--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I imagine I'll retire mid-performance…" description: "\"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, I'm su..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/179/eileen-atkins-19987_everyone_i-imagine-i-ll-retire-mid-performance-i_841583.jpg" --- # I imagine I'll retire mid-performance. I'll say, 'Sorry… ![“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, I'm sure that's how.” quote by Eileen Atkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/179/eileen-atkins-19987_everyone_i-imagine-i-ll-retire-mid-performance-i_841583.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/179/eileen-atkins-19987_everyone_i-imagine-i-ll-retire-mid-performance-i_841583.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/179/eileen-atkins-19987_everyone_i-imagine-i-ll-retire-mid-performance-i_841583.jpg) > “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, I'm sure that's how.” [Eileen Atkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eileen-atkins/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A performer imagines quitting abruptly, citing sudden aging as an excuse. **In simple terms:** She plans to quit mid‑show, blaming age. Key Takeaway Consider the impact of abrupt exits. Themes performance age career authenticity fear Mood anxious reflective Type dramatic personal When to use this quote - stage career - public speaking - personal transitions Key Concepts theatre psychology career dynamics Questions to Reflect On - Why might someone fear aging in their career? - How to handle a desire to quit gracefully? A Different Perspective Sudden exits can damage reputation and relationships. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Retirement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/retirement/) ## Related quotes > [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 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/) > [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 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/) > [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 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'll never retire. I like what I'm doing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-paul-dejoria/i-ll-never-retire-i-like-what-i-m-doing/) [John Paul DeJoria](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-paul-dejoria/) > [I'll never retire from working; I'll keep my life interesting until I drop dead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cristina-saralegui/i-ll-never-retire-from-working-i-ll-keep-my-life-interesting-until-i/) [Cristina Saralegui](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cristina-saralegui/) > [I’ll never retire as long as I live—that’s like retiring from life! I’ll never stop writing, teaching, lecturing. 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The day I'm not starstruck, I'll have to retire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octavia-spencer/i-m-starstruck-everyday-the-day-i-m-not-starstruck-i-ll-have-to-retire/) [Octavia Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/octavia-spencer/) ## More by Eileen Atkins > [My looks were good enough for what I needed in every possible way but not so much to be a burden.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eileen-atkins/my-looks-were-good-enough-for-what-i-needed-in-every-possible-way-but/) [Eileen Atkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eileen-atkins/) > [I think most British people who say they can do an American accent are so bad at it. I find it excruciating. I find…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eileen-atkins/i-think-most-british-people-who-say-they-can-do-an-american-accent/) [Eileen Atkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eileen-atkins/) > [I have never been able to bear people who are obsessed with beauty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eileen-atkins/i-have-never-been-able-to-bear-people-who-are-obsessed-with-beauty/) [Eileen Atkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eileen-atkins/) > [One of the things I love about Helena Bonham Carter is that she is ravishing, but she does as much as she can to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eileen-atkins/one-of-the-things-i-love-about-helena-bonham-carter-is-that-she-is/) [Eileen Atkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eileen-atkins/) > [I hate tight, tight stuff showing every line. I want to be sick when people are in Lycra.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eileen-atkins/i-hate-tight-tight-stuff-showing-every-line-i-want-to-be-sick-when/) [Eileen Atkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eileen-atkins/) > [My parents felt so uncomfortable coming to the kind of theater I was in; they had nothing to say about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eileen-atkins/my-parents-felt-so-uncomfortable-coming-to-the-kind-of-theater-i-was/) [Eileen Atkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eileen-atkins/) > [Wheels come off? Get on with it. Cope. Survive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eileen-atkins/wheels-come-off-get-on-with-it-cope-survive/) [Eileen Atkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eileen-atkins/) > [I believe I was put on this planet to act, and it's given me huge fulfilment. I feel I've realised my destiny, and I've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eileen-atkins/i-believe-i-was-put-on-this-planet-to-act-and-it-s-given-me-huge/) [Eileen Atkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eileen-atkins/) > [I don't believe in remaking television series. I should never have agreed to reviving 'Upstairs Downstairs' because my heart wasn't in it, but part…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eileen-atkins/i-don-t-believe-in-remaking-television-series-i-should-never-have/) [Eileen Atkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eileen-atkins/) > [Film was something I didn't really think about when I was young, because if you looked like me, you weren't a film star.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eileen-atkins/film-was-something-i-didn-t-really-think-about-when-i-was-young/) [Eileen Atkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eileen-atkins/) > [I'm told I am over-choosy, and I shocked everybody by doing Jeffrey Archer. I did that to annoy everybody; sometimes, between Medea and Virginia…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eileen-atkins/i-m-told-i-am-over-choosy-and-i-shocked-everybody-by-doing-jeffrey/) [Eileen Atkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eileen-atkins/) > [It's extraordinary to hear waves of laughter after you've been playing something, night after night, to nothing. That's why I'm still hooked on acting:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eileen-atkins/it-s-extraordinary-to-hear-waves-of-laughter-after-you-ve-been/) [Eileen Atkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eileen-atkins/) > [When I think of all the Hamlets I've seen, there's been a load of different styles, some marvellous. You like the Hamlet you saw…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eileen-atkins/when-i-think-of-all-the-hamlets-i-ve-seen-there-s-been-a-load-of/) [Eileen Atkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eileen-atkins/) > [On the street where I lived, they almost didn't know the word 'university,' and my mother was simply appalled when it was suggested to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eileen-atkins/on-the-street-where-i-lived-they-almost-didn-t-know-the-word/) [Eileen Atkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eileen-atkins/) > [My very first memory of being alive is being tossed in the air by my father and laughing and knowing, really knowing, that his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eileen-atkins/my-very-first-memory-of-being-alive-is-being-tossed-in-the-air-by-my/) [Eileen Atkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eileen-atkins/) [Explore all 31 Eileen Atkins quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eileen-atkins/) ## More Everyone quotes > [I think it's a wonderful thing, turning 50. 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Then I just added more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mnek/when-i-wrote-paradise-it-was-going-to-be-an-interlude-like-a-segue/) [MNEK](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mnek/) > [You want everyone to succeed in your family.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-olsen/you-want-everyone-to-succeed-in-your-family/) [Elizabeth Olsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-olsen/) > [Our whole thing was that we wanted to challenge ourselves and go out of the box that everyone else was doing, and even what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-real/our-whole-thing-was-that-we-wanted-to-challenge-ourselves-and-go-out/) [B-Real](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-real/) > [Ronaldo will always score against everyone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giorgio-chiellini/ronaldo-will-always-score-against-everyone/) [Giorgio Chiellini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giorgio-chiellini/) > [My only aim is to clock a time that everyone remembers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hima-das/my-only-aim-is-to-clock-a-time-that-everyone-remembers/) [Hima Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hima-das/) > [If I serve good and play aggressive from the baseline, I can beat everyone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karolina-pliskova/if-i-serve-good-and-play-aggressive-from-the-baseline-i-can-beat/) [Karolina Pliskova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karolina-pliskova/) > [Business, much like life, is not a movie, and not everyone gets to have a storybook ending.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/om-malik/business-much-like-life-is-not-a-movie-and-not-everyone-gets-to-have/) [Om Malik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/om-malik/) > [Everyone knows you use box dye to do violet red.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-mondo/everyone-knows-you-use-box-dye-to-do-violet-red/) [Brad Mondo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-mondo/) > [I was a huge fan of Steve Martin, as everyone I knew in comedy was.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-short/i-was-a-huge-fan-of-steve-martin-as-everyone-i-knew-in-comedy-was/) [Martin Short](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-short/) > [I feel like everyone has a preference. 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