--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Right up until the time I retired at age…" description: "\"Right up until the time I retired at age 37, I felt like there were still things that I could do better.\" — Julius Erving" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1fe/julius-erving-10131_age_right-up-until-the-time-i-retired-at-age_2842756.jpg" --- # Right up until the time I retired at age 37, I felt like… ![“Right up until the time I retired at age 37, I felt like there were still things that I could do better.” quote by Julius Erving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1fe/julius-erving-10131_age_right-up-until-the-time-i-retired-at-age_2842756.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1fe/julius-erving-10131_age_right-up-until-the-time-i-retired-at-age_2842756.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1fe/julius-erving-10131_age_right-up-until-the-time-i-retired-at-age_2842756.jpg) > “Right up until the time I retired at age 37, I felt like there were still things that I could do better.” [Julius Erving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julius-erving/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Even after retirement, the drive for improvement persists, reflecting lifelong ambition. **In simple terms:** Retirement doesn’t end the desire to improve. Key Takeaway Continue learning after career ends. Themes ambition self‑improvement legacy Mood reflective determined Type personal inspirational When to use this quote - coaching - public speaking - mentoring - writing Key Concepts Growth mindset career transition lifelong learning Questions to Reflect On - What new skills will you pursue? - How do you measure personal growth now? A Different Perspective Retirement may bring new challenges that test motivation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Age](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/age/) [Basketball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/basketball/) [Felt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/felt/) [Felt Like](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/felt-like/) [Retired](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/retired/) [Retired Age](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/retired-age-662472/) [Stills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stills/) [Things Better](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/things-better/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Time Retired](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time-retired-648026/) ## Related quotes > [At the time I retired I was kind of known for it, as one of the guys whose career ended technically as a result…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-young/at-the-time-i-retired-i-was-kind-of-known-for-it-as-one-of-the-guys/) [Steve Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-young/) > [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/) > [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/) > [When I retired, I was at an in-between age. I wasn't a child anymore, I wasn't really a woman yet, and they weren't really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-badham/when-i-retired-i-was-at-an-in-between-age-i-wasn-t-a-child-anymore-i/) [Mary Badham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-badham/) > [As you get older, the assumption is you get wiser. I try to earn it by not staying still, not resting on laurels. A…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorin-maazel/as-you-get-older-the-assumption-is-you-get-wiser-i-try-to-earn-it-by/) [Lorin Maazel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorin-maazel/) > [As lots of us ex-pros know, you are a long time retired and there comes a stage when you would give anything to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-agnew/as-lots-of-us-ex-pros-know-you-are-a-long-time-retired-and-there/) [Jonathan Agnew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-agnew/) > [I retired at age 40 because my daughters looked at me one day and said: 'Dad, being bald and wearing shorts doesn't look good together'.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfredo-di-stefano/i-retired-at-age-40-because-my-daughters-looked-at-me-one-day-and/) [Alfredo Di Stefano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfredo-di-stefano/) > [“And anyway by the time you are retired at the age of sixty there is nothing to do. Death seems to be a relief,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/osho/and-anyway-by-the-time-you-are-retired-at-the-age-of-sixty-there-is/) [Osho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/osho/) > [For the millionth time, I'm retired. I keep saying it, and people keep answering, 'Well, maybe he doesn't mean it this time.' But I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-phelps/for-the-millionth-time-i-m-retired-i-keep-saying-it-and-people-keep/) [Michael Phelps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-phelps/) > [“I retired at the age of 25, and it wasn’t until a few days later that I realized that in order to retire you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/i-retired-at-the-age-of-25-and-it-wasn-t-until-a-few-days-later-that/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [When I said I retired from basketball playing, I have retired. You will not see me play again. That is a promise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-malone/when-i-said-i-retired-from-basketball-playing-i-have-retired-you-will/) [Karl Malone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-malone/) > [I liked the game, I enjoyed the game, and the game fed me enough, and gave me enough rewards to reinforce that this is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julius-erving/i-liked-the-game-i-enjoyed-the-game-and-the-game-fed-me-enough-and/) [Julius Erving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julius-erving/) > [One day things will be so much better that everyone will look at me and wish I was like them!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-weller/one-day-things-will-be-so-much-better-that-everyone-will-look-at-me/) [Rachel Weller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-weller/) > [“I like few things better than to have my work read and understood.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-blackwell/i-like-few-things-better-than-to-have-my-work-read-and-understood/) [William Blackwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-blackwell/) > [If your life's at a juncture and you need to think about things, there's nowhere better than home. However old you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophie-kinsella/if-your-life-s-at-a-juncture-and-you-need-to-think-about-things-there/) [Sophie Kinsella](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophie-kinsella/) ## More by Julius Erving > [I liked the game, I enjoyed the game, and the game fed me enough, and gave me enough rewards to reinforce that this is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julius-erving/i-liked-the-game-i-enjoyed-the-game-and-the-game-fed-me-enough-and/) [Julius Erving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julius-erving/) > [You know, just in terms of having to have a life on the road, you know, having the celebrity aspect be a burden for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julius-erving/you-know-just-in-terms-of-having-to-have-a-life-on-the-road-you-know/) [Julius Erving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julius-erving/) > [But you know, we have a very normal family. We've had our ups and downs. You know, we've had our issues, but we've had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julius-erving/but-you-know-we-have-a-very-normal-family-we-ve-had-our-ups-and-downs/) [Julius Erving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julius-erving/) > [LA Clippers should come to Louisville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julius-erving/la-clippers-should-come-to-louisville/) [Julius Erving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julius-erving/) > [Being a professional is doing the things you love to do, on the days you don't feel like doing them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julius-erving/being-a-professional-is-doing-the-things-you-love-to-do-on-the-days/) [Julius Erving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julius-erving/) > [I think I was chosen by basketball, although I never really physically got drafted to any team that I played for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julius-erving/i-think-i-was-chosen-by-basketball-although-i-never-really-physically/) [Julius Erving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julius-erving/) > [As a kid, I played a lot of one-on-none.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julius-erving/as-a-kid-i-played-a-lot-of-one-on-none/) [Julius Erving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julius-erving/) > [Goals determine what you are going to be](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julius-erving/goals-determine-what-you-are-going-to-be/) [Julius Erving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julius-erving/) > [I demand more from myself than anybody could ever expect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julius-erving/i-demand-more-from-myself-than-anybody-could-ever-expect/) [Julius Erving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julius-erving/) > [I think that my God-given physical attributes, big hands, and big feet, the way that I'm built, proportion-wise, just made basketball the most inviting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julius-erving/i-think-that-my-god-given-physical-attributes-big-hands-and-big-feet/) [Julius Erving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julius-erving/) > [I've always tried to tell myself that the work itself is the thing, that win, lose, or draw, the work is really what counts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julius-erving/i-ve-always-tried-to-tell-myself-that-the-work-itself-is-the-thing/) [Julius Erving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julius-erving/) > [When I went to Philadelphia I was 26 years old and really sitting on top of the world. Family life, a professional career, plenty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julius-erving/when-i-went-to-philadelphia-i-was-26-years-old-and-really-sitting-on/) [Julius Erving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julius-erving/) > [When I played, the owners had the power. The prisoners are running the prison now, not the warden. The warden is strong and he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julius-erving/when-i-played-the-owners-had-the-power-the-prisoners-are-running-the/) [Julius Erving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julius-erving/) > [If you don't do what's best for your body, you're the one who comes up on the short end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julius-erving/if-you-don-t-do-what-s-best-for-your-body-you-re-the-one-who-comes-up/) [Julius Erving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julius-erving/) > [I always try to keep a pretty conservative demeanor on the court.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julius-erving/i-always-try-to-keep-a-pretty-conservative-demeanor-on-the-court/) [Julius Erving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julius-erving/) [Explore all 67 Julius Erving quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julius-erving/) ## More Age quotes > [I need a bath." He chuckled. "You smell of smoke, as do I." The duke turned, leaning heavily on his cane. "Jameson, open the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-hawkins/i-need-a-bath-he-chuckled-you-smell-of-smoke-as-do-i-the-duke-turned/) [Karen Hawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-hawkins/) > [While we've youth in our hearts, we can never grow old.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-wendell-holmes-jr/while-we-ve-youth-in-our-hearts-we-can-never-grow-old/) [Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-wendell-holmes-jr/) > [It's easier to change a law than an age-old mentality. Deep down, many prejudices, many hostilities, many fears persist. But if we take a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dacia-maraini/it-s-easier-to-change-a-law-than-an-age-old-mentality-deep-down-many/) [Dacia Maraini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dacia-maraini/) > [When I first started writing, when I was 15, I would go to work with people and they would tell me my lyrics were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sabrina-claudio/when-i-first-started-writing-when-i-was-15-i-would-go-to-work-with/) [Sabrina Claudio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sabrina-claudio/) > [Real people speak in my books about the main events of the age, such as the war, the Chernobyl disaster, and the downfall of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/svetlana-alexievich/real-people-speak-in-my-books-about-the-main-events-of-the-age-such/) [Svetlana Alexievich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/svetlana-alexievich/) > [As a child I was very involved with sports and I knew at age 9 that I wanted to be an Olympic champion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marion-jones/as-a-child-i-was-very-involved-with-sports-and-i-knew-at-age-9-that-i/) [Marion Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marion-jones/) > [If there is any period one would desire to be born in, is it not the age of Revolution; when the old and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/if-there-is-any-period-one-would-desire-to-be-born-in-is-it-not-the/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [By making conscious choices in our behavior and where we focus our attention, we can transform our experience of our body, decrease our biological…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/by-making-conscious-choices-in-our-behavior-and-where-we-focus-our/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [I am just enjoying the dream of being Milan coach at the age of 40.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gennaro-gattuso/i-am-just-enjoying-the-dream-of-being-milan-coach-at-the-age-of-40/) [Gennaro Gattuso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gennaro-gattuso/) > [Age is an accumulation of life and loss. Adulthood is a series of lines crossed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-goodman/age-is-an-accumulation-of-life-and-loss-adulthood-is-a-series-of/) [Ellen Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-goodman/) > [I calculated that if I live up to the age of 80, then I end up using 450 toothbrushes in my life. All that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dia-mirza/i-calculated-that-if-i-live-up-to-the-age-of-80-then-i-end-up-using/) [Dia Mirza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dia-mirza/) > [Why is wisdom so fair? Why is beauty so wise? 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That was a hard work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-kaulitz/we-have-started-to-make-music-at-age-seven-that-was-a-hard-work/) [Bill Kaulitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-kaulitz/) [Browse all 18,948 Age quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/age/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Right up until the time I retired at age 37, I felt like there were still things that I could do better.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Julius Erving" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julius-erving/right-up-until-the-time-i-retired-at-age-37-i-felt-like-there-were/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Age" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julius-erving/right-up-until-the-time-i-retired-at-age-37-i-felt-like-there-were/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1fe/julius-erving-10131_age_right-up-until-the-time-i-retired-at-age_2842756.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1fe/julius-erving-10131_age_right-up-until-the-time-i-retired-at-age_2842756.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1fe/julius-erving-10131_age_right-up-until-the-time-i-retired-at-age_2842756.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Right up until the time I retired at age 37, I felt like there were still things that I could do better.” — Julius Erving", "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": "Julius Erving", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julius-erving/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Right up until the time I...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julius-erving/right-up-until-the-time-i-retired-at-age-37-i-felt-like-there-were/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julius-erving/right-up-until-the-time-i-retired-at-age-37-i-felt-like-there-were/#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 } } ] } ```