--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When my pop career was over, I was…" description: "\"When my pop career was over, I was scratching my head, thinking, \"God, how am I going to do something after I'm forty?\" I was in my mid-thirties, think..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5e1/nick-lowe-9853_career_when-my-pop-career-was-over-i-was-scratc_2366660.png" --- # When my pop career was over, I was scratching my head… ![“When my pop career was over, I was scratching my head, thinking, "God, how am I going to do something after I'm forty?" I was in my mid-thirties, thinking I was on the scrap heap.” quote by Nick Lowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5e1/nick-lowe-9853_career_when-my-pop-career-was-over-i-was-scratc_2366660.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5e1/nick-lowe-9853_career_when-my-pop-career-was-over-i-was-scratc_2366660.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5e1/nick-lowe-9853_career_when-my-pop-career-was-over-i-was-scratc_2366660.png) > “When my pop career was over, I was scratching my head, thinking, "God, how am I going to do something after I'm forty?" I was in my mid-thirties, thinking I was on the scrap heap.” [Nick Lowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-lowe/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Career transitions at midlife can feel uncertain, prompting anxiety about future purpose. **In simple terms:** Midlife career change can cause fear. Key Takeaway Embrace new opportunities after 40. Themes career change midlife uncertainty purpose Mood thoughtful encouraging Type motivational inspirational When to use this quote - job search - creative projects - skill development - networking Key Concepts identity reinvention growth Questions to Reflect On - What strengths can you leverage now? - How can you reframe “scrap heap” as a fresh start? A Different Perspective Age can be a barrier to confidence and opportunity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Career](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/career/) [Careers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/careers/) [Forty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forty/) [Mid Thirties](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mid-thirties-496921/) [Pop Career](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pop-career-3451382/) [Pops](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pops/) [Scrap](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scrap/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Thinking god](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking-god/) [Thinking Scrap](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking-scrap-5813379/) [Thirties](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thirties/) [Thirties Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thirties-thinking-5813376/) ## Related quotes > [Your mid-thirties is a good time because you know a fair amount, you have some self-control.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zadie-smith/your-mid-thirties-is-a-good-time-because-you-know-a-fair-amount-you/) [Zadie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zadie-smith/) > [I think I've been good, but I want to be better. 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This is the shape your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wally-lamb/being-in-your-mid-thirties-brought-benefits-i-reminded-myself-you/) [Wally Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wally-lamb/) > [I wanted to have a go at a pop career. My first single, 'Baby I Don't Care', was a hit, and the second, 'Bye…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-ellison/i-wanted-to-have-a-go-at-a-pop-career-my-first-single-baby-i-don-t/) [Jennifer Ellison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-ellison/) > [Originally, I wanted a pop career and formed a girl-band 'Genie Queen' managed by Andy McClusky from 'Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark', but it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abbey-clancy/originally-i-wanted-a-pop-career-and-formed-a-girl-band-genie-queen/) [Abbey Clancy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abbey-clancy/) > [I've learned to relax and be my present age and my present position. I feel comfortable on my mid-thirties. It doesn't seem such an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/i-ve-learned-to-relax-and-be-my-present-age-and-my-present-position-i/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [I started going to Ohio University when I was in my mid-thirties, ended up with an English degree when I was forty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-ray-pollock/i-started-going-to-ohio-university-when-i-was-in-my-mid-thirties/) [Donald Ray Pollock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-ray-pollock/) > [I always wanted to be healthy and look good. I taught myself in my mid thirties about eating right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cloris-leachman/i-always-wanted-to-be-healthy-and-look-good-i-taught-myself-in-my-mid/) [Cloris Leachman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cloris-leachman/) > [Men are boys for such a long time and really don't start getting the great roles until they're in their mid-thirties. But then they've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cate-blanchett/men-are-boys-for-such-a-long-time-and-really-don-t-start-getting-the/) [Cate Blanchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cate-blanchett/) > [“...I started getting back what I was putting in. I began to see how important good relationships are in this business. I've always been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-lynch/i-started-getting-back-what-i-was-putting-in-i-began-to-see-how/) [Jane Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-lynch/) > [I understand that when a player reaches his mid-thirties, and has a few injuries, people start to question how long he can last.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-anderson/i-understand-that-when-a-player-reaches-his-mid-thirties-and-has-a/) [James Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-anderson/) > [I was always slightly afraid of marriage because I didn't like the idea of being tied down. Even when I met Brian, when I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anita-dobson/i-was-always-slightly-afraid-of-marriage-because-i-didn-t-like-the/) [Anita Dobson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anita-dobson/) > [There are days when I definitely look in the mirror and go, "All right, I need to find a cream." I can't foresee myself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristen-stewart/there-are-days-when-i-definitely-look-in-the-mirror-and-go-all-right/) [Kristen Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristen-stewart/) ## More by Nick Lowe > [You try to make every word count, so there's no doubt what you're talking about. When you're young, you waffle away. Well, I'm done…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-lowe/you-try-to-make-every-word-count-so-there-s-no-doubt-what-you-re/) [Nick Lowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-lowe/) > [And there were sort of three toys for boys and three toys for girls. 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But the idea was that he was sitting on a flight -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-lowe/but-anyway-i-was-convinced-that-it-would-go-away-you-know-but-the/) [Nick Lowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-lowe/) > [Later in life, suddenly, if you're an outsider, it's something to be celebrated, I think, rather than getting on people's nerves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-lowe/later-in-life-suddenly-if-you-re-an-outsider-it-s-something-to-be/) [Nick Lowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-lowe/) > [As long as my body holds out, I'll be grooving when I'm 70, and not some sort of horrible spectacle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-lowe/as-long-as-my-body-holds-out-i-ll-be-grooving-when-i-m-70-and-not/) [Nick Lowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-lowe/) > [And religious music and the sort of symbolism of it and everything. But I had this idea. Actually, I sort of dreamt it. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-lowe/and-religious-music-and-the-sort-of-symbolism-of-it-and-everything/) [Nick Lowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-lowe/) > [They tell me I produced songs. I just stood in the back, wore a good suit and said, Yeah, that's happening.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-lowe/they-tell-me-i-produced-songs-i-just-stood-in-the-back-wore-a-good/) [Nick Lowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-lowe/) > [A devastating culmination of the elegant and the funky, a really sensational musician with enormous depth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-lowe/a-devastating-culmination-of-the-elegant-and-the-funky-a-really/) [Nick Lowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-lowe/) > [I'm really lucky that I've had a little gang of people who I've been involved with for a long time... 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You are the one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-james/don-t-allow-anyone-to-pressure-you-into-taking-a-job-in-a-field-that/) [Alison James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-james/) > [In every province, the chief occupations, in order of importance, are lovemaking, malicious gossip, and talking nonsense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/in-every-province-the-chief-occupations-in-order-of-importance-are/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [I think I've had the longest career of strength, focus, and still being able to sell records. I think I'm that guy. I'm still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nas/i-think-i-ve-had-the-longest-career-of-strength-focus-and-still-being/) [Nas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nas/) > [One needs more than ambition and talent to make a success of anything, really. 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