--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What I do is work for three or four years…" description: "\"What I do is work for three or four years and then I take a year off, and then I come back again and work for three or four years and then take another..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/82a/karan-bajaj-14774_activity_what-i-do-is-work-for-three-or-four-year_2995836.jpg" --- # What I do is work for three or four years and then I take… ![“What I do is work for three or four years and then I take a year off, and then I come back again and work for three or four years and then take another year off. It is not about just working and then writing for a year. That is not how it is structured. It is about doing very conscious goal-driven…” quote by Karan Bajaj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/82a/karan-bajaj-14774_activity_what-i-do-is-work-for-three-or-four-year_2995836.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/82a/karan-bajaj-14774_activity_what-i-do-is-work-for-three-or-four-year_2995836.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/82a/karan-bajaj-14774_activity_what-i-do-is-work-for-three-or-four-year_2995836.jpg) > “What I do is work for three or four years and then I take a year off, and then I come back again and work for three or four years and then take another year off. It is not about just working and then writing for a year. That is not how it is structured. It is about doing very conscious goal-driven activities for four years and then taking a year off in complete surrender to discover facets of myself that I don't know exist and exploring interests with no commercial value associated with them at all.” [Karan Bajaj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karan-bajaj/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He describes a cyclical work‑rest pattern to foster personal growth and non‑commercial exploration. **In simple terms:** Work cycles with intentional breaks for self‑discovery. Key Takeaway Plan structured work and sabbatical cycles. Themes career development personal growth work‑life balance reflection non‑profit Mood reflective inspirational Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - career planning - sabbatical planning - creative retreats Key Concepts goal setting mindfulness skill diversification Questions to Reflect On - What benefits arise from intentional sabbaticals? - How to integrate non‑commercial pursuits into a career? A Different Perspective May be impractical for all professions. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Activities Years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/activities-years-4731309/) [Activity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/activity/) [Another year](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/another-year/) [Back again](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/back-again/) [Conscious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conscious/) [Driven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/driven/) [Exploring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/exploring/) [Facets](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/facets/) [Four](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/four/) [Four years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/four-years/) [Goal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goal/) [Interest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interest/) [Knows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knows/) [Surrender](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/surrender/) [Taking Year](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/taking-year-2020485/) [Three](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/three/) [Values](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/values/) [Work Years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work-years-738967/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) [Year Structured](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/year-structured-4731308/) [Years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/years/) [Years Taking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/years-taking-3080997/) ## Related quotes > [The trouble with Jim was he looked at the world and could not look away. And when you never look away all your life,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/the-trouble-with-jim-was-he-looked-at-the-world-and-could-not-look/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [I've been so candid in the past, and it's burned me. I used to speak without a filter, but I end up in hot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-wentz/i-ve-been-so-candid-in-the-past-and-it-s-burned-me-i-used-to-speak/) [Pete Wentz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-wentz/) > [I like traveling and I like not being part of the film world. Especially when you're in the middle of a junket, you're thinking,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-mcdonagh/i-like-traveling-and-i-like-not-being-part-of-the-film-world/) [Martin McDonagh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-mcdonagh/) > [I can very much enjoy taking a year off. Whereas some people would feel crippled by that, I can feel enlarged by it. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-hunter/i-can-very-much-enjoy-taking-a-year-off-whereas-some-people-would-2/) [Holly Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-hunter/) > [When I finished my degree at Oxford, I went and acted for a bit. And I was appalling. And with each part, I thought,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-grant/when-i-finished-my-degree-at-oxford-i-went-and-acted-for-a-bit-and-i/) [Hugh Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-grant/) > [Taking a year off and going to school was the best thing I could have done after The Princess Diaries. It taught me that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-hathaway/taking-a-year-off-and-going-to-school-was-the-best-thing-i-could-have/) [Anne Hathaway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-hathaway/) > [I tried taking a year off when Pedro was a toddler because I really wanted to be around, but it wasn't good for any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-mcdormand/i-tried-taking-a-year-off-when-pedro-was-a-toddler-because-i-really/) [Frances McDormand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-mcdormand/) > [I can very much enjoy taking a year off. Whereas some people would feel crippled by that, I can feel enlarged by it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-hunter/i-can-very-much-enjoy-taking-a-year-off-whereas-some-people-would/) [Holly Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-hunter/) > [With the art films I've done, you know, I got to work in a way that so few actors get to work in, people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacy-martin/with-the-art-films-i-ve-done-you-know-i-got-to-work-in-a-way-that-so/) [Stacy Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stacy-martin/) > [The truth is, one can work for another ten years and be playing parts, pushing yourself as hard as you can, and you are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jude-law/the-truth-is-one-can-work-for-another-ten-years-and-be-playing-parts/) [Jude Law](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jude-law/) > [I have had hundreds of people work for me over the years, and I don't think I ever fired anybody.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-t-hall/i-have-had-hundreds-of-people-work-for-me-over-the-years-and-i-don-t/) [Tom T. Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-t-hall/) > [I was only in LA for two weeks when I got that job. And I didn't work again for two years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-sullivan/i-was-only-in-la-for-two-weeks-when-i-got-that-job-and-i-didn-t-work/) [Nicole Sullivan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-sullivan/) > [A lot of people went to posh universities, but I left at 17 to work for three years at Frank Newton's Gentleman's Outfitters in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-timothy/a-lot-of-people-went-to-posh-universities-but-i-left-at-17-to-work/) [Christopher Timothy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-timothy/) > [The greatest thing for your career is a well publicized flop. You can work for five years on that. If you've got four or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-don-baker/the-greatest-thing-for-your-career-is-a-well-publicized-flop-you-can/) [Joe Don Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-don-baker/) > [“We will achieve freatness only through an enormous amount of hard work over many years.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoffrey-colvin/we-will-achieve-freatness-only-through-an-enormous-amount-of-hard/) [Geoffrey Colvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoffrey-colvin/) ## More by Karan Bajaj > [What has happened in most of my books is the call to the extraordinary world, the hero's push, or that push has come to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karan-bajaj/what-has-happened-in-most-of-my-books-is-the-call-to-the/) [Karan Bajaj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karan-bajaj/) > [I don't know if there is really an objective truth about either. I liken this to what Buddhism says about the individual, that change…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karan-bajaj/i-don-t-know-if-there-is-really-an-objective-truth-about-either-i/) [Karan Bajaj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karan-bajaj/) > [ In the West, it is the opposite, like you are using these practices \[meditation and yoga \] to further your ego by being more… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karan-bajaj/in-the-west-it-is-the-opposite-like-you-are-using-these-practices/) [Karan Bajaj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karan-bajaj/) > [“When you are close, you only see unravelled threads, but with time and distance, it will reveal itself as a mosaic. Just wait and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karan-bajaj/when-you-are-close-you-only-see-unravelled-threads-but-with-time-and/) [Karan Bajaj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karan-bajaj/) > [ When I started, these \[yoga\] were very functional practices, as I said, productive to lose weight, or whatever, and now it has become a… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karan-bajaj/when-i-started-these-yoga-were-very-functional-practices-as-i-said/) [Karan Bajaj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karan-bajaj/) > [In the year that I take off, I don't have any goals. I just surrender to experiences like traveling or learning yoga and meditation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karan-bajaj/in-the-year-that-i-take-off-i-don-t-have-any-goals-i-just-surrender/) [Karan Bajaj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karan-bajaj/) > [Here are two dichotomies here. In the West it is a very physical practice, and even meditation is a practice to become productive and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karan-bajaj/here-are-two-dichotomies-here-in-the-west-it-is-a-very-physical/) [Karan Bajaj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karan-bajaj/) > [When I came to the U.S., Kraft sponsored my green card, so I was at Kraft foods and I owed them, I felt. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karan-bajaj/when-i-came-to-the-u-s-kraft-sponsored-my-green-card-so-i-was-at/) [Karan Bajaj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karan-bajaj/) > [Regarding some of the super powers that I reference, like walking on water, I haven't seen people do that, but once you get into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karan-bajaj/regarding-some-of-the-super-powers-that-i-reference-like-walking-on/) [Karan Bajaj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karan-bajaj/) > [The moment you enter Bhutan, you notice that there are no traffic lights. It is almost like you've stepped into a Shangri-La or a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karan-bajaj/the-moment-you-enter-bhutan-you-notice-that-there-are-no-traffic/) [Karan Bajaj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karan-bajaj/) > [ I wanted to write something that was very entertaining to read. The hardest part of this novel \[The Yoga of Max's Discontent\] was how… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karan-bajaj/i-wanted-to-write-something-that-was-very-entertaining-to-read-the/) [Karan Bajaj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karan-bajaj/) > [India went through a dramatic revolution after the '90s when our economy started opening up for the first time and Indians were now experiencing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karan-bajaj/india-went-through-a-dramatic-revolution-after-the-90s-when-our/) [Karan Bajaj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karan-bajaj/) > [I did not have any philosophy at all when I wrote the first novel. I was just wanting to capture experiences that I thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karan-bajaj/i-did-not-have-any-philosophy-at-all-when-i-wrote-the-first-novel-i/) [Karan Bajaj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karan-bajaj/) > [“Love was for dummies, soulmates were the creation of pulp-fiction writers; romance was craved by ageing, lonely cat owners. Successful relationships were built on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karan-bajaj/love-was-for-dummies-soulmates-were-the-creation-of-pulp-fiction/) [Karan Bajaj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karan-bajaj/) > [What I need to do is to just deepen my well. I'm just experiencing life now.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karan-bajaj/what-i-need-to-do-is-to-just-deepen-my-well-i-m-just-experiencing/) [Karan Bajaj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karan-bajaj/) [Explore all 45 Karan Bajaj quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karan-bajaj/) ## More Activity quotes > [Where I grew up, learning was a collective activity. But when I got to school and tried to share learning with other students that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-giroux/where-i-grew-up-learning-was-a-collective-activity-but-when-i-got-to/) [Henry Giroux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-giroux/) > [It must be assumed and established as a principle, that the right of private property must be regarded as sacred. Wherefore, the law ought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-leo-xiii/it-must-be-assumed-and-established-as-a-principle-that-the-right-of/) [Pope Leo XIII](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-leo-xiii/) > [Each man is capable of doing one thing well. If he attempts several, he will fail to achieve distinction in any.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/each-man-is-capable-of-doing-one-thing-well-if-he-attempts-several-he/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [And also I think the rise of other, you could say, destinations for international jihadis mean that Pakistan isn't necessarily the place where people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohsin-hamid/and-also-i-think-the-rise-of-other-you-could-say-destinations-for/) [Mohsin Hamid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohsin-hamid/) > [To evoke in oneself a feeling one has once experienced, and having evoked it in oneself, then by means of movements, lines, colors, sounds,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/to-evoke-in-oneself-a-feeling-one-has-once-experienced-and-having/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [Fighting's fun, man. It's a great activity, it's a great sport.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-mitrione/fighting-s-fun-man-it-s-a-great-activity-it-s-a-great-sport/) [Matt Mitrione](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-mitrione/) > [There were books everywhere in my house. Books were very present. I just loved books. I never understood reading as anything but a pleasurable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-lucas/there-were-books-everywhere-in-my-house-books-were-very-present-i/) [Lisa Lucas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-lucas/) > [For war to man, like childbirth to women, is simplifying in its emotions and activities. All the real problems of life can be put…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pearl-s-buck/for-war-to-man-like-childbirth-to-women-is-simplifying-in-its/) [Pearl S. Buck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pearl-s-buck/) > [The only activity a cynic will find contagious is yawning, that is, with other people, at other people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/the-only-activity-a-cynic-will-find-contagious-is-yawning-that-is/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) > [For the longest time, neuroscientists were forced to be passive observers of brain activity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gero-miesenbock/for-the-longest-time-neuroscientists-were-forced-to-be-passive/) [Gero Miesenbock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gero-miesenbock/) > [Enjoyment is not a goal, it is a feeling that accompanies important ongoing activity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-goodman/enjoyment-is-not-a-goal-it-is-a-feeling-that-accompanies-important/) [Paul Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-goodman/) > [Once an activity has been socialized, it is impossible to point out, by concrete example, how men in a free market could better conduct…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-read/once-an-activity-has-been-socialized-it-is-impossible-to-point-out-by/) [Leonard Read](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-read/) > [“Fun is not an activity, it is a state of mind.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryant-mcgill/fun-is-not-an-activity-it-is-a-state-of-mind/) [Bryant McGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-mcgill/) > [I have to consider everything I eat; I consider every activity I do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-kimball/i-have-to-consider-everything-i-eat-i-consider-every-activity-i-do/) [Charlie Kimball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-kimball/) > [Almost all good businesses engage in 'pain today, gain tomorrow' activities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-munger/almost-all-good-businesses-engage-in-pain-today-gain-tomorrow/) [Charlie Munger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-munger/) [Browse all 3,263 Activity quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/activity/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "What I do is work for three or four years and then I take a year off, and then I come back again and work for three or four years and then take another year off. 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