--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What will I do with myself when I retire?…" description: "\"What will I do with myself when I retire? When I quit my job, I do not want to quit living. Can I possibly be of use when retirement day comes, or will..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3a1/john-anthony-west-52277_i-quit_what-will-i-do-with-myself-when-i-retire_588599.jpg" --- # What will I do with myself when I retire? When I quit my… ![“What will I do with myself when I retire? When I quit my job, I do not want to quit living. Can I possibly be of use when retirement day comes, or will I just be taking up space?” quote by John Anthony West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3a1/john-anthony-west-52277_i-quit_what-will-i-do-with-myself-when-i-retire_588599.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3a1/john-anthony-west-52277_i-quit_what-will-i-do-with-myself-when-i-retire_588599.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3a1/john-anthony-west-52277_i-quit_what-will-i-do-with-myself-when-i-retire_588599.jpg) > “What will I do with myself when I retire? When I quit my job, I do not want to quit living. Can I possibly be of use when retirement day comes, or will I just be taking up space?” [John Anthony West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-anthony-west/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote reflects anxiety about purpose after retirement, questioning how to stay active and valuable. **In simple terms:** Worry about meaning after work ends. Key Takeaway Seek purposeful engagement in later life. Themes purpose aging identity contribution Mood reflective thoughtful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - volunteering - part‑time work - creative projects - mentoring - lifelong learning Key Concepts existentialism life transition self‑actualization Questions to Reflect On - What activities could give you fulfillment now? - How can you redefine 'useful' in retirement? A Different Perspective May overlook that purpose can evolve, not be fixed. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [I quit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/i-quit/) [Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jobs/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Quit Job](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/quit-job/) [Quitting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/quitting/) [Retire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/retire/) [Retire Quit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/retire-quit-4821773/) [Retirement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/retirement/) [Retirement Day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/retirement-day-2850996/) [Retiring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/retiring/) [Space](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/space/) [Taking Up Space](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/taking-up-space/) [Use](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/use/) [Use Retirement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/use-retirement-4821774/) [Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want/) ## Related quotes > [The trouble with retirement is that you never get a day off.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abe-lemons/the-trouble-with-retirement-is-that-you-never-get-a-day-off/) [Abe Lemons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abe-lemons/) > [I think my idea of retirement might be to one day work a 40-hour week.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vince-mcmahon/i-think-my-idea-of-retirement-might-be-to-one-day-work-a-40-hour-week/) [Vince McMahon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vince-mcmahon/) > [I quit my job. I bought myself a real cheap, like, around-the-world flight ticket, and I went to 16 countries for six months just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malik-bendjelloul/i-quit-my-job-i-bought-myself-a-real-cheap-like-around-the-world/) [Malik Bendjelloul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malik-bendjelloul/) > [I quit my job at the helium gas factory. I didn't like being spoken to in that voice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stewart-francis/i-quit-my-job-at-the-helium-gas-factory-i-didn-t-like-being-spoken-to/) [Stewart Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stewart-francis/) > [I quit my job just to quit. I didn't quit my job to write fiction. I just didn't want to work anymore.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-delillo/i-quit-my-job-just-to-quit-i-didn-t-quit-my-job-to-write-fiction-i/) [Don DeLillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-delillo/) > [When the 'Fight Club' movie was going into production, I quit my job so I could write full-time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-palahniuk/when-the-fight-club-movie-was-going-into-production-i-quit-my-job-so/) [Chuck Palahniuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-palahniuk/) > [Restless, and in desperate need of adventure, I quit my job at an insurance company to travel west with a couple of guys I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mink-stole/restless-and-in-desperate-need-of-adventure-i-quit-my-job-at-an/) [Mink Stole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mink-stole/) > [I used to work in TV and quit the job because I couldn't do it any more. I quite like taking my time over…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/asif-kapadia/i-used-to-work-in-tv-and-quit-the-job-because-i-couldn-t-do-it-any/) [Asif Kapadia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/asif-kapadia/) > [I quit my job, and went ashore to become a writer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-sturgeon/i-quit-my-job-and-went-ashore-to-become-a-writer/) [Theodore Sturgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-sturgeon/) > [So I quit my job and went to the New England Culinary Institute for the full two years and worked in the restaurant industry…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alton-brown/so-i-quit-my-job-and-went-to-the-new-england-culinary-institute-for/) [Alton Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alton-brown/) > [If you don't want anyone to know about your existence, you might as well kill yourself. You're taking up space, air.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-eggers/if-you-don-t-want-anyone-to-know-about-your-existence-you-might-as/) [Dave Eggers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-eggers/) > [It's really important to be conscious of how you're taking up space in this world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-russell/it-s-really-important-to-be-conscious-of-how-you-re-taking-up-space/) [Taylor Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-russell/) > [“If I can’t figure out why I’m here, then I’m just taking up space.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendy-mass/if-i-can-t-figure-out-why-i-m-here-then-i-m-just-taking-up-space/) [Wendy Mass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendy-mass/) > [“This life is beautiful. It’s so goddamned beautiful I can hardly stand it. And I’m a glorious part of it! Everybody else is just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beatrice-sparks/this-life-is-beautiful-it-s-so-goddamned-beautiful-i-can-hardly-stand/) [Beatrice Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beatrice-sparks/) > [“Why do we apologize for advocating for ourselves? Why do we apologize for taking up space that we are entitled to? Why do we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-tambascio/why-do-we-apologize-for-advocating-for-ourselves-why-do-we-apologize/) [Elizabeth Tambascio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-tambascio/) ## More by John Anthony West > [Don't act your age in retirement. Act like the inner young person you have always been.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-anthony-west/don-t-act-your-age-in-retirement-act-like-the-inner-young-person-you/) [John Anthony West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-anthony-west/) > [Few things in this world are more predictable than the reaction of conventional minds to unconventional ideas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-anthony-west/few-things-in-this-world-are-more-predictable-than-the-reaction-of/) [John Anthony West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-anthony-west/) > [“Central to all these interlinked themes was that curious irrational, phi, the Golden Section. 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I finally recognized that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-englander/i-would-drink-gallons-of-coffee-a-day-even-now-off-caffeine-i-talk/) [Nathan Englander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-englander/) > [I worked at a Sport Chek in Vancouver, only so I could get the discount off snowboard gear. But I hated the job so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/missy-peregrym/i-worked-at-a-sport-chek-in-vancouver-only-so-i-could-get-the/) [Missy Peregrym](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/missy-peregrym/) > [The reason I quit being a sales manager over twenty years now is because I hate elevator pitches. I want to write stories and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-busiek/the-reason-i-quit-being-a-sales-manager-over-twenty-years-now-is/) [Kurt Busiek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-busiek/) > [I did 14 movies in six years, I had a cartoon TV show, and I don't want to do that again. I just want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/macaulay-culkin/i-did-14-movies-in-six-years-i-had-a-cartoon-tv-show-and-i-don-t-want/) [Macaulay Culkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/macaulay-culkin/) > [I always tell my husband, That's it, I quit, I've done all I wanted, and he's just like, Yeah, yeah. Sure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-mirren/i-always-tell-my-husband-that-s-it-i-quit-i-ve-done-all-i-wanted-and/) [Helen Mirren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-mirren/) > [I'd been taught to paint like other people, and I thought, what's the use? I couldn't do any better than they, or even as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georgia-o-keeffe/i-d-been-taught-to-paint-like-other-people-and-i-thought-what-s-the/) [Georgia O'Keeffe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georgia-o-keeffe/) > [I quit drinking. That was a big problem for a lot of years. Then after that, I just started feeling grateful again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-crystal/i-quit-drinking-that-was-a-big-problem-for-a-lot-of-years-then-after/) [Billy Crystal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-crystal/) > [I once dieted so religiously I quit eating in church.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zig-ziglar/i-once-dieted-so-religiously-i-quit-eating-in-church/) [Zig Ziglar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zig-ziglar/) > [I quit because I'm so tired of hearing bad news about cigarettes... Even if they discover good news, they don't publicize it - like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arj-barker/i-quit-because-i-m-so-tired-of-hearing-bad-news-about-cigarettes-even/) [Arj Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arj-barker/) > [I followed a girl I met in Japan to Los Angeles and ended up working in a motorcycle store. I quit the job one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-reedus/i-followed-a-girl-i-met-in-japan-to-los-angeles-and-ended-up-working/) [Norman Reedus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-reedus/) > [I quit smoking well over twenty years ago.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shelley-berman/i-quit-smoking-well-over-twenty-years-ago/) [Shelley Berman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shelley-berman/) > [I quit comics because I got completely sick of it. I was drawing comics all the time and didn't have the time or energy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-doucet/i-quit-comics-because-i-got-completely-sick-of-it-i-was-drawing/) [Julie Doucet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-doucet/) > [I always feel pressure. If you don't feel nervous, that means you don't care about how you play. I care about how I perform.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tiger-woods/i-always-feel-pressure-if-you-don-t-feel-nervous-that-means-you-don-t/) [Tiger Woods](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tiger-woods/) > [I quit smoking cigarettes and with the $70 a month I am saving not smoking cigarettes I'm smoking $700 worth of cigars.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-white/i-quit-smoking-cigarettes-and-with-the-70-a-month-i-am-saving-not/) [Ron White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-white/) > [I'd gotten away from my Buddhism. And I quit meditating.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tiger-woods/i-d-gotten-away-from-my-buddhism-and-i-quit-meditating/) [Tiger Woods](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tiger-woods/) [Browse all 248 I quit quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/i-quit/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "What will I do with myself when I retire? When I quit my job, I do not want to quit living. 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