---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I've had nothing to do with the…"
description: "\"I've had nothing to do with the intelligence world since I left it, in any shade or variety.\" — John le Carre"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5e3/john-le-carre-651_any_i-ve-had-nothing-to-do-with-the-intellig_2282093.jpg"
---

#  I've had nothing to do with the intelligence world since I…

![“I've had nothing to do with the intelligence world since I left it, in any shade or variety.” quote by John le Carre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5e3/john-le-carre-651_any_i-ve-had-nothing-to-do-with-the-intellig_2282093.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5e3/john-le-carre-651_any_i-ve-had-nothing-to-do-with-the-intellig_2282093.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5e3/john-le-carre-651_any_i-ve-had-nothing-to-do-with-the-intellig_2282093.jpg)

> “I've had nothing to do with the intelligence world since I left it, in any shade or variety.”

[John le Carre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-le-carre/)

## About This Quote

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

He distances himself from any involvement in intelligence work after leaving it, emphasizing a clean break.

**In simple terms:** He left the intelligence world completely.

Key Takeaway

Avoid entanglement with past professions.

Themes

integrity detachment career change

Mood

reflective serious

Type

personal philosophical

When to use this quote

- career transitions
- personal reinvention
- ethical decisions

Key Concepts

personal boundaries identity post‑career reflection

Questions to Reflect On

- How do you maintain boundaries after a career shift?
- What benefits arise from a clean break?

A Different Perspective

Leaving may still affect reputation.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Intelligence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intelligence/) [Nothing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nothing/) [Shade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shade/) [Variety](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/variety/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/)

## Related quotes

> [In order to have the best intelligence in the world to know who the terrorists are and where they are and what they're plotting,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kerry/in-order-to-have-the-best-intelligence-in-the-world-to-know-who-the/)

[John F. Kerry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kerry/)

> [To protect us from terrorism, we must have the best, absolutely the best gathering of intelligence anywhere in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/to-protect-us-from-terrorism-we-must-have-the-best-absolutely-the/)

[Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/)

> [As a beat reporter covering the CIA and intelligence world after the terrorist attacks of 2001, I could sense that many things I couldn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dana-priest/as-a-beat-reporter-covering-the-cia-and-intelligence-world-after-the/)

[Dana Priest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dana-priest/)

> [I don't deny that there are problems in the intelligence world, but I would argue that in the UK we try to uphold the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hague/i-don-t-deny-that-there-are-problems-in-the-intelligence-world-but-i/)

[William Hague](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hague/)

> [We also have to work, though, sort of the dark side, if you will. We've got to spend time in the shadows in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-cheney/we-also-have-to-work-though-sort-of-the-dark-side-if-you-will-we-ve/)

[Dick Cheney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-cheney/)

> [There's plenty of intelligence in the world, but the courage to do things differently is in short supply.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-vos-savant/there-s-plenty-of-intelligence-in-the-world-but-the-courage-to-do/)

[Marilyn vos Savant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-vos-savant/)

> [The dirty little secret of the intelligence world is that much of what you really need to know isn't exactly a secret anyway.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-bergen/the-dirty-little-secret-of-the-intelligence-world-is-that-much-of/)

[Peter Bergen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-bergen/)

> [We sit for a week and listen to an extraordinary amount of people talk about what they do in the intelligence world. It's pretty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lesli-linka-glatter/we-sit-for-a-week-and-listen-to-an-extraordinary-amount-of-people/)

[Lesli Linka Glatter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lesli-linka-glatter/)

> [All religions are branches of one big tree. It doesn't matter what you call Him just as long as you call. Just as cinematic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-harrison/all-religions-are-branches-of-one-big-tree-it-doesn-t-matter-what-you-2/)

[George Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-harrison/)

> [So you see,' said Stepan Arkadyich, 'you're a very wholesome man. That is your virtue and your defect. You have a wholesome character, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/so-you-see-said-stepan-arkadyich-you-re-a-very-wholesome-man-that-is/)

[Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/)

> [Plagiarize, plagiarize, / Let no man's work evade your eyes, / Remember why the good Lord made your eyes, / Don't shade your eyes,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-lehrer/plagiarize-plagiarize-let-no-man-s-work-evade-your-eyes-remember-why/)

[Tom Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-lehrer/)

> [MAC allowed me to have complete freedom on the collaborations—from the shades, the look-and-feel, to the campaign visuals. I have to admit that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-treacy/mac-allowed-me-to-have-complete-freedom-on-the-collaborations-from/)

[Philip Treacy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-treacy/)

> [“The cactus thrives in the desert while the fern thrives in the wetland. The fool will try to plant them in the same flowerbox.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vera-nazarian/the-cactus-thrives-in-the-desert-while-the-fern-thrives-in-the/)

[Vera Nazarian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vera-nazarian/)

> [I was getting dressed and a peeping tom looked in the window, took a look and pulled down the shade.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-rivers/i-was-getting-dressed-and-a-peeping-tom-looked-in-the-window-took-a/)

[Joan Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-rivers/)

> [Home is behind, the world ahead, And there are many paths to tread Through shadows to the edge of night, Until the stars are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/home-is-behind-the-world-ahead-and-there-are-many-paths-to-tread/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

## More by John le Carre

> [The creation of George Smiley, the retired spy recalled to hunt for just such a high-ranking mole in 'Tinker, Tailor,' was extremely personal. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-le-carre/the-creation-of-george-smiley-the-retired-spy-recalled-to-hunt-for/)

[John le Carre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-le-carre/)

> [All power corrupts but some must govern.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-le-carre/all-power-corrupts-but-some-must-govern/)

[John le Carre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-le-carre/)

> [During the Cold War, we lived in coded times when it wasn't easy and there were shades of grey and ambiguity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-le-carre/during-the-cold-war-we-lived-in-coded-times-when-it-wasn-t-easy-and/)

[John le Carre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-le-carre/)

> [“You're history, Donohue. You think countries run the fucking world! Go back to fucking Sunday school. It's 'God save our multinational' they're singing these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-le-carre/you-re-history-donohue-you-think-countries-run-the-fucking-world-go/)

[John le Carré](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-le-carre/)

> [When you're my age and you see a story, you better go for it pretty quickly. I'd just like to get a few more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-le-carre/when-you-re-my-age-and-you-see-a-story-you-better-go-for-it-pretty/)

[John le Carre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-le-carre/)

> [The trouble is, when professional spies go out of their way to make a definitive statement about one of their own, the public tends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-le-carre/the-trouble-is-when-professional-spies-go-out-of-their-way-to-make-a/)

[John le Carre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-le-carre/)

> [Ideologies have no heart of their own. They're the whores and angels of our striving selves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-le-carre/ideologies-have-no-heart-of-their-own-they-re-the-whores-and-angels/)

[John le Carre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-le-carre/)

> [Home's where you go when you run out of homes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-le-carre/home-s-where-you-go-when-you-run-out-of-homes/)

[John le Carre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-le-carre/)

> [“Pain observed is journalistic pain. It's diplomatic pain. It's television pain, over as soon as you switch off your beastly set.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-le-carre/pain-observed-is-journalistic-pain-it-s-diplomatic-pain-it-s/)

[John le Carré](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-le-carre/)

> [The greatest threat to mankind comes from the renunciation of individual scruple in favor of institutional denominators. . . . Real heroism lies, as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-le-carre/the-greatest-threat-to-mankind-comes-from-the-renunciation-of/)

[John le Carre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-le-carre/)

> [“and the wood smoke will roll out of the fireplace on to the carpet we paid too much for on that rainy afternoon in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-le-carre/and-the-wood-smoke-will-roll-out-of-the-fireplace-on-to-the-carpet-we/)

[John le Carré](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-le-carre/)

> [“Middle children weep longer than their brothers and sisters. Over her mother’s shoulder, stilling her pains and her injured pride, Jackie Lacon watched the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-le-carre/middle-children-weep-longer-than-their-brothers-and-sisters-over-her/)

[John le Carré](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-le-carre/)

> [For decades to come the spy world will continue to be the collective couch where the subconscious of each nation is confessed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-le-carre/for-decades-to-come-the-spy-world-will-continue-to-be-the-collective/)

[John le Carre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-le-carre/)

> [I happen to write by hand. I don't even type. John Le Carre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-le-carre/i-happen-to-write-by-hand-i-don-t-even-type-john-le-carre/)

[John Le Carre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-le-carre/)

> [The more identities a man has, the more they express the person they conceal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-le-carre/the-more-identities-a-man-has-the-more-they-express-the-person-they/)

[John le Carre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-le-carre/)

[Explore all 409 John le Carre quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-le-carre/)

## More Any quotes

> [Amongst the financial Twitterati, the term 'muppets' has come to describe any client used and abused by some financial predator. I've adopted the term…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-ritholtz/amongst-the-financial-twitterati-the-term-muppets-has-come-to/)

[Barry Ritholtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-ritholtz/)

> [At the very beginning, I was a page at Letterman, and I freelanced for any place that would let me write any word. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-schwartz/at-the-very-beginning-i-was-a-page-at-letterman-and-i-freelanced-for/)

[Ben Schwartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-schwartz/)

> [Any incarnation of 'Batman' I am delighted to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-west/any-incarnation-of-batman-i-am-delighted-to-do/)

[Adam West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-west/)

> [If we accept being talked to any kind of a way, then we are telling ourselves we are not quite worth the best. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/if-we-accept-being-talked-to-any-kind-of-a-way-then-we-are-telling/)

[Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/)

> [A lot of people have been saying 'The 100' reminds them of 'Lord Of The Flies,' 'Lost' and 'Battlestar Galactica,' and all of those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-avgeropoulos/a-lot-of-people-have-been-saying-the-100-reminds-them-of-lord-of-the/)

[Marie Avgeropoulos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-avgeropoulos/)

> [I have never been in, nor have I had any strong particular desire to be in, what is termed a costume drama, but I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-freeman/i-have-never-been-in-nor-have-i-had-any-strong-particular-desire-to/)

[Martin Freeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-freeman/)

> [We were so poor as kids. I didn't even see a bathtub, running water, hot water, commode - we didn't have any of that.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-robertson/we-were-so-poor-as-kids-i-didn-t-even-see-a-bathtub-running-water-hot/)

[Phil Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-robertson/)

> [We earned any fans with the way we play.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-white/we-earned-any-fans-with-the-way-we-play/)

[Jimmy White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-white/)

> [Hard work and a good education will take you further than any government program.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-schock/hard-work-and-a-good-education-will-take-you-further-than-any/)

[Aaron Schock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-schock/)

> [Anyone who's read my 'Terror in the Skies' series knows that I have not been writing with an eye toward approval from any government…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-jacobsen/anyone-who-s-read-my-terror-in-the-skies-series-knows-that-i-have-not/)

[Annie Jacobsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-jacobsen/)

> [The system in Germany is different, as you sign up with a company for two or three years, and you work exclusively with them;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-wlaschiha/the-system-in-germany-is-different-as-you-sign-up-with-a-company-for/)

[Tom Wlaschiha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-wlaschiha/)

> [I'm writing about real things. Real people. Real characters. You have to believe what I write about is true or you wouldn't pay any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-reed/i-m-writing-about-real-things-real-people-real-characters-you-have-to/)

[Lou Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-reed/)

> [I haven't shut any doors, and I'm really open to anything, so I think it's just about the material and what is going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danielle-panabaker/i-haven-t-shut-any-doors-and-i-m-really-open-to-anything-so-i-think/)

[Danielle Panabaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danielle-panabaker/)

> [I never want to look back on any moment and say I could have done more. So I go all in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-haze/i-never-want-to-look-back-on-any-moment-and-say-i-could-have-done/)

[Scott Haze](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-haze/)

> [I love the sea, but I avoid any sort of seaside resort that has skyscrapers or seaside entertainments.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quentin-blake/i-love-the-sea-but-i-avoid-any-sort-of-seaside-resort-that-has/)

[Quentin Blake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quentin-blake/)

Browse all 6,938 Any quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "I've had nothing to do with the intelligence world since I left it, in any shade or variety.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "John le Carre"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-le-carre/i-ve-had-nothing-to-do-with-the-intelligence-world-since-i-left-it-in/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Any"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-le-carre/i-ve-had-nothing-to-do-with-the-intelligence-world-since-i-left-it-in/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5e3/john-le-carre-651_any_i-ve-had-nothing-to-do-with-the-intellig_2282093.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5e3/john-le-carre-651_any_i-ve-had-nothing-to-do-with-the-intellig_2282093.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5e3/john-le-carre-651_any_i-ve-had-nothing-to-do-with-the-intellig_2282093.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“I've had nothing to do with the intelligence world since I left it, in any shade or variety.” — John le Carre",
                "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": "John le Carre",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-le-carre/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "I've had nothing to do with...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-le-carre/i-ve-had-nothing-to-do-with-the-intelligence-world-since-i-left-it-in/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-le-carre/i-ve-had-nothing-to-do-with-the-intelligence-world-since-i-left-it-in/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
