---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Working from nine till five every day at…"
description: "\"Working from nine till five every day at something that gives you no pleasure just so that, after thirty years, you can retire.\" — Paulo Coelho"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ba/paulo-coelho-10_every-day_working-from-nine-till-five-every-day-at_1402784.jpg"
---

#  Working from nine till five every day at something that…

![“Working from nine till five every day at something that gives you no pleasure just so that, after thirty years, you can retire.” quote by Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ba/paulo-coelho-10_every-day_working-from-nine-till-five-every-day-at_1402784.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ba/paulo-coelho-10_every-day_working-from-nine-till-five-every-day-at_1402784.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ba/paulo-coelho-10_every-day_working-from-nine-till-five-every-day-at_1402784.jpg)

> “Working from nine till five every day at something that gives you no pleasure just so that, after thirty years, you can retire.”

[Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

A critique of monotonous work for future security, highlighting the sacrifice of present joy for delayed retirement.

**In simple terms:** Work for future, not present joy.

Key Takeaway

Seek fulfillment now, not just later.

Themes

work purpose future planning

Mood

thoughtful serious

Type

motivational philosophical

When to use this quote

- career planning
- retirement counseling
- life coaching
- personal finance

Key Concepts

existentialism economics

Questions to Reflect On

- What brings you joy today?
- How can you balance work and pleasure?

A Different Perspective

Retirement may not guarantee happiness.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Every day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/every-day/) [Five](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/five/) [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [Just Thirty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/just-thirty-3684025/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Nine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nine/) [Pleasure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pleasure/) [Retire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/retire/) [Retiring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/retiring/) [Thirty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thirty/) [Thirty years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thirty-years/) [Working Till](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/working-till-3859271/) [Years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/years/) [Years Retire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/years-retire-1483265/)

## Related quotes

> [Why should I say I will retire in three or four years? You retire the very moment you utter those words.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haile-gebrselassie/why-should-i-say-i-will-retire-in-three-or-four-years-you-retire-the/)

[Haile Gebrselassie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haile-gebrselassie/)

> [Gone is the day where you work at a job for thirty years and retire. Millennials jump around and switch careers. I think it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kabir-sehgal/gone-is-the-day-where-you-work-at-a-job-for-thirty-years-and-retire/)

[Kabir Sehgal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kabir-sehgal/)

> [I'm not planning on singing too late. Maybe another eight or 10 years is enough before I retire. It would also be great to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-jones/i-m-not-planning-on-singing-too-late-maybe-another-eight-or-10-years/)

[Sharon Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-jones/)

> [“I suppose an unmarried woman just over thirty, who lives alone and has no apparent ties, must expect to find herself involved or interested…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-pym/i-suppose-an-unmarried-woman-just-over-thirty-who-lives-alone-and-has/)

[Barbara Pym](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-pym/)

> [I'll be working till by last breath and would prefer to die on sets only.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharat-saxena/i-ll-be-working-till-by-last-breath-and-would-prefer-to-die-on-sets/)

[Sharat Saxena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharat-saxena/)

> [I'm just working here till a good fast-food job opens up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikhil-saluja/i-m-just-working-here-till-a-good-fast-food-job-opens-up/)

[Nikhil Saluja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikhil-saluja/)

> [We need 21st century programs. We have to change the dynamic because the world - we're not in the Industrial Revolution anymore, where you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-rubio/we-need-21st-century-programs-we-have-to-change-the-dynamic-because/)

[Marco Rubio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-rubio/)

> [When I won't have work, say, after seven or eight years, or when I retire, I can't imagine leaving Hyderabad, because I love this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rakul-preet-singh/when-i-won-t-have-work-say-after-seven-or-eight-years-or-when-i/)

[Rakul Preet Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rakul-preet-singh/)

> [The NFL protects you for five years after you retire, but the multitude of injuries come 10, 15, 20 years after you retire. Those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerome-bettis/the-nfl-protects-you-for-five-years-after-you-retire-but-the/)

[Jerome Bettis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerome-bettis/)

> [Acting has been my profession for more than 40 years and I can't retire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorne-greene/acting-has-been-my-profession-for-more-than-40-years-and-i-can-t/)

[Lorne Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorne-greene/)

> [We'll all retire from life at some point. The great thing about acting is you don't necessarily have to retire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denzel-washington/we-ll-all-retire-from-life-at-some-point-the-great-thing-about-acting/)

[Denzel Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denzel-washington/)

> [That just seems like a tough thing to do... just work in the middle of a company for your entire life. You just do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luke-wilson/that-just-seems-like-a-tough-thing-to-do-just-work-in-the-middle-of-a/)

[Luke Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luke-wilson/)

> [If and when I decide to retire I want to perform. I want to be on the ice. I want to continue contributing to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-abbott/if-and-when-i-decide-to-retire-i-want-to-perform-i-want-to-be-on-the/)

[Jeremy Abbott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-abbott/)

> [When I retire, I want to step away on a positive note. What you put out into the world comes back to you. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lupe-fiasco/when-i-retire-i-want-to-step-away-on-a-positive-note-what-you-put-out/)

[Lupe Fiasco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lupe-fiasco/)

> [I always joke and say I want to invent a comfortable stiletto and then retire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-blakely/i-always-joke-and-say-i-want-to-invent-a-comfortable-stiletto-and/)

[Sara Blakely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-blakely/)

## More by Paulo Coelho

> [I have inside me the winds, the deserts, the oceans, the stars, and everything created in the universe. We were all made by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/i-have-inside-me-the-winds-the-deserts-the-oceans-the-stars-and/)

[Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/)

> [Love will never separate a man from his personal legend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/love-will-never-separate-a-man-from-his-personal-legend/)

[Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/)

> [The world has a soul and whoever understands that soul can also understand the language of many things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/the-world-has-a-soul-and-whoever-understands-that-soul-can-also/)

[Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/)

> [You dont choose your life; it chooses you. Theres no point asking why life has reserved certain joys or griefs, you just accept them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/you-dont-choose-your-life-it-chooses-you-theres-no-point-asking-why/)

[Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/)

> [To love is to be in communion with the other and to discover in that other the spark of God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/to-love-is-to-be-in-communion-with-the-other-and-to-discover-in-that/)

[Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/)

> [It is not enough to dream of the Impossible Love - it is necessary to conquer it too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/it-is-not-enough-to-dream-of-the-impossible-love-it-is-necessary-to/)

[Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/)

> [Eat when it is time to eat. And walk when it is time to walk.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/eat-when-it-is-time-to-eat-and-walk-when-it-is-time-to-walk/)

[Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/)

> [People are reading more and writing more because of the internet. So the virtual world is a way for me to listen to my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/people-are-reading-more-and-writing-more-because-of-the-internet-so/)

[Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/)

> [“Joy is like sex – it begins and ends. I want pleasure. I want to be contended, but happiness? I no longer fall into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/joy-is-like-sex-it-begins-and-ends-i-want-pleasure-i-want-to-be/)

[Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/)

> [“Trudi se da zivis, sjecanja su za starije ljude.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/trudi-se-da-zivis-sjecanja-su-za-starije-ljude/)

[Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/)

> [I've always been a very restless person. I work hard, spend too much time looking after my son, I dance like a mad thing,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/i-ve-always-been-a-very-restless-person-i-work-hard-spend-too-much/)

[Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/)

> [When someone leaves, it's because someone else is about to arrive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/when-someone-leaves-it-s-because-someone-else-is-about-to-arrive/)

[Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/)

> [The past and the future become unimportant. There is only that moment, and the incredible certainty that everything under the sun has been written…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/the-past-and-the-future-become-unimportant-there-is-only-that-moment/)

[Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/)

> [She didn't need to understand the meaning of life; it was enough to find someone who did, and then fall asleep in his arms…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/she-didn-t-need-to-understand-the-meaning-of-life-it-was-enough-to/)

[Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/)

> [“The simpler the pose, the better; the more sober, the more beautiful.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/the-simpler-the-pose-the-better-the-more-sober-the-more-beautiful/)

[Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/)

[Explore all 3,665 Paulo Coelho quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/)

## More Every day quotes

> [“Don’t allow anyone to pressure you into taking a job in a field that doesn’t feel right in your gut. 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/)

> [OBSESSED, p.p. Vexed by an evil spirit, like the Gadarene swine and other critics. Obsession was once more common than it is now. Arasthus…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/obsessed-p-p-vexed-by-an-evil-spirit-like-the-gadarene-swine-and/)

[Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/)

> [I loved the game so much that even though our playing field was muddy and we had many trees on it, I used to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roberto-clemente/i-loved-the-game-so-much-that-even-though-our-playing-field-was-muddy/)

[Roberto Clemente](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roberto-clemente/)

> [On stage, you can bring all those strong emotions that you don't have the opportunity to live. You don't want to die for love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvie-guillem/on-stage-you-can-bring-all-those-strong-emotions-that-you-don-t-have/)

[Sylvie Guillem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvie-guillem/)

> [A real Christian in an odd number anyway. He feels supreme love for One whom he has never seen, talks familiarly every day to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-real-christian-in-an-odd-number-anyway-he-feels-supreme-love-for/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [I think naturally I've been kind of a lead-by-doing guy. Just showing up to work every day. You never ask teammates something you wouldn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terrell-suggs/i-think-naturally-i-ve-been-kind-of-a-lead-by-doing-guy-just-showing/)

[Terrell Suggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terrell-suggs/)

> [Love is the Key started in 1994 with a simple idea: that Love is the Key that would open all the doors in life.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/love-is-the-key/love-is-the-key-started-in-1994-with-a-simple-idea-that-love-is-the/)

[Love Is The Key®](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/love-is-the-key/)

> [Being under-recruited coming out of Highland, I've carried that with me. I keep pushing forward, keep working hard every day, keep my head on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-daniels/being-under-recruited-coming-out-of-highland-i-ve-carried-that-with/)

[Mike Daniels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-daniels/)

> [“(one would say yes, if not every day, at least fairly regularly), whether only for yourself or also for others (often only for yourself,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/italo-calvino/one-would-say-yes-if-not-every-day-at-least-fairly-regularly-whether/)

[Italo Calvino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/italo-calvino/)

> [“Are you sure?" he asked in a low voice. "Because if I had the chance... I would spend every moment of every day with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandra-monir/are-you-sure-he-asked-in-a-low-voice-because-if-i-had-the-chance-i/)

[Alexandra Monir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandra-monir/)

> [I don't think I've ever bench-pressed anything in my life. Until about two years ago I swam a mile almost every day. Then I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-antosca/i-don-t-think-i-ve-ever-bench-pressed-anything-in-my-life-until-about/)

[Nick Antosca](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-antosca/)

> [I have to justify my job every day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-silva/i-have-to-justify-my-job-every-day/)

[Marco Silva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-silva/)

> [Merlin' was awesome, but the costumes would drive you insane. Every day, you'd get into chain mail and wear 30 pounds of that stuff.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eoin-macken/merlin-was-awesome-but-the-costumes-would-drive-you-insane-every-day/)

[Eoin Macken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eoin-macken/)

> [This cold weather has set all the young Folks to providing Bedfellows. I have signed two or three Licences every Day \[as a Fairfax…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-mason/this-cold-weather-has-set-all-the-young-folks-to-providing-bedfellows/)

[George Mason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-mason/)

> [I work every day. Sometimes I don't accomplish anything every day, but if I don't work every day, I get depressed and get afraid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-didion/i-work-every-day-sometimes-i-don-t-accomplish-anything-every-day-but/)

[Joan Didion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-didion/)

[Browse all 16,614 Every day quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/every-day/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Working from nine till five every day at something that gives you no pleasure just so that, after thirty years, you can retire.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Paulo Coelho"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/working-from-nine-till-five-every-day-at-something-that-gives-you-no/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Every day"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/working-from-nine-till-five-every-day-at-something-that-gives-you-no/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ba/paulo-coelho-10_every-day_working-from-nine-till-five-every-day-at_1402784.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ba/paulo-coelho-10_every-day_working-from-nine-till-five-every-day-at_1402784.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ba/paulo-coelho-10_every-day_working-from-nine-till-five-every-day-at_1402784.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Working from nine till five every day at something that gives you no pleasure just so that, after thirty…” — Paulo Coelho",
                "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": "Paulo Coelho",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Working from nine till five every...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/working-from-nine-till-five-every-day-at-something-that-gives-you-no/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/working-from-nine-till-five-every-day-at-something-that-gives-you-no/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
