--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The reason to retire is to try to avoid…" description: "\"The reason to retire is to try to avoid embarrassment; you ought to do it before people are dropping big hints. You want to be the first to come up wit..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a0f/garrison-keillor-1037_big_the-reason-to-retire-is-to-try-to-avoid_1469166.jpg" --- # The reason to retire is to try to avoid embarrassment; you… ![“The reason to retire is to try to avoid embarrassment; you ought to do it before people are dropping big hints. You want to be the first to come up with the idea. You don't want to wait until you trip and fall off the stage.” quote by Garrison Keillor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a0f/garrison-keillor-1037_big_the-reason-to-retire-is-to-try-to-avoid_1469166.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a0f/garrison-keillor-1037_big_the-reason-to-retire-is-to-try-to-avoid_1469166.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a0f/garrison-keillor-1037_big_the-reason-to-retire-is-to-try-to-avoid_1469166.jpg) > “The reason to retire is to try to avoid embarrassment; you ought to do it before people are dropping big hints. You want to be the first to come up with the idea. You don't want to wait until you trip and fall off the stage.” [Garrison Keillor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrison-keillor/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Retirement is framed as a proactive move to avoid public embarrassment, emphasizing timing and the desire to be seen as innovative. **In simple terms:** Retire before mistakes become public. Key Takeaway Plan transitions before crises arise. Themes career pride timing image Mood cautious reflective Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - public speaking - leadership - career change - personal branding Key Concepts reputation management proactive planning Questions to Reflect On - When is it better to stay and learn? - How do you gauge the right moment to step down? A Different Perspective Fear of embarrassment can cause premature decisions. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Embarrassment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/embarrassment/) [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reason/) [Retirement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/retirement/) [Stage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stage/) ## Related quotes > [There's no reason why I should retire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rod-stewart/there-s-no-reason-why-i-should-retire/) [Rod Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rod-stewart/) > [I love my fans, I love my music - I have no reason to retire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ll-cool-j/i-love-my-fans-i-love-my-music-i-have-no-reason-to-retire/) [LL Cool J](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ll-cool-j/) > [I'm not a big texter anyway. I'm really slow at it and so I try to avoid it to avoid embarrassment, you know what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/callan-mcauliffe/i-m-not-a-big-texter-anyway-i-m-really-slow-at-it-and-so-i-try-to/) [Callan McAuliffe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/callan-mcauliffe/) > [Humble yourself and avoid the embarrassment of someone else humbling you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/humble-yourself-and-avoid-the-embarrassment-of-someone-else-humbling/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If I were trying to avoid embarrassment, I wouldn't have stumbled my way through 'Dancing with the Stars.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/if-i-were-trying-to-avoid-embarrassment-i-wouldn-t-have-stumbled-my/) [Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) > [For me, the game would be to assume a very intelligent reader who can extrapolate a lot from a little. And that's become my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/for-me-the-game-would-be-to-assume-a-very-intelligent-reader-who-can/) [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) > [Well, I started conducting kind of by accident. I wanted to give myself a special birthday present for my fortieth birthday, and I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-mcferrin/well-i-started-conducting-kind-of-by-accident-i-wanted-to-give-myself/) [Bobby McFerrin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-mcferrin/) > [The first track is the end of a string. At the far end, a being is moving; a mystery, dropping a hint about itself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-brown-jr/the-first-track-is-the-end-of-a-string-at-the-far-end-a-being-is/) [Tom Brown, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-brown-jr/) > [Nobody likes to have trouble. The moment we get a hint that it's coming, a common response is, 'Oh no! Not again!'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-meyer/nobody-likes-to-have-trouble-the-moment-we-get-a-hint-that-it-s/) [Joyce Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-meyer/) > [I revere the memory of Mr. F. as an estimable man and most indulgent husband, only necessary to mention Asparagus and it appeared or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/i-revere-the-memory-of-mr-f-as-an-estimable-man-and-most-indulgent/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [I come from a theater background, so I always like to dissect the scene and try to get some hint about what the author…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adina-porter/i-come-from-a-theater-background-so-i-always-like-to-dissect-the/) [Adina Porter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adina-porter/) > [The book smelled dusty and old but also carried a sweet tang, a hint of something inviting. She opened to the first page and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-hale/the-book-smelled-dusty-and-old-but-also-carried-a-sweet-tang-a-hint/) [Shannon Hale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-hale/) > [If we get chased out of Iraq with our tail between our legs, that will be the fifth consecutive Third-world country with no hint…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/if-we-get-chased-out-of-iraq-with-our-tail-between-our-legs-that-will/) [Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) > [We need to be more precise in how we talk about these issues. People around the word follow our presidential campaigns so closely, trying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/we-need-to-be-more-precise-in-how-we-talk-about-these-issues-people/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [Her father had taught her about hands. About a dog's paws. Whenever her father was alone with a dog in a house he would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ondaatje/her-father-had-taught-her-about-hands-about-a-dog-s-paws-whenever-her/) [Michael Ondaatje](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ondaatje/) ## More by Garrison Keillor > [God writes a lot of comedy... the trouble is, he's stuck with so many bad actors who don't know how to play funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrison-keillor/god-writes-a-lot-of-comedy-the-trouble-is-he-s-stuck-with-so-many-bad/) [Garrison Keillor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrison-keillor/) > [The socially redeeming aspect of golf lies in the vast number of lawyers and bankers and managers who play it, and when you think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrison-keillor/the-socially-redeeming-aspect-of-golf-lies-in-the-vast-number-of/) [Garrison Keillor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrison-keillor/) > [God plays a lot of jokes on us to get our attention.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrison-keillor/god-plays-a-lot-of-jokes-on-us-to-get-our-attention/) [Garrison Keillor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrison-keillor/) > [Ha! Easy for nuns to talk about giving up things. That's what they do for a living.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrison-keillor/ha-easy-for-nuns-to-talk-about-giving-up-things-that-s-what-they-do/) [Garrison Keillor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrison-keillor/) > [This is the big reason most humorists fail. Drunks don't read books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrison-keillor/this-is-the-big-reason-most-humorists-fail-drunks-don-t-read-books/) [Garrison Keillor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrison-keillor/) > [Before the world was made, when it was only darkness and mist and waters, God was well aware of Lake Wobegon, my family, our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrison-keillor/before-the-world-was-made-when-it-was-only-darkness-and-mist-and/) [Garrison Keillor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrison-keillor/) > [On investments, 1998: Where I'm from we don't trust paper. Wealth is what's here on the premises. If I open a cupboard and see,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrison-keillor/on-investments-1998-where-i-m-from-we-don-t-trust-paper-wealth-is/) [Garrison Keillor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrison-keillor/) > [“The rich can afford to be progressive. Poor people have reason to be afraid of the future.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrison-keillor/the-rich-can-afford-to-be-progressive-poor-people-have-reason-to-be/) [Garrison Keillor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrison-keillor/) > [English is the perfect language for preachers because it allows you to talk until you think of what to say.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrison-keillor/english-is-the-perfect-language-for-preachers-because-it-allows-you/) [Garrison Keillor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrison-keillor/) > [“If you can't read a simple goddam sign and follow one simple goddam instruction then get your fat butt the hell out of here.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrison-keillor/if-you-can-t-read-a-simple-goddam-sign-and-follow-one-simple-goddam/) [Garrison Keillor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrison-keillor/) > [“The Gospel is meant to comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrison-keillor/the-gospel-is-meant-to-comfort-the-afflicted-and-afflict-the/) [Garrison Keillor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrison-keillor/) > [I don't want them to be told to remember me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrison-keillor/i-don-t-want-them-to-be-told-to-remember-me/) [Garrison Keillor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrison-keillor/) > [Childhood is the small town everyone came from.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrison-keillor/childhood-is-the-small-town-everyone-came-from/) [Garrison Keillor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrison-keillor/) > [I have taken so many wrong turns and been so careless with precious things and managed to lose, or break, or leave out in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrison-keillor/i-have-taken-so-many-wrong-turns-and-been-so-careless-with-precious/) [Garrison Keillor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrison-keillor/) > [Where I'm from we don't trust paper. Wealth is what's here on the premises. 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