--- 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.\" — Elvis Costello" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ada/elvis-costello-1931_career_my-ultimate-vocation-in-life-is-to-be-an_2448895.jpg" --- # My ultimate vocation in life is to be an irritant. ![“My ultimate vocation in life is to be an irritant.” quote by Elvis Costello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ada/elvis-costello-1931_career_my-ultimate-vocation-in-life-is-to-be-an_2448895.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ada/elvis-costello-1931_career_my-ultimate-vocation-in-life-is-to-be-an_2448895.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ada/elvis-costello-1931_career_my-ultimate-vocation-in-life-is-to-be-an_2448895.jpg) > “My ultimate vocation in life is to be an irritant.” [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. He sees his role as provoking thought and challenging complacency, embracing the discomfort of being an irritant **In simple terms:** He wants to be a provocateur Key Takeaway Embrace discomfort to spark change Themes provocation artistic integrity challenge Mood defiant reflective Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - public speaking - creative work - activism - personal relationships Key Concepts Existentialism social critique Questions to Reflect On - How can provocation be constructive? - When does it become harmful? A Different Perspective Being constantly irritating can alienate allies ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Career](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/career/) [Irritant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/irritant-553257/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Life Irritant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-irritant-553256/) [Life is](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-is/) [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) [Reality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reality/) [Ultimate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ultimate/) [Ultimate Vocation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ultimate-vocation-553258/) [Vocation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vocation/) [Vocation Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vocation-life-553259/) ## Related quotes > [My ultimate vocation in life is to be an irritant, someone who disrupts the daily drag of life just enough to leave the victim…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elvis-costello/my-ultimate-vocation-in-life-is-to-be-an-irritant-someone-who/) [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](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-kurti/) > [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/) > [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/) > [“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/) > [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/) > [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/) > [I feel in me the vocation of the Priest. I have the vocation of the Apostle. Martyrdom was the dream of my youth, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/therese-of-lisieux/i-feel-in-me-the-vocation-of-the-priest-i-have-the-vocation-of-the/) [Therese of Lisieux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/therese-of-lisieux/) > [“The gift of singleness is more a vocation than an empowerment, although to be sure God is faithful in supporting those He calls.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-r-w-stott/the-gift-of-singleness-is-more-a-vocation-than-an-empowerment/) [John R.W. Stott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-r-w-stott/) > [We have only to see how that which makes up the reality of our lives relates to our vocation; we have only to hear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-danielou/we-have-only-to-see-how-that-which-makes-up-the-reality-of-our-lives/) [Jean Danielou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-danielou/) > [“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/) > [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/) ## 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](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/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. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/portia-doubleday/growing-up-i-did-commercials-and-things-like-that-but-nothing-serious/) [Portia Doubleday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/portia-doubleday/) > [You can have a career and kids who love you. But you have to nurture yourself and find a way to be fulfilled so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-reitman/you-can-have-a-career-and-kids-who-love-you-but-you-have-to-nurture/) [Catherine Reitman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-reitman/) > [As for doing good; that is one of the professions which is full. 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