--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I’ve never practiced a profession and…" description: "\"“I’ve never practiced a profession and have lived like a sort of student. I consider this my greatest success, my life hasn’t been a failure because I ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/831/emil-cioran-523_career_i-ve-never-practiced-a-profession-and-ha_1507751.jpg" --- # I’ve never practiced a profession and have lived like a… ![“I’ve never practiced a profession and have lived like a sort of student. I consider this my greatest success, my life hasn’t been a failure because I succeeded in doing nothing.” quote by Emil Cioran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/831/emil-cioran-523_career_i-ve-never-practiced-a-profession-and-ha_1507751.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/831/emil-cioran-523_career_i-ve-never-practiced-a-profession-and-ha_1507751.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/831/emil-cioran-523_career_i-ve-never-practiced-a-profession-and-ha_1507751.jpg) > ““I’ve never practiced a profession and have lived like a sort of student. I consider this my greatest success, my life hasn’t been a failure because I succeeded in doing nothing.”” [Emil Cioran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emil-cioran/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Living as a perpetual learner, never settling into a profession, is seen as a success because it avoids the emptiness of conventional achievement. **In simple terms:** Never settling is a success. Key Takeaway Embrace lifelong learning over fixed titles. Themes learning humility existentialism Mood reflective melancholic Type existential philosophical When to use this quote - career planning - personal growth - creative pursuits Key Concepts nihilism self‑identity Questions to Reflect On - What does “doing nothing” mean to you? - How can you balance learning with contribution? A Different Perspective Success measured by productivity may still feel hollow. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Career](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/career/) [Failure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failure/) [Greatest success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greatest-success/) [Hire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hire/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Life Hasn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-hasn-574389/) [Practiced Profession](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/practiced-profession-5543527/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/) [Success life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success-life/) [Ve Practiced](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ve-practiced-1845307/) ## Related quotes > [As a rule, he or she who has the most information will have the greatest success in life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-disraeli/as-a-rule-he-or-she-who-has-the-most-information-will-have-the/) [Benjamin Disraeli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-disraeli/) > [My nerves tend to dissipate once the match starts. When I know I've practiced as much as I can and I do my best…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madison-keys/my-nerves-tend-to-dissipate-once-the-match-starts-when-i-know-i-ve/) [Madison Keys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madison-keys/) > [When you’ve practiced that so long that you forget you’re practising, you work on making it smooooooth. You won’t have to worry about the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-you-ve-practiced-that-so-long-that-you-forget-you-re-practising/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I've practiced meditation most of my life. It's better than lying around doing nothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-sims/i-ve-practiced-meditation-most-of-my-life-it-s-better-than-lying/) [Tom Sims](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-sims/) > [I hope so. God, I've practiced so much that I-you don't want to be worse five years later. I feel I have a great…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-federer/i-hope-so-god-i-ve-practiced-so-much-that-i-you-don-t-want-to-be/) [Roger Federer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-federer/) > [When you've practiced hard and know you've really worked for it it's more enjoyable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judd-trump/when-you-ve-practiced-hard-and-know-you-ve-really-worked-for-it-it-s/) [Judd Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judd-trump/) > [I've been in the government bureaucracy, I've practiced law, I've done a lot of different things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bolton/i-ve-been-in-the-government-bureaucracy-i-ve-practiced-law-i-ve-done/) [John Bolton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bolton/) > [I've always practiced this: Love yourself. Move your body. Watch your portions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-simmons/i-ve-always-practiced-this-love-yourself-move-your-body-watch-your/) [Richard Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-simmons/) > [I've practiced a lot of different sports. I stopped counting after 15.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-ii-prince-of-monaco/i-ve-practiced-a-lot-of-different-sports-i-stopped-counting-after-15/) [Albert II, Prince of Monaco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-ii-prince-of-monaco/) > [I enjoy pressure golf because it's everything I've practiced to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-cantlay/i-enjoy-pressure-golf-because-it-s-everything-i-ve-practiced-to-do/) [Patrick Cantlay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-cantlay/) > [That's a part of being a good football team and being good players is when it's time to go play and turn what you've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/devin-mccourty/that-s-a-part-of-being-a-good-football-team-and-being-good-players-is/) [Devin McCourty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/devin-mccourty/) > [My route so far through life hasn't been particularly logical, or even thought out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarvis-cocker/my-route-so-far-through-life-hasn-t-been-particularly-logical-or-even/) [Jarvis Cocker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarvis-cocker/) > [I have two lovely sons and some good memories, but I've had a rather tumultuous personal life. It hasn't been dull; I've been the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvester-stallone/i-have-two-lovely-sons-and-some-good-memories-but-i-ve-had-a-rather/) [Sylvester Stallone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvester-stallone/) > [I'm not invited to any exciting parties and my life hasn't really changed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-pilkington/i-m-not-invited-to-any-exciting-parties-and-my-life-hasn-t-really/) [Karl Pilkington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-pilkington/) > [“No one has ever done this before. No one has ever been you before. This exact interrelated web of people and events and places…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-bell/no-one-has-ever-done-this-before-no-one-has-ever-been-you-before-this/) [Rob Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-bell/) ## More by Emil Cioran > [“Eu nu am idei ci obsesii. Idei poate avea oricine. Nimeni nu s-a prăbușit din cauza ideilor.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emil-cioran/eu-nu-am-idei-ci-obsesii-idei-poate-avea-oricine-nimeni-nu-s-a-pr-bu/) [Emil Cioran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emil-cioran/) > [“For a long while I have lived with the notion that I was the most normal being that ever existed. This notion gave me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emil-cioran/for-a-long-while-i-have-lived-with-the-notion-that-i-was-the-most/) [Emil Cioran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emil-cioran/) > [“Natura s-a arătat darnică numai cu cei pe care i-a scutit de obsesia morţii. Dacă-i firesc să mori, nu-i deloc firesc să zaboveşti asupra…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emil-cioran/natura-s-a-ar-tat-darnic-numai-cu-cei-pe-care-i-a-scutit-de-obsesia/) [Emil Cioran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emil-cioran/) > [“Having always lived in fear of being surprised by the worst, I have tried in every circumstance to get a head start, flinging myself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emil-cioran/having-always-lived-in-fear-of-being-surprised-by-the-worst-i-have/) [Emil Cioran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emil-cioran/) > [“I would like to be free, totaly free... free like an aborted child.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emil-cioran/i-would-like-to-be-free-totaly-free-free-like-an-aborted-child/) [Emil Cioran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emil-cioran/) > [“We had nothing to say to one another, and while I was manufacturing my phrases I felt that earth was falling through space and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emil-cioran/we-had-nothing-to-say-to-one-another-and-while-i-was-manufacturing-my/) [Emil Cioran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emil-cioran/) > [“It is no sign of benediction to have been obsessed with the lives of saints, for it is an obsession intertwined with a taste…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emil-cioran/it-is-no-sign-of-benediction-to-have-been-obsessed-with-the-lives-of/) [Emil Cioran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emil-cioran/) > [“His power to adore is responsible for all his crimes: a man who loves a god unduly forces other men to love his god,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emil-cioran/his-power-to-adore-is-responsible-for-all-his-crimes-a-man-who-loves/) [Emil Cioran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emil-cioran/) > [“Tell me how you want to die, and I’ll tell you who you are.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emil-cioran/tell-me-how-you-want-to-die-and-i-ll-tell-you-who-you-are/) [Emil Cioran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emil-cioran/) > [One should live and die where one was born... I've been bored everywhere I went. What was the point of leaving Coasta Boacu?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emil-cioran/one-should-live-and-die-where-one-was-born-i-ve-been-bored-everywhere/) [Emil Cioran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emil-cioran/) > [“I cannot imagine that there could be someone whose childhood could compare to mine. The sky and the earth belonged to me, literally, even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emil-cioran/i-cannot-imagine-that-there-could-be-someone-whose-childhood-could/) [Emil Cioran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emil-cioran/) > [“A fi sau a nu fi? Nici una nici alta.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emil-cioran/a-fi-sau-a-nu-fi-nici-una-nici-alta/) [Emil Cioran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emil-cioran/) > [“Dispretul oamenilor ma intareste, si nu le cer decat o favoare - sa nu insemn nimic in ochii lor.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emil-cioran/dispretul-oamenilor-ma-intareste-si-nu-le-cer-decat-o-favoare-sa-nu/) [Emil Cioran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emil-cioran/) > [“Nobody would dare look at himself in the mirror, because a grotesque, tragic image would mix in the contours of his face with stains…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emil-cioran/nobody-would-dare-look-at-himself-in-the-mirror-because-a-grotesque/) [Emil Cioran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emil-cioran/) > [“Since it is difficult to approve the reasons people invoke, each time we leave one of our 'fellow men', the question which comes to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emil-cioran/since-it-is-difficult-to-approve-the-reasons-people-invoke-each-time/) [Emil Cioran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emil-cioran/) [Explore all 260 Emil Cioran quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emil-cioran/) ## 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. Moreover I have tried it fairly and, strange as it may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/as-for-doing-good-that-is-one-of-the-professions-which-is-full/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Even though I'm already successful and have a career, it is always good to have your eggs in more than one basket.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/farrah-abraham/even-though-i-m-already-successful-and-have-a-career-it-is-always/) [Farrah Abraham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/farrah-abraham/) [Browse all 11,387 Career quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/career/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“I’ve never practiced a profession and have lived like a sort of student. 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