--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: My ultimate vocation in life is to be an…" description: "\"My ultimate vocation in life is to be an irritant, someone who disrupts the daily drag of life just enough to leave the victim thinking there's maybe m..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e24/elvis-costello-1931_career_my-ultimate-vocation-in-life-is-to-be-an_1509822.jpg" --- # My ultimate vocation in life is to be an irritant, someone… ![“My ultimate vocation in life is to be an irritant, someone who disrupts the daily drag of life just enough to leave the victim thinking there's maybe more to it all than the mere hum-drum quality of existence.” quote by Elvis Costello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e24/elvis-costello-1931_career_my-ultimate-vocation-in-life-is-to-be-an_1509822.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e24/elvis-costello-1931_career_my-ultimate-vocation-in-life-is-to-be-an_1509822.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e24/elvis-costello-1931_career_my-ultimate-vocation-in-life-is-to-be-an_1509822.jpg) > “My ultimate vocation in life is to be an irritant, someone who disrupts the daily drag of life just enough to leave the victim thinking there's maybe more to it all than the mere hum-drum quality of existence.” [Elvis Costello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elvis-costello/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Being a purposeful irritant can jolt complacency, prompting deeper reflection on life’s routine. **In simple terms:** Disrupt routine to inspire thought. Key Takeaway Challenge the status quo gently. Themes creativity disruption reflection Mood provocative inspirational Type artistic motivational When to use this quote - team meetings - public speaking - creative projects - social activism - personal growth Key Concepts philosophy of life social influence artistic intent Questions to Reflect On - When is it appropriate to provoke change? - How do you ensure your disruption is constructive? A Different Perspective Too much disruption can cause resistance or alienation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Career](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/career/) [Existence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/existence/) [Irritants](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/irritants/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Quality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/quality/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Victim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/victim/) [Vocation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vocation/) ## Related quotes > [My ultimate vocation in life is to be an irritant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elvis-costello/my-ultimate-vocation-in-life-is-to-be-an-irritant/) [Elvis Costello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elvis-costello/) > [I think I have been much of my life an irritant. But some people say that something good came out of my research, something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-kurti/i-think-i-have-been-much-of-my-life-an-irritant-but-some-people-say/) Nicholas Kurti > [In experimental art, men are given the exact specifications of coming violence to their own psyches from their own counter-irritant or technology... But the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marshall-mcluhan/in-experimental-art-men-are-given-the-exact-specifications-of-coming/) [Marshall McLuhan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marshall-mcluhan/) > [“There is something in the depths of our being that hungers for wholeness and finality. Because we are made for eternal life, we are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-merton/there-is-something-in-the-depths-of-our-being-that-hungers-for/) [Thomas Merton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-merton/) > [Teaching is supposed to be a vocation for life - not a lifelong vacation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-hartley-brewer/teaching-is-supposed-to-be-a-vocation-for-life-not-a-lifelong-vacation/) [Julia Hartley-Brewer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-hartley-brewer/) > [To be a mother is a woman's greatest vocation in life. She is a partner with God. No being has a position of such…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spencer-w-kimball/to-be-a-mother-is-a-woman-s-greatest-vocation-in-life-she-is-a/) [Spencer W. Kimball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spencer-w-kimball/) > [Your vocation in life is where your greatest joy meets the world's greatest need.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-buechner/your-vocation-in-life-is-where-your-greatest-joy-meets-the-world-s/) [Frederick Buechner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-buechner/) > [Everyone has a natural right to choose that vocation in life which he thinks most likely gives him comfortable subsistence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/everyone-has-a-natural-right-to-choose-that-vocation-in-life-which-he/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [Finding and creating your life's work, even if it is entirely different from what you have done most of your life, will bring you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-kimbro/finding-and-creating-your-life-s-work-even-if-it-is-entirely/) [Dennis Kimbro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-kimbro/) > [Where your talents and the needs of the world cross, therein lies your vocation. These two, your talents and the needs of the world,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aristotle/where-your-talents-and-the-needs-of-the-world-cross-therein-lies-your/) [Aristotle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aristotle/) > [May I say that I have not thoroughly enjoyed serving with humans? I find their illogic and foolish emotions a constant irritant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-nimoy/may-i-say-that-i-have-not-thoroughly-enjoyed-serving-with-humans-i/) [Leonard Nimoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-nimoy/) > [Patience is like good motor oil. It doesn't remove all the contaminants. It just puts them into suspension so they don't get into your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornelius-plantinga/patience-is-like-good-motor-oil-it-doesn-t-remove-all-the/) [Cornelius Plantinga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornelius-plantinga/) > [The one real irritant is that my young children - they also adapt. They adapt to being without their father. That's a hard, hard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-assange/the-one-real-irritant-is-that-my-young-children-they-also-adapt-they/) [Julian Assange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-assange/) > [There is no irritant as painful as an ace up your sleeve that you can never use; it's the kind of thing that causes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheila-ballantyne/there-is-no-irritant-as-painful-as-an-ace-up-your-sleeve-that-you-can/) [Sheila Ballantyne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheila-ballantyne/) > [Anger is the noise of the soul; the unseen irritant of the heart; the relentless invader of silence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-lucado/anger-is-the-noise-of-the-soul-the-unseen-irritant-of-the-heart-the/) [Max Lucado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-lucado/) ## More by Elvis Costello > [Good manners and bad breath will get you nowhere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elvis-costello/good-manners-and-bad-breath-will-get-you-nowhere/) [Elvis Costello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elvis-costello/) > [History repeats the old conceits, the glib replies, the same defeats.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elvis-costello/history-repeats-the-old-conceits-the-glib-replies-the-same-defeats/) [Elvis Costello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elvis-costello/) > [People think it is all about country music, and I know a lot of country music has come out of there, but like Blonde…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elvis-costello/people-think-it-is-all-about-country-music-and-i-know-a-lot-of/) [Elvis Costello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elvis-costello/) > [I get very frustrated by this term 'genre exercise.' I mean, what exactly is that? Genre is not really relevant when you are writing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elvis-costello/i-get-very-frustrated-by-this-term-genre-exercise-i-mean-what-exactly/) [Elvis Costello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elvis-costello/) > [Even in a perfect world where everyone was equal. I'd still own the film rights and be working on the sequel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elvis-costello/even-in-a-perfect-world-where-everyone-was-equal-i-d-still-own-the/) [Elvis Costello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elvis-costello/) > [Somebody should clip Sting around the head and tell him to stop using that ridiculous Jamaican accent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elvis-costello/somebody-should-clip-sting-around-the-head-and-tell-him-to-stop-using/) [Elvis Costello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elvis-costello/) > [There is something wrong with you if you don't get angry about something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elvis-costello/there-is-something-wrong-with-you-if-you-don-t-get-angry-about/) [Elvis Costello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elvis-costello/) > [“Was it a millionaire who said "imagine no possessions?" A poor little schoolboy who said "we don't need no lessons?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elvis-costello/was-it-a-millionaire-who-said-imagine-no-possessions-a-poor-little/) [Elvis Costello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elvis-costello/) > [Though the passion still flutters and flickers, it never got into our knickers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elvis-costello/though-the-passion-still-flutters-and-flickers-it-never-got-into-our/) [Elvis Costello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elvis-costello/) > [My dad's father was a White Star Line trumpet player in the '20s. It shaped the way that I think about music. My grandfather…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elvis-costello/my-dad-s-father-was-a-white-star-line-trumpet-player-in-the-20s-it/) [Elvis Costello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elvis-costello/) > [Life for me is about movement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elvis-costello/life-for-me-is-about-movement/) [Elvis Costello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elvis-costello/) > [Maybe I just never learned my harmony part, because what everybody says sounds odd to them sounds perfectly natural to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elvis-costello/maybe-i-just-never-learned-my-harmony-part-because-what-everybody/) [Elvis Costello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elvis-costello/) > [There are a lot of things that you can like at a distance without spending a huge amount of time pondering. It's not so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elvis-costello/there-are-a-lot-of-things-that-you-can-like-at-a-distance-without/) [Elvis Costello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elvis-costello/) > [Don't wear your heart on your sleeve when your remarks are off the cuff.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elvis-costello/don-t-wear-your-heart-on-your-sleeve-when-your-remarks-are-off-the/) [Elvis Costello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elvis-costello/) > [I'm just the mere shadow of my former selfishness. I crave the silhouette of your kiss.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elvis-costello/i-m-just-the-mere-shadow-of-my-former-selfishness-i-crave-the/) [Elvis Costello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elvis-costello/) [Explore all 197 Elvis Costello quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elvis-costello/) ## More Career quotes > [“Don’t allow anyone to pressure you into taking a job in a field that doesn’t feel right in your gut. You are the one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-james/don-t-allow-anyone-to-pressure-you-into-taking-a-job-in-a-field-that/) Alison James > [In every province, the chief occupations, in order of importance, are lovemaking, malicious gossip, and talking nonsense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/in-every-province-the-chief-occupations-in-order-of-importance-are/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [I think I've had the longest career of strength, focus, and still being able to sell records. I think I'm that guy. I'm still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nas/i-think-i-ve-had-the-longest-career-of-strength-focus-and-still-being/) [Nas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nas/) > [One needs more than ambition and talent to make a success of anything, really. There must be love and a vocation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessye-norman/one-needs-more-than-ambition-and-talent-to-make-a-success-of-anything/) [Jessye Norman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessye-norman/) > [There are so many things you can do with your life, you can go to school and study toward your career, you can become…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simphiwe-scientist-dumi/there-are-so-many-things-you-can-do-with-your-life-you-can-go-to/) [Simphiwe Scientist Dumi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simphiwe-scientist-dumi/) > [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/) > [I am a very big fan of Brian Eno, of his work as an artist and making his music, and as a producer. In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rostam-batmanglij/i-am-a-very-big-fan-of-brian-eno-of-his-work-as-an-artist-and-making/) [Rostam Batmanglij](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rostam-batmanglij/) > [If I can beat a proven champion like Canelo, that will take my career to a different level.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gennady-golovkin/if-i-can-beat-a-proven-champion-like-canelo-that-will-take-my-career/) [Gennady Golovkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gennady-golovkin/) > [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/) > [“The vocation of a man lies in his vision.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/the-vocation-of-a-man-lies-in-his-vision/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [I started off as a model maker, so the first part of my career was a model maker and then a motion control camera…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-knoll/i-started-off-as-a-model-maker-so-the-first-part-of-my-career-was-a/) [John Knoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-knoll/) > [Growing up I did commercials and things like that, but nothing serious. As I got older, my family is really hardcore into academics. 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