--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I've had two great years, probably five…" description: "\"I've had two great years, probably five good years. So I had 20 years of just kind of uncertainty and suffering and ego destruction and poverty. All th..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1cb/louis-c-k-1150_degenerates_i-ve-had-two-great-years-probably-five-g_483962.png" --- # I've had two great years, probably five good years. So I… ![“I've had two great years, probably five good years. So I had 20 years of just kind of uncertainty and suffering and ego destruction and poverty. All these things. There's no way I'm ever going to catch up to the misery years. It's impossible... If I don't do anything dumb or I don't get a disease…” quote by Louis C. K](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1cb/louis-c-k-1150_degenerates_i-ve-had-two-great-years-probably-five-g_483962.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1cb/louis-c-k-1150_degenerates_i-ve-had-two-great-years-probably-five-g_483962.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1cb/louis-c-k-1150_degenerates_i-ve-had-two-great-years-probably-five-g_483962.png) > “I've had two great years, probably five good years. So I had 20 years of just kind of uncertainty and suffering and ego destruction and poverty. All these things. There's no way I'm ever going to catch up to the misery years. It's impossible... If I don't do anything dumb or I don't get a disease or something, and then I've got to five to eight years I think where it'll really be great and then it will start to degenerate like uranium, you know?” [Louis C. K](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-c-k/) ## 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 long period of hardship and uncertainty, then hopes for a future of stability before inevitable decline, emphasizing the cyclical nature of life. **In simple terms:** He endured years of struggle, expects a good period, then expects decline. Key Takeaway Accept cycles, plan for resilience. Themes hardship hope impermanence Mood cautious hopeful Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - financial planning - mental health strategies - career transitions Key Concepts psychology economics life cycles Questions to Reflect On - How can you prepare for inevitable decline? - What steps can sustain well‑being during hardship? A Different Perspective Optimism may overlook systemic barriers. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Destruction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/destruction/) [Disease](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disease/) [Ego](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ego/) [Misery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/misery/) [Poverty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poverty/) [Suffering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suffering/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Uncertainty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/uncertainty/) ## Related quotes > [“Misery is like a gamy piece of meat: not particularly nourishing, certainly not tasty, but still it’s something to chew on, and that’s better…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-weiner/misery-is-like-a-gamy-piece-of-meat-not-particularly-nourishing/) [Eric Weiner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-weiner/) > [Within 10 years it will be impossible to travel to the North Pole by dog team. There will be too much open water.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-steger/within-10-years-it-will-be-impossible-to-travel-to-the-north-pole-by/) Will Steger > [“One step beyond that boundary line which resembles the line dividing the living from the dead lies uncertainty, suffering, and death. And what is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/one-step-beyond-that-boundary-line-which-resembles-the-line-dividing/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [If I had to last 20 years, I would probably be batting in a wheelchair.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricky-ponting/if-i-had-to-last-20-years-i-would-probably-be-batting-in-a-wheelchair/) [Ricky Ponting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricky-ponting/) > [Really you don't need more information. If you've lived twenty years, you probably have enough material for the rest of your life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie-goldberg/really-you-don-t-need-more-information-if-you-ve-lived-twenty-years/) [Natalie Goldberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie-goldberg/) > [After I was 70, I realized that, 'Okay, I would like to have another 50 years, and I probably could.' But part of me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoko-ono/after-i-was-70-i-realized-that-okay-i-would-like-to-have-another-50/) [Yoko Ono](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yoko-ono/) > [You know, if I wrote the arrangements two years from now, they would probably be a lot slicker.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-johnston/you-know-if-i-wrote-the-arrangements-two-years-from-now-they-would/) [Bruce Johnston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-johnston/) > [Yet, if we accept the solution offered today by this bill to explore and develop for oil on the coastal plain of ANWR, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-olver/yet-if-we-accept-the-solution-offered-today-by-this-bill-to-explore/) [John Olver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-olver/) > [Let's also say that the Justice Department and the courts are making sure, as I've said in a speech before, that when Jamal sends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/let-s-also-say-that-the-justice-department-and-the-courts-are-making/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [We went on to become the No. 1 band in the country for three or four years. And that was probably the worst thing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/butch-trucks/we-went-on-to-become-the-no-1-band-in-the-country-for-three-or-four/) [Butch Trucks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/butch-trucks/) > [Going back to that idea that painting sits still and that we give ourselves over to it over time. There's a difference between living…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kehinde-wiley/going-back-to-that-idea-that-painting-sits-still-and-that-we-give/) [Kehinde Wiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kehinde-wiley/) > [“So your junk food has a shelf life of twenty-two years and will probably outlive your fat, sorry ass.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rory-freedman/so-your-junk-food-has-a-shelf-life-of-twenty-two-years-and-will/) [Rory Freedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rory-freedman/) > [Five years from now I'm probably going to look back on the things I'm doing and cringe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fiona-apple/five-years-from-now-i-m-probably-going-to-look-back-on-the-things-i-m/) [Fiona Apple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fiona-apple/) > [My dad, he worries a bit, usually with good reason. There were quite a few years there where he was probably trying to resign…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-isbell/my-dad-he-worries-a-bit-usually-with-good-reason-there-were-quite-a/) [Jason Isbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-isbell/) > [The scale of marital breakdowns in the West since 1960 has no historical precedent that I know of, and seems unique, . . .…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-stone/the-scale-of-marital-breakdowns-in-the-west-since-1960-has-no/) Lawrence Stone ## More by Louis C. K > [Technically, I've learned that having good legs and wind is good for being on stage. You have to be in shape and have endurance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-c-k/technically-i-ve-learned-that-having-good-legs-and-wind-is-good-for/) [Louis C. K](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-c-k/) > [I think I'm past any window where I'm suddenly going to become surprisingly ripped so that people go, 'Oh, my God, what happened to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-c-k/i-think-i-m-past-any-window-where-i-m-suddenly-going-to-become/) [Louis C. K](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-c-k/) > [I can feel how an audience is reacting when I'm on a stage, but when you are on stage, your perception is distorted. That's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-c-k/i-can-feel-how-an-audience-is-reacting-when-i-m-on-a-stage-but-when/) [Louis C. K](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-c-k/) > [“You need to develop the ability to just be yourself and not be doing something, that's what the phones are taking away. The ability…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-c-k/you-need-to-develop-the-ability-to-just-be-yourself-and-not-be-doing/) [Louis C. K](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-c-k/) > [I know what it's like to have a bunch of material that's working that you don't care about. You want to die.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-c-k/i-know-what-it-s-like-to-have-a-bunch-of-material-that-s-working-that/) [Louis C. K](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-c-k/) > [I just love learning. I think learning is how you live. The verb of my life is learning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-c-k/i-just-love-learning-i-think-learning-is-how-you-live-the-verb-of-my/) [Louis C. K](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-c-k/) > [There's been a lot of simple vilification of right-wing people. It's really easy to say, 'Well, you're Christian, you're anti-this and that, and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-c-k/there-s-been-a-lot-of-simple-vilification-of-right-wing-people-it-s/) [Louis C. K](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-c-k/) > [“A woman saying yes to a date with a man is literally insane and ill-advised, and the whole species' existence counts on them doing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-c-k/a-woman-saying-yes-to-a-date-with-a-man-is-literally-insane-and-ill/) [Louis C. K](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-c-k/) > [When your kid is being selfish or greedy and you want to help them not be that way, you have to find a way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-c-k/when-your-kid-is-being-selfish-or-greedy-and-you-want-to-help-them/) [Louis C. K](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-c-k/) > [You have to be really tenacious. You have to keep at it. There are many roads to get there. If you can get yourself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-c-k/you-have-to-be-really-tenacious-you-have-to-keep-at-it-there-are-many/) [Louis C. K](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-c-k/) > [When I take my kids out for dinner or lunch, people smile at us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-c-k/when-i-take-my-kids-out-for-dinner-or-lunch-people-smile-at-us/) [Louis C. K](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-c-k/) > [I'd love to have a shitty job. I couldn't hold any down. Standup was the only thing I could stick with. I'm an idiot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-c-k/i-d-love-to-have-a-shitty-job-i-couldn-t-hold-any-down-standup-was/) [Louis C. K](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-c-k/) > [There's no way you ask Sean Penn a question and then, you're gonna be HUGE !](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-c-k/there-s-no-way-you-ask-sean-penn-a-question-and-then-you-re-gonna-be/) [Louis C. K](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-c-k/) > [If you had a jetpack you'd be like I have the shittiest jetpack. Who's your service provider on your jetpack? Did they make the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-c-k/if-you-had-a-jetpack-you-d-be-like-i-have-the-shittiest-jetpack-who-s/) [Louis C. K](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-c-k/) > [I spend enough time onscreen looking hangdog and depressed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-c-k/i-spend-enough-time-onscreen-looking-hangdog-and-depressed/) [Louis C. K](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-c-k/) [Explore all 282 Louis C. K quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-c-k/) ## More Degenerates quotes > [I find Nigeria very frustrating. I am not alone in this. There are many Nigerians abroad. As you know, the brain drain is just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chinua-achebe/i-find-nigeria-very-frustrating-i-am-not-alone-in-this-there-are-many/) [Chinua Achebe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chinua-achebe/) > [People who reject transcendent authority can no longer persuade one another through rational arguments; everything is reduced to personal opinion. Debates about ideas thus…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-colson/people-who-reject-transcendent-authority-can-no-longer-persuade-one/) [Charles Colson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-colson/) > [Christianity is not a law of bondage; and if it respect the hand of God which sometimes raises up tyrants, it draws up where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-baptiste-henri-lacordaire/christianity-is-not-a-law-of-bondage-and-if-it-respect-the-hand-of/) [Jean-Baptiste Henri Lacordaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-baptiste-henri-lacordaire/) > [Charlotte slammed the paper down onto her desk with an exclamation of rage. “Aloysius Starkweather is the most stubborn, hypocritical, obstinate, degenerate—” She broke…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/charlotte-slammed-the-paper-down-onto-her-desk-with-an-exclamation-of/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [A writer of story books! What kind of business in life-what mode of glorifying God, or being serviceable to mankind in his day and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-hawthorne/a-writer-of-story-books-what-kind-of-business-in-life-what-mode-of/) [Nathaniel Hawthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-hawthorne/) > [Our most pressing obligation is to do all in our power to obtain a revival that will result in a reformed, revitalized, purified church.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/our-most-pressing-obligation-is-to-do-all-in-our-power-to-obtain-a/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [Without the truth of the people, politics degenerates into mere spectacle and democracy declines, leaving demagoguery and cynicism to fill the void.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-brown/without-the-truth-of-the-people-politics-degenerates-into-mere/) [Jerry Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-brown/) > [We have either to progress or to degenerate. Our ancestors did great things in the past, but we have to grow into a fuller…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/we-have-either-to-progress-or-to-degenerate-our-ancestors-did-great/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [By consequence I hold that no one ever did, or can do, anything for "society."... Comte invented the term altruism as an antonym for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-j-nock/by-consequence-i-hold-that-no-one-ever-did-or-can-do-anything-for/) [Albert J. Nock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-j-nock/) > [Human beings are compelled to live within a lie, but they can be compelled to do so only because they are in fact capable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vaclav-havel/human-beings-are-compelled-to-live-within-a-lie-but-they-can-be/) [Vaclav Havel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vaclav-havel/) > [Human nature being what it is, peace must inevitably be a relative condition. The essence of life is struggle and competition, and to that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/javier-perez-de-cuellar/human-nature-being-what-it-is-peace-must-inevitably-be-a-relative/) [Javier Perez de Cuellar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/javier-perez-de-cuellar/) > [The degree and duration of the torment of these degenerate and anti-Christian people, should be no other than would be approved of by those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-newton/the-degree-and-duration-of-the-torment-of-these-degenerate-and-anti/) [Isaac Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-newton/) > [In any case, his religious teaching consisted mostly in more or less vague ethical remarks, an obscure mixture of ideals of English gentlemanliness and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-merton/in-any-case-his-religious-teaching-consisted-mostly-in-more-or-less/) [Thomas Merton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-merton/) > [Humility is a quality for which I have only a limited admiration. In many phases of life it is a great mistake and degenerates…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-m-forster/humility-is-a-quality-for-which-i-have-only-a-limited-admiration-in/) [E. M. Forster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-m-forster/) > [Really, he called me that? Ellen DeGenerate? I've been getting that since fourth grade. I guess I'm happy I could give him work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-degeneres/really-he-called-me-that-ellen-degenerate-i-ve-been-getting-that/) [Ellen DeGeneres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-degeneres/) Browse all 229 Degenerates quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I've had two great years, probably five good years. So I had 20 years of just kind of uncertainty and suffering and ego destruction and poverty. All these things. There's no way I'm ever going to catch up to the misery years. It's impossible... 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