--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I'm someone who's done the opposite of…" description: "\"I'm someone who's done the opposite of whatever the received wisdom is, to keep your career going into your 50s.\" — Elizabeth McGovern" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f27/elizabeth-mcgovern-15709_careers_i-m-someone-who-s-done-the-opposite-of-w_717578.jpg" --- # I'm someone who's done the opposite of whatever the… ![“I'm someone who's done the opposite of whatever the received wisdom is, to keep your career going into your 50s.” quote by Elizabeth McGovern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f27/elizabeth-mcgovern-15709_careers_i-m-someone-who-s-done-the-opposite-of-w_717578.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f27/elizabeth-mcgovern-15709_careers_i-m-someone-who-s-done-the-opposite-of-w_717578.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f27/elizabeth-mcgovern-15709_careers_i-m-someone-who-s-done-the-opposite-of-w_717578.jpg) > “I'm someone who's done the opposite of whatever the received wisdom is, to keep your career going into your 50s.” [Elizabeth McGovern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-mcgovern/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Advice to defy conventional wisdom to sustain a long‑term career. **In simple terms:** Going against common advice to stay career‑wise. Key Takeaway Think independently about career longevity. Themes career longevity independence wisdom Mood reflective strategic Type career advice When to use this quote - career coaching - mentorship - personal development Key Concepts strategic planning life‑stage adaptation Questions to Reflect On - What unconventional choices have helped your career? - When should you follow vs. question advice? A Different Perspective Contrarian paths may risk missing proven strategies. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Opposites](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opposites/) [Wisdom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wisdom/) ## Related quotes > [Nothing energizes me more than to burrow myself under a pile of received wisdom and emerge triumphant with the truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-noah/nothing-energizes-me-more-than-to-burrow-myself-under-a-pile-of/) [Timothy Noah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-noah/) > [It should be possible to say that there really is such as thing as "genius" and that what it is, is precisely a surprising…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-irwin-thompson/it-should-be-possible-to-say-that-there-really-is-such-as-thing-as/) [William Irwin Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-irwin-thompson/) > [I was pushing for a career in poetry and of course the received wisdom was that you would never make a living at it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cooper-clarke/i-was-pushing-for-a-career-in-poetry-and-of-course-the-received/) [John Cooper Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cooper-clarke/) > [Leonardo da Vinci did not take received wisdom - whether from ancient classical thinkers or medieval scholars or from the Bible - without questioning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-isaacson/leonardo-da-vinci-did-not-take-received-wisdom-whether-from-ancient/) [Walter Isaacson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-isaacson/) > [“She did not know what she had expected from her Dante, but she definitely hadn’t received it. So with the wisdom that comes only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvain-reynard/she-did-not-know-what-she-had-expected-from-her-dante-but-she/) [Sylvain Reynard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvain-reynard/) > [“Fats was starting to think that if you flipped every bit of received wisdom on its head you would have the truth. He wanted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-k-rowling/fats-was-starting-to-think-that-if-you-flipped-every-bit-of-received/) [J.K. Rowling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-k-rowling/) > [“Mankind is fallible, so we should not rely on our own reasoning. We cannot help to understand the world - all we can do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-follett/mankind-is-fallible-so-we-should-not-rely-on-our-own-reasoning-we/) [Ken Follett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-follett/) > [People should not feel intimidated by received wisdom. You have to discover it yourself. If I tell you that Armstrong is great, it's meaningless;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-giddins/people-should-not-feel-intimidated-by-received-wisdom-you-have-to/) [Gary Giddins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-giddins/) > [The differences between the received wisdom, the standard version of events, and the facts on the ground may be subtle or they may be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-finnegan/the-differences-between-the-received-wisdom-the-standard-version-of/) [William Finnegan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-finnegan/) > [We live in Los Angeles, where you are expected to move every two to four years, so people can see how well your career…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rita-rudner/we-live-in-los-angeles-where-you-are-expected-to-move-every-two-to/) [Rita Rudner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rita-rudner/) > [I reckon it's more of an external perspective that on some level you really can control and dictate how your career's going to go.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-pearce/i-reckon-it-s-more-of-an-external-perspective-that-on-some-level-you/) [Guy Pearce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-pearce/) > [At the end of the day, my career is not going to be judged by one or two or three moments in time. It'll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-mencia/at-the-end-of-the-day-my-career-is-not-going-to-be-judged-by-one-or/) [Carlos Mencia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-mencia/) > [I've spent my career going up and down in weight, and I've always gone, 'I don't care what they think' because real women aren't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-redman/i-ve-spent-my-career-going-up-and-down-in-weight-and-i-ve-always-gone/) [Amanda Redman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-redman/) > [I don't know where my career is going to lead me. I would like my career to be as diverse as possible. I've done…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-phillips/i-don-t-know-where-my-career-is-going-to-lead-me-i-would-like-my/) [Graham Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-phillips/) > [Makeup is where my career is going, but I would love to also indulge in music. It's still one of my absolute favorite things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-charles/makeup-is-where-my-career-is-going-but-i-would-love-to-also-indulge/) [James Charles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-charles/) ## More by Elizabeth McGovern > [So the English approach to show business and their work is more - and this is a big generalization, I hasten to say -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-mcgovern/so-the-english-approach-to-show-business-and-their-work-is-more-and/) [Elizabeth McGovern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-mcgovern/) > [I've been in things that have impressed people and they've come up to congratulate you but in a kind of, you-must-think-you're-really-special way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-mcgovern/i-ve-been-in-things-that-have-impressed-people-and-they-ve-come-up-to/) [Elizabeth McGovern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-mcgovern/) > [Now we have to contend with overstimulation and too many opportunities all the time, and too many decisions all the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-mcgovern/now-we-have-to-contend-with-overstimulation-and-too-many/) [Elizabeth McGovern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-mcgovern/) > [I have a terrible sense of direction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-mcgovern/i-have-a-terrible-sense-of-direction/) [Elizabeth McGovern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-mcgovern/) > [I like writing letters and receiving letters. It's a shame that we've lost the art of letter-writing and saving correspondence. I mourn that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-mcgovern/i-like-writing-letters-and-receiving-letters-it-s-a-shame-that-we-ve/) [Elizabeth McGovern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-mcgovern/) > [I had reconciled myself to being happily out to pasture, a bit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-mcgovern/i-had-reconciled-myself-to-being-happily-out-to-pasture-a-bit/) [Elizabeth McGovern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-mcgovern/) > [If I feel I can play a part I do everything in my power to try to play it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-mcgovern/if-i-feel-i-can-play-a-part-i-do-everything-in-my-power-to-try-to/) [Elizabeth McGovern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-mcgovern/) > [We lack rituals in this modern world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-mcgovern/we-lack-rituals-in-this-modern-world/) [Elizabeth McGovern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-mcgovern/) > [My family were all into classical music, and I found that very intimidating.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-mcgovern/my-family-were-all-into-classical-music-and-i-found-that-very/) [Elizabeth McGovern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-mcgovern/) > [North Hollywood isn't actually Hollywood, it's in the San Fernando Valley... it's not the most glamorous part of L.A.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-mcgovern/north-hollywood-isn-t-actually-hollywood-it-s-in-the-san-fernando/) [Elizabeth McGovern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-mcgovern/) > [To me, the lyrics of the song define the kind of style it is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-mcgovern/to-me-the-lyrics-of-the-song-define-the-kind-of-style-it-is/) [Elizabeth McGovern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-mcgovern/) > [In London, I take the Tube everywhere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-mcgovern/in-london-i-take-the-tube-everywhere/) [Elizabeth McGovern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-mcgovern/) > [I love having the opportunity to explore a part for a great length of time, really get deeper and deeper into it, because you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-mcgovern/i-love-having-the-opportunity-to-explore-a-part-for-a-great-length-of/) [Elizabeth McGovern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-mcgovern/) > [Most people grow up dreaming of going to Hollywood and some of them work and work and work and finally end up in Hollywood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-mcgovern/most-people-grow-up-dreaming-of-going-to-hollywood-and-some-of-them/) [Elizabeth McGovern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-mcgovern/) > [Hollywood never suited me, I didn't ever feel comfortable with it, it took me a couple of years but I found where I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-mcgovern/hollywood-never-suited-me-i-didn-t-ever-feel-comfortable-with-it-it/) [Elizabeth McGovern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-mcgovern/) [Explore all 42 Elizabeth McGovern quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-mcgovern/) ## More Careers quotes > [It is said that history turns on small hinges. A human career, too, results from an accumulating series of decisions about large and small…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-vincent-peale/it-is-said-that-history-turns-on-small-hinges-a-human-career-too/) [Norman Vincent Peale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-vincent-peale/) > [I don't like being away from home. That's one reason why I don't work as much as I used to \[when I started my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-powell/i-don-t-like-being-away-from-home-that-s-one-reason-why-i-don-t-work/) [Jane Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-powell/) > [The only thing I try to watch carefully is that I never lose the love for the instrument. That's also why I decided against…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nils-frahm/the-only-thing-i-try-to-watch-carefully-is-that-i-never-lose-the-love/) [Nils Frahm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nils-frahm/) > [I'm a big fan of all the Boston guys that are acting - Matt Damon , Ben Affleck, Mark Wahlberg - they made a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenny-wormald/i-m-a-big-fan-of-all-the-boston-guys-that-are-acting-matt-damon-ben/) [Kenny Wormald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenny-wormald/) > [I have that need in me, I want everyone to love me, but I'm embarrassed by that need, so I wanted to cover it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-jeselnik/i-have-that-need-in-me-i-want-everyone-to-love-me-but-i-m-embarrassed/) [Anthony Jeselnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-jeselnik/) > [The only regret I have in my career, is my managers wanted a big payday, and I wanted four or five more fights before…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerry-cooney/the-only-regret-i-have-in-my-career-is-my-managers-wanted-a-big/) [Gerry Cooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerry-cooney/) > [The truth is I've just never had any kind of plan at all for my career, which is probably not a very flattering thing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ty-burrell/the-truth-is-i-ve-just-never-had-any-kind-of-plan-at-all-for-my/) [Ty Burrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ty-burrell/) > [I always knew I wanted to have a good career, so I made it happen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chord-overstreet/i-always-knew-i-wanted-to-have-a-good-career-so-i-made-it-happen/) [Chord Overstreet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chord-overstreet/) > [My non-career. My excuse for a career? Honestly, I never think about the word 'career.' I've had managers, the minute they say it to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-verlaine/my-non-career-my-excuse-for-a-career-honestly-i-never-think-about-the/) [Tom Verlaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-verlaine/) > [Poetry has, in a way, been my bridge to my acting career.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/omari-hardwick/poetry-has-in-a-way-been-my-bridge-to-my-acting-career/) [Omari Hardwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/omari-hardwick/) > [ The young man \[Turgot\] destined for an ecclesiastical career was placed within walls carefully designed to keep out all currents of new thought; his… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-dickson-white/the-young-man-turgot-destined-for-an-ecclesiastical-career-was-placed/) [Andrew Dickson White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-dickson-white/) > [What has drug addiction done for me? It's cost me my career, my fortune and basically my sex life when I found out I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robbin-crosby/what-has-drug-addiction-done-for-me-it-s-cost-me-my-career-my-fortune/) Robbin Crosby > [There is so much temptation to hold on to my career even more now. To try to micromanage and dictate every little aspect. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-lin/there-is-so-much-temptation-to-hold-on-to-my-career-even-more-now-to/) [Jeremy Lin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-lin/) > [Everything I've been through, everything I'm about to go through in my career and my life, if my family wasn't with me and didn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-malone/everything-i-ve-been-through-everything-i-m-about-to-go-through-in-my/) [Karl Malone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-malone/) > [An image has stuck for most of my career and it isn't flattering.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robbie-fowler/an-image-has-stuck-for-most-of-my-career-and-it-isn-t-flattering/) [Robbie Fowler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robbie-fowler/) Browse all 6,154 Careers quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I'm someone who's done the opposite of whatever the received wisdom is, to keep your career going into your 50s.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Elizabeth McGovern" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-mcgovern/i-m-someone-who-s-done-the-opposite-of-whatever-the-received-wisdom/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Careers" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-mcgovern/i-m-someone-who-s-done-the-opposite-of-whatever-the-received-wisdom/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f27/elizabeth-mcgovern-15709_careers_i-m-someone-who-s-done-the-opposite-of-w_717578.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f27/elizabeth-mcgovern-15709_careers_i-m-someone-who-s-done-the-opposite-of-w_717578.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f27/elizabeth-mcgovern-15709_careers_i-m-someone-who-s-done-the-opposite-of-w_717578.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I'm someone who's done the opposite of whatever the received wisdom is, to keep your career going into your…” — Elizabeth McGovern", "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": "Elizabeth McGovern", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-mcgovern/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I'm someone who's done the opposite...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-mcgovern/i-m-someone-who-s-done-the-opposite-of-whatever-the-received-wisdom/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-mcgovern/i-m-someone-who-s-done-the-opposite-of-whatever-the-received-wisdom/#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 } } ] } ```