--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The idea of retiring is like killing…" description: "\"The idea of retiring is like killing yourself. It's almost like Hari Kari. I intend to live to a 100 and go down in history.\" — Keith Richards" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cd0/keith-richards-1996_history_the-idea-of-retiring-is-like-killing-you_140643.png" --- # The idea of retiring is like killing yourself. It's almost… ![“The idea of retiring is like killing yourself. It's almost like Hari Kari. I intend to live to a 100 and go down in history.” quote by Keith Richards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cd0/keith-richards-1996_history_the-idea-of-retiring-is-like-killing-you_140643.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cd0/keith-richards-1996_history_the-idea-of-retiring-is-like-killing-you_140643.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cd0/keith-richards-1996_history_the-idea-of-retiring-is-like-killing-you_140643.png) > “The idea of retiring is like killing yourself. It's almost like Hari Kari. I intend to live to a 100 and go down in history.” [Keith Richards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-richards/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Retirement is viewed as a death, prompting a desire to live a long, impactful life. **In simple terms:** Retirement feels like death, so live fully. Key Takeaway Pursue lasting purpose beyond work. Themes mortality legacy purpose Mood determined reflective Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - career planning - creative projects - health routines - philanthropy Key Concepts existentialism longevity self‑actualization Questions to Reflect On - What legacy do you want to leave? - How can you balance ambition with wellbeing? A Different Perspective Longevity goals may conflict with health realities. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [Killing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/killing/) [Killing yourself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/killing-yourself/) [Retirement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/retirement/) ## Related quotes > [I've never entertained the idea of retiring because I've never regarded myself as having a proper job. Anyway, retirement can be the death of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/june-brown/i-ve-never-entertained-the-idea-of-retiring-because-i-ve-never/) [June Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/june-brown/) > [Saying goodbye to the one you love , is like killing yourself .](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moriset-tania/saying-goodbye-to-the-one-you-love-is-like-killing-yourself/) Moriset Tania > [Killing your ego is like killing yourself but sometimes it's the only way to hold on to someone you love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rida/killing-your-ego-is-like-killing-yourself-but-sometimes-it-s-the-only/) [Rida](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rida/) > [Sometimes when I feel like killing someone, I do a little trick to calm myself down. I'll go over to the persons house and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/sometimes-when-i-feel-like-killing-someone-i-do-a-little-trick-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Holding onto resentment is like killing the patient to cure the disease.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/holding-onto-resentment-is-like-killing-the-patient-to-cure-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I forgot that's what gets you all hot and bothered, Jace, girls killing things." "I like anyone killing things, especially me." he said with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/i-forgot-that-s-what-gets-you-all-hot-and-bothered-jace-girls-killing/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [Seems nothing draws men together like killing other men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-glaspell/seems-nothing-draws-men-together-like-killing-other-men/) [Susan Glaspell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-glaspell/) > [Emotions from a living heart can weigh it down like killing stones.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mak-786/emotions-from-a-living-heart-can-weigh-it-down-like-killing-stones/) Mak\_786 > [“It's like killing each other is the only thing we know how to do.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/faith-erin-hicks/it-s-like-killing-each-other-is-the-only-thing-we-know-how-to-do/) [Faith Erin Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/faith-erin-hicks/) > [“I had to explain to him Mom's death, which was always hard to do. It felt like killing her again.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-russell/i-had-to-explain-to-him-mom-s-death-which-was-always-hard-to-do-it/) [Karen Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-russell/) > [I know something about killing. I don't like killing. And I don't think a state honors life by turning around and sanctioning killing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kerry/i-know-something-about-killing-i-don-t-like-killing-and-i-don-t-think-2/) [John F. Kerry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kerry/) > [You can't break a broken heart. It's like killing what's dead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zhi-shuen/you-can-t-break-a-broken-heart-it-s-like-killing-what-s-dead/) Zhi Shuen > [I know something about killing. I don't like killing. And I don't think a state honors life by turning around and sanctioning killing. Now,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kerry/i-know-something-about-killing-i-don-t-like-killing-and-i-don-t-think/) [John F. Kerry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kerry/) > [“Even if Douglas was trying to sacrifice me and harvest my creepy powers at the time, I feel like killing people for doing awful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lish-mcbride/even-if-douglas-was-trying-to-sacrifice-me-and-harvest-my-creepy/) [Lish McBride](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lish-mcbride/) > [“Because that’s how you become a bounty hunter. It’s not that you like the killing work. That’s just to begin with. It’s that, in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-cole/because-that-s-how-you-become-a-bounty-hunter-it-s-not-that-you-like/) [Nick Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-cole/) ## More by Keith Richards > [“When you are growing up there are two institutional places that affect you most powerfully: the church, which belongs to God, and the public…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-richards/when-you-are-growing-up-there-are-two-institutional-places-that/) [Keith Richards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-richards/) > [“Wild Horses" started in a B-minor chord, and Stu didn't play minor chords, "fucking Chinese music.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-richards/wild-horses-started-in-a-b-minor-chord-and-stu-didn-t-play-minor/) [Keith Richards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-richards/) > [“And you listen to some of that meticulous Mozart stuff and Vivaldi and you realize that they knew that too. They knew when to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-richards/and-you-listen-to-some-of-that-meticulous-mozart-stuff-and-vivaldi/) [Keith Richards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-richards/) > [Everybody's got a different way of telling a story - and has different stories to tell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-richards/everybody-s-got-a-different-way-of-telling-a-story-and-has-different/) [Keith Richards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-richards/) > [Let me be clear about this. I don't have a drug problem. I have a police problem.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-richards/let-me-be-clear-about-this-i-don-t-have-a-drug-problem-i-have-a/) [Keith Richards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-richards/) > [It's called the mysterious rhythm of life, ... I can't quite account for it. It's probably an addiction, quite honestly. I need that shot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-richards/it-s-called-the-mysterious-rhythm-of-life-i-can-t-quite-account-for/) [Keith Richards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-richards/) > [I never thought I was wasted, but I probably was.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-richards/i-never-thought-i-was-wasted-but-i-probably-was/) [Keith Richards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-richards/) > [I don't encourage anybody to do what I do, you know? Why should you? More for me!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-richards/i-don-t-encourage-anybody-to-do-what-i-do-you-know-why-should-you/) [Keith Richards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-richards/) > [“La gente me pregunta "por qué no lo dejas?". El hecho es que no me puedo retirar hasta que no estire la pata. 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The basic plot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-fahrenthold/things-live-and-die-and-then-someone-processes-them-into-edible/) [David Fahrenthold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-fahrenthold/) > [History is a certain way, but you just change the point of view a little bit, and you discover a whole new side of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allison-schroeder/history-is-a-certain-way-but-you-just-change-the-point-of-view-a/) [Allison Schroeder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allison-schroeder/) > [We're at a point in history were we have to become a part of the neighborhood of inhabited planets, like a neighborhood of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-mitchell/we-re-at-a-point-in-history-were-we-have-to-become-a-part-of-the/) [Edgar Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-mitchell/) > [Today is a reality, tomorrow's a promise, and yesterday's history!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-blanks/today-is-a-reality-tomorrow-s-a-promise-and-yesterday-s-history/) [Billy Blanks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-blanks/) > [Truth be told from compulsive liars with a history/Everything must change 2nd chances are a mystery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-dash/truth-be-told-from-compulsive-liars-with-a-history-everything-must/) C-DASH > [Every army in the history of the world has always had some deserters, usually much greater than we have today, because once again every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryan-hilferty/every-army-in-the-history-of-the-world-has-always-had-some-deserters/) [Bryan Hilferty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryan-hilferty/) > [“To those great geniuses now in petticoats, who shall write novels for the beloved reader's children, these men and things will be as much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-makepeace-thackeray/to-those-great-geniuses-now-in-petticoats-who-shall-write-novels-for/) [William Makepeace Thackeray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-makepeace-thackeray/) [Browse all 27,263 History quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The idea of retiring is like killing yourself. 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