--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When you are older, you will learn that…" description: "\"When you are older, you will learn that the first and foremost thing which any ordinary person does is nothing.\" — Eliezer Yudkowsky" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8fc/eliezer-yudkowsky-1207_doe_when-you-are-older-you-will-learn-that-t_2737373.png" --- # When you are older, you will learn that the first and… ![“When you are older, you will learn that the first and foremost thing which any ordinary person does is nothing.” quote by Eliezer Yudkowsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8fc/eliezer-yudkowsky-1207_doe_when-you-are-older-you-will-learn-that-t_2737373.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8fc/eliezer-yudkowsky-1207_doe_when-you-are-older-you-will-learn-that-t_2737373.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8fc/eliezer-yudkowsky-1207_doe_when-you-are-older-you-will-learn-that-t_2737373.png) > “When you are older, you will learn that the first and foremost thing which any ordinary person does is nothing.” [Eliezer Yudkowsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eliezer-yudkowsky/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Older people learn that the most common action is doing nothing. **In simple terms:** Doing nothing is common. Key Takeaway Value purposeful action. Themes age behavior philosophy Mood contemplative quiet Type philosophical reflective When to use this quote - retirement planning - mindful practice - productivity coaching - mental health therapy Key Concepts inaction mindfulness life choices Questions to Reflect On - Why do we avoid action? - When is doing nothing beneficial? A Different Perspective Inaction can be avoidance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet ## Related quotes > [Before you've seen it, and when you first see it, it is the greatest thing; afterwards, it is ordinary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gautama-buddha/before-you-ve-seen-it-and-when-you-first-see-it-it-is-the-greatest/) [Gautama Buddha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gautama-buddha/) > [It's a well known thing that ordinary perceptions can have a strange aspect when one is travelling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-koch/it-s-a-well-known-thing-that-ordinary-perceptions-can-have-a-strange/) [Kenneth Koch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-koch/) > [Even though I am nearly deaf, I seem to be gifted with a kind of inner hearing which enables me to detect sounds and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-a-edison/even-though-i-am-nearly-deaf-i-seem-to-be-gifted-with-a-kind-of-inner/) [Thomas A. Edison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-a-edison/) > [There is no such thing as an ordinary life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/there-is-no-such-thing-as-an-ordinary-life/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [“There's no such thing as an ordinary human. Do you know, in 900 years of time and space, I've never met anyone who wasn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-doctor-matt-smith/there-s-no-such-thing-as-an-ordinary-human-do-you-know-in-900-years/) The Doctor Matt Smith > [I’m interested in things which suggest the world rather than express the personality... The most conventional thing, the most ordinary - it seems to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jasper-johns/i-m-interested-in-things-which-suggest-the-world-rather-than-express/) [Jasper Johns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jasper-johns/) > [There isn't any such thing as an ordinary life. 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There are a very few injunctions in the human art of rationality that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eliezer-yudkowsky/it-is-triple-ultra-forbidden-to-respond-to-criticism-with-violence/) [Eliezer Yudkowsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eliezer-yudkowsky/) > [The human species was not born into a market economy. Bees won't sell you honey if you offer them an electronic funds transfer. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eliezer-yudkowsky/the-human-species-was-not-born-into-a-market-economy-bees-won-t-sell/) [Eliezer Yudkowsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eliezer-yudkowsky/) > [“Frigideiro! " said Hermione again from the desk next to him. 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What the U.S. knows is that if you don't have a coalition…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shimon-peres/one-of-the-things-the-united-states-does-well-is-building-coalitions/) [Shimon Peres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shimon-peres/) > [Preaching to the choir actually arms the choir with arguments and elevates the choir's discourse. There's a reason the right does it and does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-savage/preaching-to-the-choir-actually-arms-the-choir-with-arguments-and/) [Dan Savage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-savage/) > [There is something about the South that accepts the supernatural. 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