--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Work is the basis of living. I'll never…" description: "\"Work is the basis of living. I'll never retire. A man'll rust out quicker than he'll wear out.\" — Colonel Sanders" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ce6/colonel-sanders-18002_bases_work-is-the-basis-of-living-i-ll-never-r_2728750.jpg" --- # Work is the basis of living. I'll never retire. A man'll… ![“Work is the basis of living. I'll never retire. A man'll rust out quicker than he'll wear out.” quote by Colonel Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ce6/colonel-sanders-18002_bases_work-is-the-basis-of-living-i-ll-never-r_2728750.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ce6/colonel-sanders-18002_bases_work-is-the-basis-of-living-i-ll-never-r_2728750.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ce6/colonel-sanders-18002_bases_work-is-the-basis-of-living-i-ll-never-r_2728750.jpg) > “Work is the basis of living. I'll never retire. A man'll rust out quicker than he'll wear out.” [Colonel Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colonel-sanders/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Work defines purpose; retirement is impossible when one sees work as life itself. **In simple terms:** Work is life; no retirement. Key Takeaway Embrace work as purpose. Themes purpose work identity longevity Mood determined reflective Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - career - entrepreneurship - personal fulfillment - aging - legacy Key Concepts Existentialism work ethic Questions to Reflect On - How does work shape your identity? - Is endless work sustainable? A Different Perspective Retirement may still be desired for health. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bases](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bases/) [Basis Living](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/basis-living-2096048/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Ll Retire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ll-retire-648177/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Retire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/retire/) [Retire Man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/retire-man-2938436/) [Retirement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/retirement/) [Retiring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/retiring/) [Rust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rust/) [Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work/) [Work Basis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work-basis-1615179/) ## Related quotes > [I don't expect to retire. Every man must work, that's his natural destiny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ford/i-don-t-expect-to-retire-every-man-must-work-that-s-his-natural/) [Henry Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ford/) > [The only basis for living is believing in life, loving it, and applying the whole force of one's intellect to know it better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mile-zola/the-only-basis-for-living-is-believing-in-life-loving-it-and-applying/) [Emile Zola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mile-zola/) > [Hard work is the basis of everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keylor-navas/hard-work-is-the-basis-of-everything/) [Keylor Navas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keylor-navas/) > [I have no idea when it's going to be, when I'll retire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-j-watt/i-have-no-idea-when-it-s-going-to-be-when-i-ll-retire/) [J. J. Watt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-j-watt/) > [I'll retire when they pry my cold, dead fingers off of my Bible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-c-sproul/i-ll-retire-when-they-pry-my-cold-dead-fingers-off-of-my-bible/) [R. C. Sproul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-c-sproul/) > [I'll never retire. I'm just using up somebody else's oxygen if I retire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-phillips/i-ll-never-retire-i-m-just-using-up-somebody-else-s-oxygen-if-i-retire/) [Sam Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-phillips/) > [The first time in my career I thought it makes no sense anymore, that I'll retire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/per-mertesacker/the-first-time-in-my-career-i-thought-it-makes-no-sense-anymore-that/) [Per Mertesacker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/per-mertesacker/) > [I imagine I'll retire mid-performance. I'll say, 'Sorry, everyone, I can't do this anymore. I must have suddenly aged.' Then I'll walk off. Yes,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eileen-atkins/i-imagine-i-ll-retire-mid-performance-i-ll-say-sorry-everyone-i-can-t/) [Eileen Atkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eileen-atkins/) > [We'll all retire from life at some point. The great thing about acting is you don't necessarily have to retire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denzel-washington/we-ll-all-retire-from-life-at-some-point-the-great-thing-about-acting/) [Denzel Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denzel-washington/) > [I guess I'll retire someday if I live that long.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-bowden/i-guess-i-ll-retire-someday-if-i-live-that-long/) [Bobby Bowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-bowden/) > [The day I write a totally happy song... I'll retire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-lewis/the-day-i-write-a-totally-happy-song-i-ll-retire/) [Dean Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-lewis/) > [I feel as long as I'm playing productive minutes, I'll play. But if I'm sitting on the bench and not doing anything, then I'll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-kukoc/i-feel-as-long-as-i-m-playing-productive-minutes-i-ll-play-but-if-i-m/) [Toni Kukoc](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-kukoc/) > [I doubt I'll ever retire, but if I do, I see myself as the little old Parisian lady pushing her trolley from the supermarket…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-martin/i-doubt-i-ll-ever-retire-but-if-i-do-i-see-myself-as-the-little-old/) [Catherine Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-martin/) > [People are just like farm equipment. They rust out quicker than they wear out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colonel-sanders/people-are-just-like-farm-equipment-they-rust-out-quicker-than-they/) [Colonel Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colonel-sanders/) > [I don't fear that a man will wear out as quickly as he will rust out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colonel-sanders/i-don-t-fear-that-a-man-will-wear-out-as-quickly-as-he-will-rust-out/) [Colonel Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colonel-sanders/) ## More by Colonel Sanders > [I've got no idea when I am going to retire. Whenever they pick me up and take me to the funeral home, I guess.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colonel-sanders/i-ve-got-no-idea-when-i-am-going-to-retire-whenever-they-pick-me-up/) [Colonel Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colonel-sanders/) > [I've read hundreds of cookbooks. Most of those cookbooks don't even tell you how to get a steak ready, how to bake biscuits or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colonel-sanders/i-ve-read-hundreds-of-cookbooks-most-of-those-cookbooks-don-t-even/) [Colonel Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colonel-sanders/) > [I was sixty-six years old. I still had to make a living. I looked at my social security check of 105 dollars and decided…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colonel-sanders/i-was-sixty-six-years-old-i-still-had-to-make-a-living-i-looked-at-my/) [Colonel Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colonel-sanders/) > [You got to like your work. You have got to like what you are doing, you have got to be doing something worthwhile so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colonel-sanders/you-got-to-like-your-work-you-have-got-to-like-what-you-are-doing-you/) [Colonel Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colonel-sanders/) > [Don’t be against things so much as for things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colonel-sanders/don-t-be-against-things-so-much-as-for-things/) [Colonel Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colonel-sanders/) > [A lot of learned men think people really are the food they've eaten.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colonel-sanders/a-lot-of-learned-men-think-people-really-are-the-food-they-ve-eaten/) [Colonel Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colonel-sanders/) > [My life is devoted to business and supporting my family.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colonel-sanders/my-life-is-devoted-to-business-and-supporting-my-family/) [Colonel Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colonel-sanders/) > [I could see it wasn't going to be easy. I couldn't give a franchise to any old greasy spoon. And I knew the chicken…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colonel-sanders/i-could-see-it-wasn-t-going-to-be-easy-i-couldn-t-give-a-franchise-to/) [Colonel Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colonel-sanders/) > [No hours, nor amount of labor, nor amount of money would deter me from giving the best that there was in me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colonel-sanders/no-hours-nor-amount-of-labor-nor-amount-of-money-would-deter-me-from/) [Colonel Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colonel-sanders/) > [I think a dream is just a suggestion to start something out, do something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colonel-sanders/i-think-a-dream-is-just-a-suggestion-to-start-something-out-do/) [Colonel Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colonel-sanders/) > [I don't fear that a man will wear out as quickly as he will rust out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colonel-sanders/i-don-t-fear-that-a-man-will-wear-out-as-quickly-as-he-will-rust-out/) [Colonel Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colonel-sanders/) > [The hard way builds solidly a foundation of confidence that cannot be swept away](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colonel-sanders/the-hard-way-builds-solidly-a-foundation-of-confidence-that-cannot-be/) [Colonel Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colonel-sanders/) > [People are just like farm equipment. They rust out quicker than they wear out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colonel-sanders/people-are-just-like-farm-equipment-they-rust-out-quicker-than-they/) [Colonel Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colonel-sanders/) > [I always hired widows with children, because they had to work and didn't have any foolishness about them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colonel-sanders/i-always-hired-widows-with-children-because-they-had-to-work-and-didn/) [Colonel Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colonel-sanders/) > [Sitting in a rocker never appealed to me. Golf or fishing isn't as much fun as working.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colonel-sanders/sitting-in-a-rocker-never-appealed-to-me-golf-or-fishing-isn-t-as/) [Colonel Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colonel-sanders/) [Explore all 36 Colonel Sanders quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colonel-sanders/) ## More Bases quotes > [Self-respect and a clear conscience are powerful components of integrity and are the basis for enriching your relationships with others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-waitley/self-respect-and-a-clear-conscience-are-powerful-components-of/) [Denis Waitley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-waitley/) > [If my campaign is not in the debate, we will not be talking about how we really fix this problem of endless and expanding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/if-my-campaign-is-not-in-the-debate-we-will-not-be-talking-about-how/) [Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/) > [I don't want to go into space because of war. I think we would if it was triggered. If China said they want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/i-don-t-want-to-go-into-space-because-of-war-i-think-we-would-if-it/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [The United States cannot and should not discriminate on the basis of religion. The free exercise of religion is at the very heart of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-pence/the-united-states-cannot-and-should-not-discriminate-on-the-basis-of/) [Mike Pence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-pence/) > [According to the best research, less than 3% of Americans have written goals, and less than 1% review and rewrite their goals on a daily basis.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/according-to-the-best-research-less-than-3-of-americans-have-written/) [Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/) > [When the Lord Jesus Christ became my surety . . . He went to Calvary's cross, and all my guilt was charged against Him.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-allen-ironside/when-the-lord-jesus-christ-became-my-surety-he-went-to-calvary-s/) [Henry Allen Ironside](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-allen-ironside/) > [I'm in a business where there's complete anarchy. You can't control it - you can only react to it. The control that people traditionally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-sorrell/i-m-in-a-business-where-there-s-complete-anarchy-you-can-t-control-it/) [Martin Sorrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-sorrell/) > [This tendency to avoid problems and the emotional suffering inherent in them is the primary basis of all human mental illness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-r-swindoll/this-tendency-to-avoid-problems-and-the-emotional-suffering-inherent/) [Charles R. Swindoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-r-swindoll/) > [There are dangers in consensus: it could be an attempt to satisfy people holding no particular views about anything. ... No great party can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-thatcher/there-are-dangers-in-consensus-it-could-be-an-attempt-to-satisfy/) [Margaret Thatcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-thatcher/) > [There's no way to have a peace agreement unless the mediator or negotiator looks at both sides from an equal basis.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-carter/there-s-no-way-to-have-a-peace-agreement-unless-the-mediator-or/) [Jimmy Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-carter/) > [Coercion is the basis of every law in the universe,--human or divine. A law is not law without coercion behind it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-garfield/coercion-is-the-basis-of-every-law-in-the-universe-human-or-divine-a/) [James A. Garfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-garfield/) > [Each Act of Parliament intended to address harassment and discrimination has faced objections on the basis of 'you'll never be able to prove...' and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-field/each-act-of-parliament-intended-to-address-harassment-and/) [Tim Field](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-field/) > [If you want good behavior, don't pay on a commission basis. Our judges aren't paid so much a case. We keep them pretty well…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-munger/if-you-want-good-behavior-don-t-pay-on-a-commission-basis-our-judges/) [Charlie Munger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-munger/) > [My favorite thing about being a mom is just what a better person it makes you on a daily basis,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/drew-barrymore/my-favorite-thing-about-being-a-mom-is-just-what-a-better-person-it/) [Drew Barrymore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/drew-barrymore/) > [We have committed ourselves to pursue joint policies, but then national governments say, "We aren't bound by that." That is a dramatic situation, because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-schulz/we-have-committed-ourselves-to-pursue-joint-policies-but-then/) [Martin Schulz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-schulz/) [Browse all 2,701 Bases quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bases/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Work is the basis of living. I'll never retire. 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