--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You can get what you want or you can just…" description: "\"“You can get what you want or you can just get old.”\" — Billy Joel" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d0/billy-joel-1000_follow-your-dreams_you-can-get-what-you-want-or-you-can-jus_1817184.png" --- # You can get what you want or you can just get old. ![“You can get what you want or you can just get old.” quote by Billy Joel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d0/billy-joel-1000_follow-your-dreams_you-can-get-what-you-want-or-you-can-jus_1817184.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d0/billy-joel-1000_follow-your-dreams_you-can-get-what-you-want-or-you-can-jus_1817184.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d0/billy-joel-1000_follow-your-dreams_you-can-get-what-you-want-or-you-can-jus_1817184.png) > ““You can get what you want or you can just get old.”” [Billy Joel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-joel/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. You can either achieve your desires or simply age without trying. **In simple terms:** Choose ambition or passive aging. Key Takeaway Pursue goals actively. Themes ambition aging choice Mood motivational reflective Type advice inspirational When to use this quote - career planning - personal health - financial goals Key Concepts self‑help life planning Questions to Reflect On - What prevents you from pursuing desires? - How can you balance ambition with well‑being? A Different Perspective Fear of failure may paralyze action. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Follow your dreams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/follow-your-dreams/) [Growing up](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/growing-up/) ## Related quotes > [I don't want clever conversation, I never want to work that hard, I just want someone I can talk to, I want you just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-joel/i-don-t-want-clever-conversation-i-never-want-to-work-that-hard-i/) [Billy Joel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-joel/) > [I suppose I'm just an old soul.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zeke-smith/i-suppose-i-m-just-an-old-soul/) Zeke Smith > [Old Hollywood glamour just seems, well, old.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-goreski/old-hollywood-glamour-just-seems-well-old/) [Brad Goreski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-goreski/) > [It doesn't matter to me. We're still cousins in our own way. Blood's just something old people talk about to make you feel bad.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rita-mae-brown/it-doesn-t-matter-to-me-we-re-still-cousins-in-our-own-way-blood-s/) [Rita Mae Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rita-mae-brown/) > [Youre not old, youre just. Old.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/youre-not-old-youre-just-old/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [They say we're too young to love, but maybe they're just too old to remember.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wiz-khalifa/they-say-we-re-too-young-to-love-but-maybe-they-re-just-too-old-to/) [Wiz Khalifa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wiz-khalifa/) > [They were too young for love and to be together.. but maybe their just to old or bitter to remember what love is all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/junie15/they-were-too-young-for-love-and-to-be-together-but-maybe-their-just/) Junie15 > [It's just that I am too old now to chase all the woman involved; which just seems a shame.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lemmy-kilmister/it-s-just-that-i-am-too-old-now-to-chase-all-the-woman-involved-which/) [Lemmy Kilmister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lemmy-kilmister/) > [Suppose I lay down on the pavement and you run over me a few times with my own car...just for old times.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-evanovich/suppose-i-lay-down-on-the-pavement-and-you-run-over-me-a-few-times/) [Janet Evanovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-evanovich/) > [Ranbir and I are just old family friends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nandita-mahtani/ranbir-and-i-are-just-old-family-friends/) [Nandita Mahtani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nandita-mahtani/) > [“Different and new is just the same old if you keep doing it over and over.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kyran-pittman/different-and-new-is-just-the-same-old-if-you-keep-doing-it-over-and/) Kyran Pittman > [“You can't trust just any old person who comes along with a hundred puffins and a pretty face!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherynne-m-valente/you-can-t-trust-just-any-old-person-who-comes-along-with-a-hundred/) [Catherynne M. Valente](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherynne-m-valente/) > [“Just because you're old doesn't mean you've matured.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tamerlan-kuzgov/just-because-you-re-old-doesn-t-mean-you-ve-matured/) [Tamerlan Kuzgov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tamerlan-kuzgov/) > [I love mysteries - just in an old school way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-holloway/i-love-mysteries-just-in-an-old-school-way/) [Josh Holloway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-holloway/) > [And I've been hurt hurt bad. I might be just twenty-six, but I'm an old woman in disguise twenty-six goin'on sixty-five.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aretha-franklin/and-i-ve-been-hurt-hurt-bad-i-might-be-just-twenty-six-but-i-m-an-old/) [Aretha Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aretha-franklin/) ## More by Billy Joel > [Everybody is different. Some writers can write reams of great books and then J. D. Salinger wrote just a few. Beethoven wrote nine symphonies.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-joel/everybody-is-different-some-writers-can-write-reams-of-great-books/) [Billy Joel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-joel/) > [Only the good die young.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-joel/only-the-good-die-young/) [Billy Joel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-joel/) > [In a way, we are magicians. We are alchemists, sorcerers and wizards. We are a very strange bunch. But there is great fun in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-joel/in-a-way-we-are-magicians-we-are-alchemists-sorcerers-and-wizards-we/) [Billy Joel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-joel/) > [I don't want some pretty face to tell me pretty lies, all I want is someone to believe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-joel/i-don-t-want-some-pretty-face-to-tell-me-pretty-lies-all-i-want-is/) [Billy Joel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-joel/) > [I've always said about 50% of what happens at a concert has to do with the audience. If you play for a dead audience…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-joel/i-ve-always-said-about-50-of-what-happens-at-a-concert-has-to-do-with/) [Billy Joel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-joel/) > [She's the quiet type who's into heavy metal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-joel/she-s-the-quiet-type-who-s-into-heavy-metal/) [Billy Joel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-joel/) > [Rock and roll just used to be for kicks, now a days it's politics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-joel/rock-and-roll-just-used-to-be-for-kicks-now-a-days-it-s-politics/) [Billy Joel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-joel/) > [Don't make music for some vast, unseen audience or market or ratings share or even for something as tangible as money. Though it's crucial…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-joel/don-t-make-music-for-some-vast-unseen-audience-or-market-or-ratings/) [Billy Joel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-joel/) > [Usually when I'm writing, I try to write fairly quickly. If a song sits around too long, it starts to take on a stink.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-joel/usually-when-i-m-writing-i-try-to-write-fairly-quickly-if-a-song-sits/) [Billy Joel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-joel/) > [My daughter sent me on a mission to get as many autographs as possible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-joel/my-daughter-sent-me-on-a-mission-to-get-as-many-autographs-as-possible/) [Billy Joel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-joel/) > [ I was listening to stuff and I realized that I've had a lot of different lives. You know the theory \[that says\] every seven… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-joel/i-was-listening-to-stuff-and-i-realized-that-i-ve-had-a-lot-of/) [Billy Joel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-joel/) > [If you said good-bye to me tonight, There would still be music left to write.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-joel/if-you-said-good-bye-to-me-tonight-there-would-still-be-music-left-to/) [Billy Joel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-joel/) > [If I need a cause for celebration, Or a comfort I can use to ease my mind, I rely on my imagination, And I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-joel/if-i-need-a-cause-for-celebration-or-a-comfort-i-can-use-to-ease-my/) [Billy Joel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-joel/) > [I'm carrying the weight of all the useless junk and modern man accumulates.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-joel/i-m-carrying-the-weight-of-all-the-useless-junk-and-modern-man/) [Billy Joel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-joel/) > [What will it take for you to believe in me, the way that I believe in you?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-joel/what-will-it-take-for-you-to-believe-in-me-the-way-that-i-believe-in/) [Billy Joel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-joel/) [Explore all 311 Billy Joel quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-joel/) ## More Follow your dreams quotes > [“Doing the work to transform your dreams into reality is like walking across the earth. It can be that hard, and it can take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dragos-bratasanu/doing-the-work-to-transform-your-dreams-into-reality-is-like-walking/) [Dragos Bratasanu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dragos-bratasanu/) > [The four Cs of making dreams come true: Curiosity, Courage, Consistency, Confidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-disney/the-four-cs-of-making-dreams-come-true-curiosity-courage-consistency/) [Walt Disney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-disney/) > [“Follow your dreams, they know the way. Let your own story come out. Put something wonderful in the world that wasn't there before.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nina-dobrev-s-instagram/follow-your-dreams-they-know-the-way-let-your-own-story-come-out-put/) Nina Dobrev's Instagram > [“But dreams are funny things. Sometimes even the most impractical and irresponsible dreams just won't be ignored. And sometimes when you don't follow your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lizzie-k-foley/but-dreams-are-funny-things-sometimes-even-the-most-impractical-and/) [Lizzie K. Foley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lizzie-k-foley/) > [“Your dream is not a democracy, listen to your heart not the masses.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-kelvin-clive/your-dream-is-not-a-democracy-listen-to-your-heart-not-the-masses/) [Bernard Kelvin Clive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-kelvin-clive/) > [“Never let fear disable you ~ forever follow your dreams!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-d-heathers/never-let-fear-disable-you-forever-follow-your-dreams/) M.D. Heathers > [You have to speak your dream out loud.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-corrigan/you-have-to-speak-your-dream-out-loud/) [Kelly Corrigan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-corrigan/) > [We should show life neither as it is or as it ought to be, but only as we see it in our dreams.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/we-should-show-life-neither-as-it-is-or-as-it-ought-to-be-but-only-as/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [Work hard and follow your dreams. I work nine and a half hours a day, five days a week; it's a lot of hard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lizzy-greene/work-hard-and-follow-your-dreams-i-work-nine-and-a-half-hours-a-day/) Lizzy Greene > [Follow your dreams, work hard, practice and persevere. Get plenty of exercise and maintain a healthy lifestyle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sacha-baron-cohen/follow-your-dreams-work-hard-practice-and-persevere-get-plenty-of/) [Sacha Baron Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sacha-baron-cohen/) > [Just always believe in yourself. "Champions adjust." It's a line I learned from Billie Jean King, and sometimes your dream adjusts. Be willing to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/venus-williams/just-always-believe-in-yourself-champions-adjust-it-s-a-line-i/) [Venus Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/venus-williams/) > [“From this point forward, you don’t even know how to quit in life.” ~ Aaron Lauritsen, ‘100 Days Drive”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-lauritsen/from-this-point-forward-you-don-t-even-know-how-to-quit-in-life-aaron/) [Aaron Lauritsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-lauritsen/) > [Be yourself. Be honest. Do your best. Take care of your family. Treat people with respect. Follow your dreams.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/be-yourself-be-honest-do-your-best-take-care-of-your-family-treat/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“With every dream and with every love, you have to die to the old, and be reborn to the new. You must leave what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dragos-bratasanu-ph-d/with-every-dream-and-with-every-love-you-have-to-die-to-the-old-and/) [Dragos Bratasanu, Ph.D](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dragos-bratasanu-ph-d/) > [Regret is what you should fear the most. If something is going to keep you awake at night, let it be the fear of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-guillebeau/regret-is-what-you-should-fear-the-most-if-something-is-going-to-keep/) [Chris Guillebeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-guillebeau/) [Browse all 513 Follow your dreams quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/follow-your-dreams/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“You can get what you want or you can just get old.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Billy Joel" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-joel/you-can-get-what-you-want-or-you-can-just-get-old/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Follow your dreams" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-joel/you-can-get-what-you-want-or-you-can-just-get-old/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d0/billy-joel-1000_follow-your-dreams_you-can-get-what-you-want-or-you-can-jus_1817184.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d0/billy-joel-1000_follow-your-dreams_you-can-get-what-you-want-or-you-can-jus_1817184.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d0/billy-joel-1000_follow-your-dreams_you-can-get-what-you-want-or-you-can-jus_1817184.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“You can get what you want or you can just get old.” — Billy Joel", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Billy Joel", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-joel/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“You can get what you want...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-joel/you-can-get-what-you-want-or-you-can-just-get-old/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-joel/you-can-get-what-you-want-or-you-can-just-get-old/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```