbs. I'm an angry suburban nergo. I'm bad in, like, Starbucks. I'll hurt you over a frappuccino.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alonzo-bodden/i-grew-up-in-the-suburbs-i-m-an-angry-suburban-nergo-i-m-bad-in-like/) [Alonzo Bodden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alonzo-bodden/) > [I ride because there’s nothing like in the world. It’s a passion. It’s something I absolutely have to do and I can never imagine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alonzo-bodden/i-ride-because-there-s-nothing-like-in-the-world-it-s-a-passion-it-s/) [Alonzo Bodden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alonzo-bodden/) [Explore all 29 Alonzo Bodden quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alonzo-bodden/) ## More Airplane quotes > [The time that one gains cannot be accumulated in a storehouse; it is contradictory to want to save up existence, which, the fact is,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-de-beauvoir/the-time-that-one-gains-cannot-be-accumulated-in-a-storehouse-it-is/) [Simone de Beauvoir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-de-beauvoir/) > [I shoot in black and white, sometimes color, sometimes if it looks good I shoot out the window of the airplanes or whatever, anything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-barry/i-shoot-in-black-and-white-sometimes-color-sometimes-if-it-looks-good/) [Robert Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-barry/) > [I've jumped out of an airplane 34 times. I've dove 212 feet under water. I've done a lot of things that defied death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-ventura/i-ve-jumped-out-of-an-airplane-34-times-i-ve-dove-212-feet-under/) [Jesse Ventura](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-ventura/) > [I believe that anyone who flies in an airplane and doesn't spend most of his time looking out the window wastes his money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-reisner/i-believe-that-anyone-who-flies-in-an-airplane-and-doesn-t-spend-most/) [Marc Reisner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marc-reisner/) > [We live in a world where it has become politically correct to avoid absolutes. Many want all religions to be given the same honor,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/we-live-in-a-world-where-it-has-become-politically-correct-to-avoid/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [On the second airplane to france and we're done ! yeyyyyyyyyy !! this one was more full :P](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shmmopy/on-the-second-airplane-to-france-and-we-re-done-yeyyyyyyyyy-this-one/) [Shmmopy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shmmopy/) > [The way I see it, you can either work for a living or you can fly airplanes. Me, I'd rather fly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/len-morgan/the-way-i-see-it-you-can-either-work-for-a-living-or-you-can-fly/) [Len Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/len-morgan/) > [I'm 17 years old. I'm not a straight-A student or anything. Even so, I figured out how to make an Internet that they can't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cory-doctorow/i-m-17-years-old-i-m-not-a-straight-a-student-or-anything-even-so-i/) [Cory Doctorow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cory-doctorow/) > [I don't have a fear of flying; I have a fear of crashing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-bob-thornton/i-don-t-have-a-fear-of-flying-i-have-a-fear-of-crashing/) [Billy Bob Thornton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-bob-thornton/) > [From computers to information technology to airplanes, it has been America's unique blend of republican government and free-market capitalism that has allowed us to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-nethercutt/from-computers-to-information-technology-to-airplanes-it-has-been/) [George Nethercutt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-nethercutt/) > [I've been racking my brain. I've been trying to figure out how Bob Dole's luggage got on my airplane...I told the doctor, I said,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/i-ve-been-racking-my-brain-i-ve-been-trying-to-figure-out-how-bob/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [Sometimes life is like being stuck in the middle-seat of an airplane, next to a ridiculously fat person and a crying baby.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/sometimes-life-is-like-being-stuck-in-the-middle-seat-of-an-airplane/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm sure the most favorite airplane in my career would still be the Sabre F86 cleft wing , which allowed me to be credited…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/buzz-aldrin/i-m-sure-the-most-favorite-airplane-in-my-career-would-still-be-the/) [Buzz Aldrin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/buzz-aldrin/) > [I do not use airplanes. They strike me as unsporting. You can have an automobile accident-and survive. You can be on a sinking ship-and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-asimov/i-do-not-use-airplanes-they-strike-me-as-unsporting-you-can-have-an/) [Isaac Asimov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-asimov/) > [John Travolta said he sometimes lets his friends take control of his airplane even though they don't know what they're doing. Then Travolta said…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conan-o-brien/john-travolta-said-he-sometimes-lets-his-friends-take-control-of-his/) [Conan O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conan-o-brien/) [Browse all 935 Airplane quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/airplane/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I was teaching airplane mechanics when I realized it was more fun to make them laugh. 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