--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: To have been able to do this for so long…" description: "\"To have been able to do this for so long and to not have to work a regular job is a thrill.\" — Robert Downey Sr" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7d9/robert-downey-sr-27866_adventure_to-have-been-able-to-do-this-for-so-long_2352108.jpg" --- # To have been able to do this for so long and to not have… ![“To have been able to do this for so long and to not have to work a regular job is a thrill.” quote by Robert Downey Sr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7d9/robert-downey-sr-27866_adventure_to-have-been-able-to-do-this-for-so-long_2352108.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7d9/robert-downey-sr-27866_adventure_to-have-been-able-to-do-this-for-so-long_2352108.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7d9/robert-downey-sr-27866_adventure_to-have-been-able-to-do-this-for-so-long_2352108.jpg) > “To have been able to do this for so long and to not have to work a regular job is a thrill.” [Robert Downey Sr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-downey-sr/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Sustaining a creative career without conventional employment offers freedom and excitement. **In simple terms:** Creative freedom without a regular job is thrilling. Key Takeaway Value independence in creative work. Themes freedom creativity career independence thrill Mood hopeful realistic Type motivational philosophical When to use this quote - freelance filmmaking - artistic projects - side hustles - non‑traditional careers Key Concepts entrepreneurship passion self‑direction Questions to Reflect On - What risks accompany creative independence? - How do you maintain motivation without external structures? A Different Perspective Independence can bring financial instability and isolation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Adventure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adventure/) [Job](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/job/) [Thrill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thrill/) [Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work/) ## Related quotes > [I'm thankful that I was able to have a long, healthy career for the most part.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scottie-pippen/i-m-thankful-that-i-was-able-to-have-a-long-healthy-career-for-the/) [Scottie Pippen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scottie-pippen/) > [You can keep the body as well-oiled and receptive as possible, but whether you're actually going to be able to go for the long…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/you-can-keep-the-body-as-well-oiled-and-receptive-as-possible-but/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [I work very regular hours, roughly 9 to 5:30. I think I have it much easier than a lot of parents. I just sit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kazuo-ishiguro/i-work-very-regular-hours-roughly-9-to-5-30-i-think-i-have-it-much/) [Kazuo Ishiguro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kazuo-ishiguro/) > [Growing up, I was always surrounded by musicians. After I got into that trouble, got locked up and when I got out I couldn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/akon/growing-up-i-was-always-surrounded-by-musicians-after-i-got-into-that/) [Akon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/akon/) > [The first rule of doing work that matters: Go to work on a regular basis.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/the-first-rule-of-doing-work-that-matters-go-to-work-on-a-regular/) [Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/) > [It is always good to work with a very regular group of people because we know how high we can fly and what are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wong-kar-wai/it-is-always-good-to-work-with-a-very-regular-group-of-people-because/) [Wong Kar-wai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wong-kar-wai/) > [I go to bed early - around 9 P.M. or 10 P.M. - and wake up between 2 A.M. and 5 A.M. and get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caterina-fake/i-go-to-bed-early-around-9-p-m-or-10-p-m-and-wake-up-between-2-a-m/) [Caterina Fake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caterina-fake/) > [In a long work sleep may be naturally expected.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horace/in-a-long-work-sleep-may-be-naturally-expected/) [Horace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horace/) > [What I still ask for daily-for life as long as I have work to do, and work as long as I have life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reynolds-price/what-i-still-ask-for-daily-for-life-as-long-as-i-have-work-to-do-and/) [Reynolds Price](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reynolds-price/) > [From the beginning, I imagined I would have a long work life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/from-the-beginning-i-imagined-i-would-have-a-long-work-life/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [Painting and animation can be kind of long work. Music was more immediate and more fun.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/babatunde-adebimpe/painting-and-animation-can-be-kind-of-long-work-music-was-more/) [Babatunde Adebimpe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/babatunde-adebimpe/) > [I prefer to be busy all day long, and when you work for someone else, you're not busy enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-truffaut/i-prefer-to-be-busy-all-day-long-and-when-you-work-for-someone-else/) [Francois Truffaut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-truffaut/) > [As long as you work hard, the manager will see it, and he'll give you an opportunity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-moses/as-long-as-you-work-hard-the-manager-will-see-it-and-he-ll-give-you/) [Victor Moses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-moses/) > [As long as I work hard and do the right things on and off the field, I think we'll be in good shape.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-herbert/as-long-as-i-work-hard-and-do-the-right-things-on-and-off-the-field-i/) [Justin Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-herbert/) > [For me, the spiritual quest will be a life-long work in progress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-brown/for-me-the-spiritual-quest-will-be-a-life-long-work-in-progress/) [Dan Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-brown/) ## More by Robert Downey Sr > [I loved reading when the critics in New York would say that some of my films reminded them of Lenny Bruce.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-downey-sr/i-loved-reading-when-the-critics-in-new-york-would-say-that-some-of/) [Robert Downey Sr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-downey-sr/) > [I'm too young to be a king and too committed to be a queen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-downey-sr/i-m-too-young-to-be-a-king-and-too-committed-to-be-a-queen/) [Robert Downey Sr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-downey-sr/) > ['Tropic Thunder' I think is a great film.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-downey-sr/tropic-thunder-i-think-is-a-great-film/) [Robert Downey Sr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-downey-sr/) > [My parents got divorced when I was really young.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-downey-sr/my-parents-got-divorced-when-i-was-really-young/) [Robert Downey Sr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-downey-sr/) > [Godard is a phony to me. His technique is great, but he just keeps replaying the same political rhetoric.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-downey-sr/godard-is-a-phony-to-me-his-technique-is-great-but-he-just-keeps/) [Robert Downey Sr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-downey-sr/) > [Everything established should go out the window. But I don't know how to do it. If someone knew how, it would have happened by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-downey-sr/everything-established-should-go-out-the-window-but-i-don-t-know-how/) [Robert Downey Sr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-downey-sr/) > [I'm really happy for my son. He's turned his life around. I'm so proud of him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-downey-sr/i-m-really-happy-for-my-son-he-s-turned-his-life-around-i-m-so-proud/) [Robert Downey Sr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-downey-sr/) > [Tell me a country that is doing well and has a great leader? You look at the nuclear weapons all over the place, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-downey-sr/tell-me-a-country-that-is-doing-well-and-has-a-great-leader-you-look/) [Robert Downey Sr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-downey-sr/) > [I'm not going to stop just because I'm 78. Bunuel made films into his eighties, and he could hardly see. I hope I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-downey-sr/i-m-not-going-to-stop-just-because-i-m-78-bunuel-made-films-into-his/) [Robert Downey Sr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-downey-sr/) > [When I got out of the Army, I started writing the usual 'Catcher in the Rye' imitations, and then I wrote something that was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-downey-sr/when-i-got-out-of-the-army-i-started-writing-the-usual-catcher-in-the/) [Robert Downey Sr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-downey-sr/) > [I'm not an actor. I can show up for friends and improvise a little bit, but I'm not an actor. I can't remember lines.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-downey-sr/i-m-not-an-actor-i-can-show-up-for-friends-and-improvise-a-little-bit-2/) [Robert Downey Sr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-downey-sr/) > [Life is too easy when you're a movie star. People will do anything you want and get you anything you want.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-downey-sr/life-is-too-easy-when-you-re-a-movie-star-people-will-do-anything-you/) [Robert Downey Sr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-downey-sr/) > [To get me in to the Army underage, my mother signed me in saying that my birth certificate was lost in a fire in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-downey-sr/to-get-me-in-to-the-army-underage-my-mother-signed-me-in-saying-that/) [Robert Downey Sr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-downey-sr/) > [I don't look at it as a career. I've just made a few films, and I want to make a few more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-downey-sr/i-don-t-look-at-it-as-a-career-i-ve-just-made-a-few-films-and-i-want/) [Robert Downey Sr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-downey-sr/) > [A film should always at least be about something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-downey-sr/a-film-should-always-at-least-be-about-something/) [Robert Downey Sr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-downey-sr/) [Explore all 20 Robert Downey Sr quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-downey-sr/) ## More Adventure quotes > [I'm trying to write a film with my friend. I'd love to get the thrill of speaking actors making my work even funnier.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-howard/i-m-trying-to-write-a-film-with-my-friend-i-d-love-to-get-the-thrill/) [Russell Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-howard/) > [I painted the words "GREAT ADVENTURE" in Beijing, Dallas, San Francisco, Copenhagen, and Japan. What it means to me is completely different to everybody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-eine/i-painted-the-words-great-adventure-in-beijing-dallas-san-francisco/) [Ben Eine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-eine/) > [I've used the Phoenix Centrifuge to replicate what the body's going to go through on the flight up. I've also done some gravity tests…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-branson/i-ve-used-the-phoenix-centrifuge-to-replicate-what-the-body-s-going/) [Richard Branson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-branson/) > [I have lifted my plane . . . for perhaps a thousand flights and I have never felt her wheels glide from the Earth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beryl-markham/i-have-lifted-my-plane-for-perhaps-a-thousand-flights-and-i-have/) [Beryl Markham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beryl-markham/) > [I am attracted to looking at the different things language can mean even in one sometimes quite ordinary utterance. Writing is partly about listening…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rae-armantrout/i-am-attracted-to-looking-at-the-different-things-language-can-mean/) [Rae Armantrout](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rae-armantrout/) > [What a thrill. You know you've entered new territory when you realise that your outfit cost more than your film.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-yu/what-a-thrill-you-know-you-ve-entered-new-territory-when-you-realise/) Jessica Yu > [“So many people live within unhappy circumstances and yet will not take the initiative to change their situation because they are conditioned by a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-supertramp-chris-mccandless/so-many-people-live-within-unhappy-circumstances-and-yet-will-not/) Alexander Supertramp Chris McCandless > [A common fallacy in much of the adverse criticism to which science is subjected today is that it claims certainty, infallibility and complete emotional…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cyril-norman-hinshelwood/a-common-fallacy-in-much-of-the-adverse-criticism-to-which-science-is/) [Cyril Norman Hinshelwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cyril-norman-hinshelwood/) > [“Exactly. I think the original tantric Buddhists took notice of was some very wise old people who never studied in their youth, but took…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-niemczura/exactly-i-think-the-original-tantric-buddhists-took-notice-of-was/) [Joe Niemczura](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-niemczura/) > [As an adventurer...I try to protect against the downside. I make sure I have covered as many eventualities as I can. In the end,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-branson/as-an-adventurer-i-try-to-protect-against-the-downside-i-make-sure-i/) [Richard Branson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-branson/) > [“Love can give you such happiness, then can break the very heart it filled, leaving a hole that can never be fixed or protected…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-mcleod/love-can-give-you-such-happiness-then-can-break-the-very-heart-it/) Kevin McLeod > [“It always gave Wolf a peculiar thrill thus to tighten his grip upon his stick, thus to wrap himself more closely in his faded…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cowper-powys/it-always-gave-wolf-a-peculiar-thrill-thus-to-tighten-his-grip-upon/) [John Cowper Powys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cowper-powys/) > [“It all had to be squeezed and squeezed again, to provide a thrill, to provide enjoyment. What did people mean, with their simply determined…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-h-lawrence-2/it-all-had-to-be-squeezed-and-squeezed-again-to-provide-a-thrill-to/) [D.H. Lawrence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-h-lawrence-2/) > [I am not an adventurous person but I am gutsy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rahul-vaidya/i-am-not-an-adventurous-person-but-i-am-gutsy/) [Rahul Vaidya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rahul-vaidya/) > [Our civilization, bequeathed to us by fierce adventurers, eaters of meat and hunters, is so full of hurry and combat, so busy about many…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-joyce/our-civilization-bequeathed-to-us-by-fierce-adventurers-eaters-of/) [James Joyce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-joyce/) [Browse all 7,690 Adventure quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adventure/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "To have been able to do this for so long and to not have to work a regular job is a thrill.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Robert Downey Sr" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-downey-sr/to-have-been-able-to-do-this-for-so-long-and-to-not-have-to-work-a/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Adventure" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-downey-sr/to-have-been-able-to-do-this-for-so-long-and-to-not-have-to-work-a/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7d9/robert-downey-sr-27866_adventure_to-have-been-able-to-do-this-for-so-long_2352108.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7d9/robert-downey-sr-27866_adventure_to-have-been-able-to-do-this-for-so-long_2352108.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7d9/robert-downey-sr-27866_adventure_to-have-been-able-to-do-this-for-so-long_2352108.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“To have been able to do this for so long and to not have to work a regular job is a thrill.” — Robert Downey Sr", "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": "Robert Downey Sr", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-downey-sr/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "To have been able to do...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-downey-sr/to-have-been-able-to-do-this-for-so-long-and-to-not-have-to-work-a/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-downey-sr/to-have-been-able-to-do-this-for-so-long-and-to-not-have-to-work-a/#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 } } ] } ```