--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I have retired, but if there's anything…" description: "\"I have retired, but if there's anything that would kill me it is to wake up in the morning not knowing what to do.\" — Nelson Mandela" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7a6/nelson-mandela-248_anything_i-have-retired-but-if-there-s-anything-t_584584.jpg" --- # I have retired, but if there's anything that would kill me… ![“I have retired, but if there's anything that would kill me it is to wake up in the morning not knowing what to do.” quote by Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7a6/nelson-mandela-248_anything_i-have-retired-but-if-there-s-anything-t_584584.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7a6/nelson-mandela-248_anything_i-have-retired-but-if-there-s-anything-t_584584.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7a6/nelson-mandela-248_anything_i-have-retired-but-if-there-s-anything-t_584584.jpg) > “I have retired, but if there's anything that would kill me it is to wake up in the morning not knowing what to do.” [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Living without purpose feels like a death sentence; meaning drives life. **In simple terms:** Purpose fuels existence. Key Takeaway Find daily purpose. Themes purpose motivation existence Mood inspirational thoughtful Type self‑help motivational When to use this quote - career planning - retirement - mental health - creative projects Key Concepts psychology philosophy Questions to Reflect On - What gives you purpose today? - How can you create purpose? A Different Perspective Purpose can be elusive and change over time. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Fulfillment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fulfillment/) [Morning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/morning/) [Retirement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/retirement/) [Wake up](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wake-up/) ## Related quotes > [Wake up this morning knowing that the possibility for love is closer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-jones/wake-up-this-morning-knowing-that-the-possibility-for-love-is-closer/) [Jon Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-jones/) > [When you wake up every morning ,knowing that your life is full with a little bit more of pain,and hurt, and still try to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-valdiviez-jay-nikka/when-you-wake-up-every-morning-knowing-that-your-life-is-full-with-a/) Jose Valdiviez(jay\_nikka > [You have no idea how good it feels to wake up every morning knowing you are mine and I am yours](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-have-no-idea-how-good-it-feels-to-wake-up-every-morning-knowing/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You have no idea how good it feels to wake up every morning,knowing you are mine and I'm your's.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zed-diaz/you-have-no-idea-how-good-it-feels-to-wake-up-every-morning-knowing-2/) Zed Diaz > [It is what we make out of what we have, not what we are given, that separates one person from another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/it-is-what-we-make-out-of-what-we-have-not-what-we-are-given-that-2/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [Your playing small does not serve the world. Who are you not to be great?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/your-playing-small-does-not-serve-the-world-who-are-you-not-to-be/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [Let there be justice for all. Let there be peace for all. Let there be work, bread, water and salt for all. Let each…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/let-there-be-justice-for-all-let-there-be-peace-for-all-let-there-be/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [It is not where you start but how high you aim that matters for success.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/it-is-not-where-you-start-but-how-high-you-aim-that-matters-for/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [Live life as though nobody is watching, and express yourself as though everyone is listening.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/live-life-as-though-nobody-is-watching-and-express-yourself-as-though/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [One of the things that gets me up in the morning is knowing that customer expectations are always rising, and I find that very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-bezos/one-of-the-things-that-gets-me-up-in-the-morning-is-knowing-that/) [Jeff Bezos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-bezos/) > [When you come into training in the morning, knowing that people are talking about you in the same breath as players of the Busby…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-jones/when-you-come-into-training-in-the-morning-knowing-that-people-are/) [Phil Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-jones/) > [The best part of the morning, is knowing, your the best part of somebodies morning...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-nickel/the-best-part-of-the-morning-is-knowing-your-the-best-part-of/) [Eric Nickel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-nickel/) > [This is not the time to shrink back in fear. Move forward in faith. Get up every morning knowing you are gifted.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/this-is-not-the-time-to-shrink-back-in-fear-move-forward-in-faith-get/) [Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/) > [ You need one hundred percent commitment; you have to be willing to wake up every morning knowing you're going to \[practice\] eight hours straight. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoe-saldana/you-need-one-hundred-percent-commitment-you-have-to-be-willing-to/) [Zoe Saldana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zoe-saldana/) > [Waking up in the morning knowing you have to go to school is pure torture.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/waking-up-in-the-morning-knowing-you-have-to-go-to-school-is-pure/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Nelson Mandela > [We must work together to ensure the equitable distribution of wealth, opportunity and power in our society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/we-must-work-together-to-ensure-the-equitable-distribution-of-wealth/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [Especially for those of us who lived in single cells, you had the time to sit down and think, and we discovered that sitting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/especially-for-those-of-us-who-lived-in-single-cells-you-had-the-time/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [If you don't allow people to contribute, to offer their point of view, or to criticize what has been put before them, then they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/if-you-don-t-allow-people-to-contribute-to-offer-their-point-of-view/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [Courageous people do not fear forgiving, for the sake of peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/courageous-people-do-not-fear-forgiving-for-the-sake-of-peace/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [As a leader... I have always endeavored to listen to what each and every person in a discussion had to say before venturing my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/as-a-leader-i-have-always-endeavored-to-listen-to-what-each-and-every/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [Some of the mission groups that have been responsible for our education have not been part of the government. In fact, they acted contrary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/some-of-the-mission-groups-that-have-been-responsible-for-our/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [“I believed that I would become a counsellor to the Thembu king,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/i-believed-that-i-would-become-a-counsellor-to-the-thembu-king/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [What he means by this is that instead of saying you'll "try", you need to "do". And as we let our light shine, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/what-he-means-by-this-is-that-instead-of-saying-you-ll-try-you-need/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/i-learned-that-courage-was-not-the-absence-of-fear-but-the-triumph/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [We need to exert ourselves that much more, and break out of the vicious cycle of dependence imposed on us by the financially powerful:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/we-need-to-exert-ourselves-that-much-more-and-break-out-of-the/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [“Prison is a still point in a turning world, and it is very easy to remain in the same place in jail while the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/prison-is-a-still-point-in-a-turning-world-and-it-is-very-easy-to/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [A fundamental concern for others in our individual and community lives would go a long way in making the world the better place we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/a-fundamental-concern-for-others-in-our-individual-and-community/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [I am aware of what the position is in the United States of America. If somebody gives to charity, then he gets a tax…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/i-am-aware-of-what-the-position-is-in-the-united-states-of-america-if/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [It is our duty to give support to the brother leader ... especially in regards to the sanctions which are not hitting just him,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/it-is-our-duty-to-give-support-to-the-brother-leader-especially-in/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [It was during those long and lonely years that my hunger for the freedom of our own people became a hunger for the freedom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/it-was-during-those-long-and-lonely-years-that-my-hunger-for-the/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) [Explore all 809 Nelson Mandela quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) ## More Anything quotes > [I guess I've never really wanted to be anything else. I've never even thought about having another job.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/owen-farrell/i-guess-i-ve-never-really-wanted-to-be-anything-else-i-ve-never-even/) [Owen Farrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/owen-farrell/) > [I would give anything to be able to kick a ball with my son or read the kids a bedtime story.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-burrow/i-would-give-anything-to-be-able-to-kick-a-ball-with-my-son-or-read/) [Rob Burrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-burrow/) > [Comfort food is really anything you want at that time. That said, I really love Naple-style pizza.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoffrey-zakarian/comfort-food-is-really-anything-you-want-at-that-time-that-said-i/) [Geoffrey Zakarian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoffrey-zakarian/) > [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/) > [When it really comes down to it, the job you do is more important and is more representative of who you are than your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-cudlitz/when-it-really-comes-down-to-it-the-job-you-do-is-more-important-and/) [Michael Cudlitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-cudlitz/) > [The reason I'm drawn to it is - both the off road racing and the motorcycles on the track - it takes a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dax-shepard/the-reason-i-m-drawn-to-it-is-both-the-off-road-racing-and-the/) [Dax Shepard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dax-shepard/) > [I never did drama at school. I did it for one term, when it was compulsory, and I hated it. Tennis was the main…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luke-mitchell/i-never-did-drama-at-school-i-did-it-for-one-term-when-it-was/) [Luke Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luke-mitchell/) > [We live in such a special time when literally anything we can think of is possible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-willey/we-live-in-such-a-special-time-when-literally-anything-we-can-think/) [Daniel Willey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-willey/) > [You know, I'm from Baltimore; nobody has anything. When somebody had talent, I was hiring my uncle, my cousin, you know? Getting people that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sisqo/you-know-i-m-from-baltimore-nobody-has-anything-when-somebody-had/) [Sisqo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sisqo/) > [I said to my agent, 'I want short, sharp, well-paid jobs because I haven't got time for anything else.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billie-whitelaw/i-said-to-my-agent-i-want-short-sharp-well-paid-jobs-because-i-haven/) [Billie Whitelaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billie-whitelaw/) > [I think anything that anyone writes thats any good is going to have a lot of autobiography.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-adly-guirgis/i-think-anything-that-anyone-writes-thats-any-good-is-going-to-have-a/) [Stephen Adly Guirgis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-adly-guirgis/) > [If the Bible is correct, and the Earth is only 6,000 years old, that means there were no dinosaurs, and museum curators have been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-shock/if-the-bible-is-correct-and-the-earth-is-only-6-000-years-old-that/) [Ron Shock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-shock/) > [Don't do anything drastic like getting your eyebrows tattooed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greta-lee/don-t-do-anything-drastic-like-getting-your-eyebrows-tattooed/) [Greta Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greta-lee/) > [Whenever you define family as anything other than a man and a woman married together, you have just introduced an ethical nightmare.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-evans/whenever-you-define-family-as-anything-other-than-a-man-and-a-woman/) [Tony Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-evans/) > [No lusting after your neighbor's house - or wife or servant or maid or ox or donkey. Don't set your heart on anything that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moses/no-lusting-after-your-neighbor-s-house-or-wife-or-servant-or-maid-or/) [Moses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moses/) Browse all 9,437 Anything quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I have retired, but if there's anything that would kill me it is to wake up in the morning not knowing what to do.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Nelson Mandela" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/i-have-retired-but-if-there-s-anything-that-would-kill-me-it-is-to/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Anything" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/i-have-retired-but-if-there-s-anything-that-would-kill-me-it-is-to/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7a6/nelson-mandela-248_anything_i-have-retired-but-if-there-s-anything-t_584584.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7a6/nelson-mandela-248_anything_i-have-retired-but-if-there-s-anything-t_584584.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7a6/nelson-mandela-248_anything_i-have-retired-but-if-there-s-anything-t_584584.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I have retired, but if there's anything that would kill me it is to wake up in the morning not knowing what…” — Nelson Mandela", "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": "Nelson Mandela", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I have retired, but if there's...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/i-have-retired-but-if-there-s-anything-that-would-kill-me-it-is-to/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/i-have-retired-but-if-there-s-anything-that-would-kill-me-it-is-to/#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 } } ] } ```