---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I would never say, \"I'm retired.\" I…"
description: "\"I would never say, \"I'm retired.\" I believe if I decided to just not work, in six months everybody would just forget whether you were working or not.\" ..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e17/jack-nicholson-1283_believe_i-would-never-say-i-m-retired-i-believe_988260.jpg"
---

#  I would never say, "I'm retired." I believe if I decided…

![“I would never say, &quot;I'm retired.&quot; I believe if I decided to just not work, in six months everybody would just forget whether you were working or not.” quote by Jack Nicholson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e17/jack-nicholson-1283_believe_i-would-never-say-i-m-retired-i-believe_988260.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e17/jack-nicholson-1283_believe_i-would-never-say-i-m-retired-i-believe_988260.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e17/jack-nicholson-1283_believe_i-would-never-say-i-m-retired-i-believe_988260.jpg)

> “I would never say, "I'm retired." I believe if I decided to just not work, in six months everybody would just forget whether you were working or not.”

[Jack Nicholson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-nicholson/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

He refuses retirement, believing inactivity leads to obscurity.

**In simple terms:** Retirement is seen as disappearing.

Key Takeaway

Stay active to remain relevant.

Themes

career legacy relevance

Mood

thoughtful cautious

Type

philosophical inspirational

When to use this quote

- career planning
- personal branding
- industry relevance

Key Concepts

aging work ethic

Questions to Reflect On

- What defines a meaningful career?
- Is constant work sustainable?

A Different Perspective

Retirement can be a healthy choice.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Believe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe/) [Decided](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decided/) [Forget](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forget/) [Forget Working](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forget-working-2007616/) [I believe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/i-believe/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Months](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/months/) [Retired](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/retired/) [Retired Believe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/retired-believe-2007617/) [Retirement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/retirement/) [Say Retired](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/say-retired-245189/) [Six](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/six/) [Six months](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/six-months/) [Work Months](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work-months-927607/)

## Related quotes

> [Some people say they're retired and it means they have time to do things they want to do. I have always had the privilege…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-keaton/some-people-say-they-re-retired-and-it-means-they-have-time-to-do/)

[Diane Keaton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-keaton/)

> [ It \[retirement\] was absolutely boring. You can't go and say, 'I'm retired now. That's it!' It won't take long and you're really gone for… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ozzy-osbourne/it-retirement-was-absolutely-boring-you-can-t-go-and-say-i-m-retired/)

[Ozzy Osbourne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ozzy-osbourne/)

> [I don't really pursue acting. I jokingly say that I retired right at the same time people stopped hiring me, but I really don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobcat-goldthwait/i-don-t-really-pursue-acting-i-jokingly-say-that-i-retired-right-at/)

[Bobcat Goldthwait](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobcat-goldthwait/)

> [I see all these old people who don't have anything to do but eat, drink and sleep. I will never say 'retired' because that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-andretti/i-see-all-these-old-people-who-don-t-have-anything-to-do-but-eat/)

[Mario Andretti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-andretti/)

> [I kinda like this Jay-Z thing, where he’s retired, but he keeps doing shows. I think I beat him to that. If you say…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-murray/i-kinda-like-this-jay-z-thing-where-he-s-retired-but-he-keeps-doing/)

[Bill Murray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-murray/)

> [I am actually retired - yes, I am retired. But I like to work. So I'm retired until someone calls me up to work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vilmos-zsigmond/i-am-actually-retired-yes-i-am-retired-but-i-like-to-work-so-i-m/)

[Vilmos Zsigmond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vilmos-zsigmond/)

> [Germany, I think, was first to substitute a Social Security program for its elderly based on this premise, that is, that we would tax…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-shadegg/germany-i-think-was-first-to-substitute-a-social-security-program-for/)

[John Shadegg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-shadegg/)

> [When you retire, you switch bosses - from the one who hired you to the one who married you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-perret/when-you-retire-you-switch-bosses-from-the-one-who-hired-you-to-the/)

[Gene Perret](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-perret/)

> [Retirement: That's when you return from work one day and say, "Hi, Honey, I'm home - forever."](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-perret/retirement-that-s-when-you-return-from-work-one-day-and-say-hi-honey/)

[Gene Perret](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-perret/)

> [In my retirement I go for a short swim at least once or twice every day. It's either that or buy a new golf…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-perret/in-my-retirement-i-go-for-a-short-swim-at-least-once-or-twice-every/)

[Gene Perret](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-perret/)

> [I didn’t know that painters and writers retired. They’re like soldiers – they just fade away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-ferlinghetti/i-didn-t-know-that-painters-and-writers-retired-they-re-like-soldiers/)

[Lawrence Ferlinghetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-ferlinghetti/)

> [I still love what I do and I've done OK over the years ... You're a long time retired and anyway, I'd get bored.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bart-cummings/i-still-love-what-i-do-and-i-ve-done-ok-over-the-years-you-re-a-long/)

[Bart Cummings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bart-cummings/)

> [Retirement is wonderful. It's doing nothing without worrying about getting caught at it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-perret/retirement-is-wonderful-it-s-doing-nothing-without-worrying-about/)

[Gene Perret](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-perret/)

> [“I'm 68 years old, and somebody asked if I'm retired. I told him, "No, I'll still be writing long after I'm dead.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-brackin/i-m-68-years-old-and-somebody-asked-if-i-m-retired-i-told-him-no-i-ll/)

[Ron Brackin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-brackin/)

> [You are a long time retired. I don't want to sit there when that happens and think, 'Oh, I wish I had done that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-milner/you-are-a-long-time-retired-i-don-t-want-to-sit-there-when-that/)

[James Milner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-milner/)

## More by Jack Nicholson

> [Freedom in every sense but primarily political sense, a rise in repression that stems from a repression of sexuality. It's AIDS, it's herpes, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-nicholson/freedom-in-every-sense-but-primarily-political-sense-a-rise-in/)

[Jack Nicholson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-nicholson/)

> [Women are sort of like motorcycle gangs with me. They get really shy and polite. I don't know why.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-nicholson/women-are-sort-of-like-motorcycle-gangs-with-me-they-get-really-shy/)

[Jack Nicholson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-nicholson/)

> [I love writing, but I stopped because I felt I was more effective approaching filmmaking from a different vantage point.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-nicholson/i-love-writing-but-i-stopped-because-i-felt-i-was-more-effective/)

[Jack Nicholson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-nicholson/)

> [I've been too many places. I'm like the bad penny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-nicholson/i-ve-been-too-many-places-i-m-like-the-bad-penny/)

[Jack Nicholson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-nicholson/)

> [I was invited to join the MGM cartoon department. But if I'd started work in animation I'd have had to take a cut in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-nicholson/i-was-invited-to-join-the-mgm-cartoon-department-but-if-i-d-started/)

[Jack Nicholson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-nicholson/)

> [I don't play golf competitively. I tell everybody that I cheat so they won't gamble with me. That's why you can't watch football. Everybody's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-nicholson/i-don-t-play-golf-competitively-i-tell-everybody-that-i-cheat-so-they/)

[Jack Nicholson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-nicholson/)

> [I'm such a perfectionist. I always feel overpraised or whatever. In the abstract, I know I'm a good person, a good professional. But it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-nicholson/i-m-such-a-perfectionist-i-always-feel-overpraised-or-whatever-in-the/)

[Jack Nicholson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-nicholson/)

> [Men dominate because of physicality, and thus they have mercy where women do not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-nicholson/men-dominate-because-of-physicality-and-thus-they-have-mercy-where/)

[Jack Nicholson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-nicholson/)

> [I think it's good if a man gives a woman some time to herself because I think we all need that and we can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-nicholson/i-think-it-s-good-if-a-man-gives-a-woman-some-time-to-herself-because/)

[Jack Nicholson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-nicholson/)

> [The most difficult thing about being well known? Getting out of a hotel room at 4am.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-nicholson/the-most-difficult-thing-about-being-well-known-getting-out-of-a/)

[Jack Nicholson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-nicholson/)

> [ He \[Castro\] is a genius. We spoke about everything. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-nicholson/he-castro-is-a-genius-we-spoke-about-everything/)

[Jack Nicholson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-nicholson/)

> [I've always had an urge to feed my need to have fun and feel free. I don't see any interesting alternatives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-nicholson/i-ve-always-had-an-urge-to-feed-my-need-to-have-fun-and-feel-free-i/)

[Jack Nicholson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-nicholson/)

> [Take caution in your tone, commander. I'm a fair man, but this -- heat is making me absolutely crazy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-nicholson/take-caution-in-your-tone-commander-i-m-a-fair-man-but-this-heat-is/)

[Jack Nicholson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-nicholson/)

> [The stage has a certain discipline. But the ultimate standard is more exacting in film, because you have to see yourself and you are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-nicholson/the-stage-has-a-certain-discipline-but-the-ultimate-standard-is-more/)

[Jack Nicholson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-nicholson/)

> [Comedy is much harder, it's a lot more exacting. You can't just be real and you can't just use the same kind of techniques…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-nicholson/comedy-is-much-harder-it-s-a-lot-more-exacting-you-can-t-just-be-real/)

[Jack Nicholson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-nicholson/)

[Explore all 261 Jack Nicholson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-nicholson/)

## More Believe quotes

> [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. You have to be hyper, hyper aware of what's going on around you. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-moore/i-actually-think-acting-is-a-form-of-self-hypnosis-you-have-to-be/)

[Julianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-moore/)

> [Some people still believe you should just fall in line with what's going on - and that's scary. It makes a mockery of freedom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-robison/some-people-still-believe-you-should-just-fall-in-line-with-what-s/)

[Emily Robison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-robison/)

> [The truth seems to be that propaganda on its own cannot force its way into unwilling minds; neither can it inculcate something wholly new;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/the-truth-seems-to-be-that-propaganda-on-its-own-cannot-force-its-way/)

[Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/)

> [Resist discouragement by speaking His Word over your future. Keep standing. Keep hoping; keep believing because He is working behind the scenes. He's going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/resist-discouragement-by-speaking-his-word-over-your-future-keep/)

[Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/)

> [I can't believe that I'm sitting in meetings with Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, and Annette Bening. I want to take on that responsibility to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-can-t-believe-that-i-m-sitting-in-meetings-with-steven-spielberg/)

[Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/)

> [There is no such word as item girl in the dictionary. People have created this word and I don't believe that I am an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shefali-zariwala/there-is-no-such-word-as-item-girl-in-the-dictionary-people-have/)

[Shefali Zariwala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shefali-zariwala/)

> [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/)

[Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/)

> [I don't really like too much credit. I know nobody's going to believe this, but I'd rather be able to score goals and nobody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradley-wright-phillips/i-don-t-really-like-too-much-credit-i-know-nobody-s-going-to-believe/)

[Bradley Wright-Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradley-wright-phillips/)

> [“What I have a problem with is not so much religion or god, but faith. When you say you believe something in your heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/what-i-have-a-problem-with-is-not-so-much-religion-or-god-but-faith/)

[Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/)

> [Bush reiterated his stand to conservatives opposing his decision on stem cell research. He said today he believes life begins at conception and ends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/bush-reiterated-his-stand-to-conservatives-opposing-his-decision-on/)

[Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/)

> [Never underestimate the power of the human mind to believe what it wants to believe, no matter the conflicting evidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-herbert/never-underestimate-the-power-of-the-human-mind-to-believe-what-it/)

[Brian Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-herbert/)

> [To believe in love, to be ready to give up anything for it, to be willing to risk your life for it, is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/to-believe-in-love-to-be-ready-to-give-up-anything-for-it-to-be/)

[Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/)

> [That's why I don't generally talk about endorsements because I don't believe we have to tell people who to vote for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-iii/that-s-why-i-don-t-generally-talk-about-endorsements-because-i-don-t/)

[Martin Luther King III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-iii/)

> [Mankind have been slow to believe that order reigns in the universe-that the world is a cosmos and a chaos.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-garfield/mankind-have-been-slow-to-believe-that-order-reigns-in-the-universe/)

[James A. Garfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-garfield/)

> [We instantly believe everything we think. Isn't that insane? It's good for us to explore the depravity of our minds, so we know we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krishna-das/we-instantly-believe-everything-we-think-isn-t-that-insane-it-s-good/)

[Krishna Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krishna-das/)

[Browse all 47,704 Believe quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "I would never say, \"I'm retired.\" I believe if I decided to just not work, in six months everybody would just forget whether you were working or not.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Jack Nicholson"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-nicholson/i-would-never-say-i-m-retired-i-believe-if-i-decided-to-just-not-work/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Believe"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-nicholson/i-would-never-say-i-m-retired-i-believe-if-i-decided-to-just-not-work/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e17/jack-nicholson-1283_believe_i-would-never-say-i-m-retired-i-believe_988260.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e17/jack-nicholson-1283_believe_i-would-never-say-i-m-retired-i-believe_988260.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e17/jack-nicholson-1283_believe_i-would-never-say-i-m-retired-i-believe_988260.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“I would never say, \"I'm retired.\" I believe if I decided to just not work, in six months everybody would…” — Jack Nicholson",
                "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": "Jack Nicholson",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-nicholson/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "I would never say, \"I'm retired.\"...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-nicholson/i-would-never-say-i-m-retired-i-believe-if-i-decided-to-just-not-work/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-nicholson/i-would-never-say-i-m-retired-i-believe-if-i-decided-to-just-not-work/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
