--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: At my age, 85, I'm at age where I can…" description: "\"At my age, 85, I'm at age where I can look back and derive some conclusions about my actions. My rule has been try to learn, try to understand what hap..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/075/robert-mcnamara-12738_action_at-my-age-85-i-m-at-age-where-i-can-look_1697962.png" --- # At my age, 85, I'm at age where I can look back and derive… ![“At my age, 85, I'm at age where I can look back and derive some conclusions about my actions. My rule has been try to learn, try to understand what happened. Develop the lessons and pass them on.” quote by Robert McNamara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/075/robert-mcnamara-12738_action_at-my-age-85-i-m-at-age-where-i-can-look_1697962.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/075/robert-mcnamara-12738_action_at-my-age-85-i-m-at-age-where-i-can-look_1697962.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/075/robert-mcnamara-12738_action_at-my-age-85-i-m-at-age-where-i-can-look_1697962.png) > “At my age, 85, I'm at age where I can look back and derive some conclusions about my actions. My rule has been try to learn, try to understand what happened. Develop the lessons and pass them on.” [Robert McNamara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mcnamara/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Reflecting on a long life, he emphasizes learning from experience, extracting lessons, and sharing them with others. **In simple terms:** Learn from past, share wisdom. Key Takeaway Extract lessons, teach others. Themes reflection wisdom legacy Mood reflective thoughtful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - career retrospectives - family storytelling - community workshops Key Concepts Lifelong learning mentorship self‑reflection Questions to Reflect On - What lessons have you not yet shared? - How can you ensure your insights benefit others? A Different Perspective May overlook personal bias in recollection. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Action](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/action/) [Age](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/age/) [Conclusion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conclusion/) [Lessons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lessons/) [Vietnam war](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vietnam-war/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) ## Related quotes > [After a couple years of occasional lessons with Pass I moved to Boston to attend the New England Conservatory.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-white/after-a-couple-years-of-occasional-lessons-with-pass-i-moved-to/) [Mark White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-white/) > [What makes it immoral if you lose and not immoral if you win?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mcnamara/what-makes-it-immoral-if-you-lose-and-not-immoral-if-you-win/) [Robert McNamara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mcnamara/) > [ \[General Curtis\] LeMay recognized that what he was doing would be thought immoral if his side has lost. But what makes it immoral if… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mcnamara/general-curtis-lemay-recognized-that-what-he-was-doing-would-be/) [Robert McNamara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mcnamara/) > [The greatest contribution Vietnam is making-right or wrong is beside the point-is that it is developing an ability in the United States to fight…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mcnamara/the-greatest-contribution-vietnam-is-making-right-or-wrong-is-beside/) [Robert McNamara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mcnamara/) > [If we'd lost the war, we'd all have been prosecuted as war criminals. And I think he's right. He, and I'd say I, were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mcnamara/if-we-d-lost-the-war-we-d-all-have-been-prosecuted-as-war-criminals-2/) [Robert McNamara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mcnamara/) > [“Be a Student of the Game. Like most cliches of sport, this is profound. You can be shaped, or you can be broken. There…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-foster-wallace/be-a-student-of-the-game-like-most-cliches-of-sport-this-is-profound/) [David Foster Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-foster-wallace/) > [I try to learn as much as I can and try to - I haven't really read any books in my entire life, so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viktor-hovland/i-try-to-learn-as-much-as-i-can-and-try-to-i-haven-t-really-read-any/) [Viktor Hovland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viktor-hovland/) > [I try to learn as much as possible about so many different things in order to be able to talk to everyone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-crown-princess-of-sweden/i-try-to-learn-as-much-as-possible-about-so-many-different-things-in/) [Victoria, Crown Princess of Sweden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-crown-princess-of-sweden/) > [I just try to learn from every mistake that I make so that I never make them again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-mahomes/i-just-try-to-learn-from-every-mistake-that-i-make-so-that-i-never/) [Patrick Mahomes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-mahomes/) > [With each project, whether it's an album or a mixtape, I try to learn more in the process.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yo-gotti/with-each-project-whether-it-s-an-album-or-a-mixtape-i-try-to-learn/) [Yo Gotti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yo-gotti/) > [I'm just smart enough to know what it is I don't know and try to learn as I go along and accept that you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-d-moore/i-m-just-smart-enough-to-know-what-it-is-i-don-t-know-and-try-to/) [Ronald D. Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-d-moore/) > [“You can be shaped, or you can be broken. There is not much in between. Try to learn.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-foster-wallace/you-can-be-shaped-or-you-can-be-broken-there-is-not-much-in-between/) [David Foster Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-foster-wallace/) > [With every year, I always try and learn something new and grow gracefully, and that's just kind of my rule for every year.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-richie/with-every-year-i-always-try-and-learn-something-new-and-grow/) [Nicole Richie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-richie/) > [When I go the nets, I always try to learn new things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vijay-shankar/when-i-go-the-nets-i-always-try-to-learn-new-things/) [Vijay Shankar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vijay-shankar/) > [Dont try to learn everything,Learn how to be successful in what you do!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/senoraroy/dont-try-to-learn-everything-learn-how-to-be-successful-in-what-you-do/) Senoraroy ## More by Robert McNamara > [There is no more important task in a democracy than resolving the differences among people and finding a course of action that will be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mcnamara/there-is-no-more-important-task-in-a-democracy-than-resolving-the/) [Robert McNamara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mcnamara/) > [ \[General Curtis\] LeMay recognized that what he was doing would be thought immoral if his side has lost. But what makes it immoral if… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mcnamara/general-curtis-lemay-recognized-that-what-he-was-doing-would-be/) [Robert McNamara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mcnamara/) > [They'll be no learning period with nuclear weapons. Make one mistake and you're going to destroy nations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mcnamara/they-ll-be-no-learning-period-with-nuclear-weapons-make-one-mistake/) [Robert McNamara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mcnamara/) > [It was a perfectly beautiful night, as fall nights are in Washington. I walked out of the president's Oval Office, and as I walked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mcnamara/it-was-a-perfectly-beautiful-night-as-fall-nights-are-in-washington-i/) [Robert McNamara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mcnamara/) > [It would be our policy to use nuclear weapons wherever we felt it necessary to protect our forces and achieve our objectives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mcnamara/it-would-be-our-policy-to-use-nuclear-weapons-wherever-we-felt-it/) [Robert McNamara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mcnamara/) > [One must take draconian measures of demographic reduction against the will of the populations. Reducing the birth rate has proved to be impossible or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mcnamara/one-must-take-draconian-measures-of-demographic-reduction-against-the/) [Robert McNamara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mcnamara/) > [Measure what is important, don't make important what you can measure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mcnamara/measure-what-is-important-don-t-make-important-what-you-can-measure/) [Robert McNamara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mcnamara/) > [Yeah, yeah, that's right. And I'd rather be damned if I don't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mcnamara/yeah-yeah-that-s-right-and-i-d-rather-be-damned-if-i-don-t/) [Robert McNamara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mcnamara/) > [All those involved in the firebombing of Tokyo .. were war criminals interviews recorded in the movie The Fog of War.. the firebombing of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mcnamara/all-those-involved-in-the-firebombing-of-tokyo-were-war-criminals/) [Robert McNamara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mcnamara/) > [Lesson 2: The indefinite combination of human fallibility and nuclear weapons will lead to the destruction of nations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mcnamara/lesson-2-the-indefinite-combination-of-human-fallibility-and-nuclear/) [Robert McNamara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mcnamara/) > [ ...but highly placed sources within the Kennedy Administration disagreed: "\[T\]he assumption that the strategic nuclear balance mattered in any way was wrong... As far… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mcnamara/but-highly-placed-sources-within-the-kennedy-administration-disagreed/) [Robert McNamara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mcnamara/) > [We burned to death 100,000 Japanese civilians in Tokyo - men, women and children. LeMay recognized that what he was doing would be thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mcnamara/we-burned-to-death-100-000-japanese-civilians-in-tokyo-men-women-and/) [Robert McNamara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mcnamara/) > [I would characterize current US nuclear weapons policy as immoral, illegal, militarily unnecessary, and dreadfully dangerous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mcnamara/i-would-characterize-current-us-nuclear-weapons-policy-as-immoral/) [Robert McNamara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mcnamara/) > [Let's go in, let's totally destroy Cuba.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mcnamara/let-s-go-in-let-s-totally-destroy-cuba/) [Robert McNamara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mcnamara/) > [In my seven years as Secretary, we came within a hair's breadth of war with the Soviet Union on three different occasions! Twenty-four hours…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mcnamara/in-my-seven-years-as-secretary-we-came-within-a-hair-s-breadth-of-war/) [Robert McNamara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mcnamara/) [Explore all 53 Robert McNamara quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mcnamara/) ## More Action quotes > [I always say there are two things to be successful. The first is decide exactly what you want - set your goals - and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/i-always-say-there-are-two-things-to-be-successful-the-first-is/) [Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/) > [You'd be surprised how hard it can often be to translate an action into an idea.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-kraus/you-d-be-surprised-how-hard-it-can-often-be-to-translate-an-action/) [Karl Kraus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-kraus/) > [Gratitude isn't just a feeling, it's an action. Expressing gratitude by writing in a journal, taking a photo, or shooting a video creates a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janice-kaplan/gratitude-isn-t-just-a-feeling-it-s-an-action-expressing-gratitude-by/) [Janice Kaplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janice-kaplan/) > [Nothing is so powerful as an insight into human nature... what compulsions drive a man, what instincts dominate his action. If you know these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-bernbach/nothing-is-so-powerful-as-an-insight-into-human-nature-what/) [William Bernbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-bernbach/) > [Every thought I have imprisioned in expression I must free by my deeds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kahlil-gibran/every-thought-i-have-imprisioned-in-expression-i-must-free-by-my-deeds/) [Kahlil Gibran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kahlil-gibran/) > [It took me 20 years to buy an electric typewriter, because I was afraid it would be too sensitive. I like to bang the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmore-leonard/it-took-me-20-years-to-buy-an-electric-typewriter-because-i-was/) [Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/) > [Every action that helps us manifest our divine nature more and more is good; every action that retards it is evil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/every-action-that-helps-us-manifest-our-divine-nature-more-and-more/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [As you begin changing your thinking, start immediately to change your behaviour. Begin to act the part of the person you would like to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/as-you-begin-changing-your-thinking-start-immediately-to-change-your/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It's easy to say, let's go in and get the bad guys. But you have a divided country of Sunnis and Shias. The United…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tulsi-gabbard/it-s-easy-to-say-let-s-go-in-and-get-the-bad-guys-but-you-have-a/) [Tulsi Gabbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tulsi-gabbard/) > [For comedy action, I must know the language.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sammo-hung/for-comedy-action-i-must-know-the-language/) [Sammo Hung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sammo-hung/) > [Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between man and his God, that he owes account to none other for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/believing-with-you-that-religion-is-a-matter-which-lies-solely/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [“Action is a powerful thing. When you smile through your sadness, it can completely change your outlook. Try it! Smile :) Now hold onto…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leticia-rae/action-is-a-powerful-thing-when-you-smile-through-your-sadness-it-can/) [Leticia Rae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leticia-rae/) > [I reject criticism because the last thing I wanted was to sit there and look at people talking. I think people are conditioned to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-tyrnauer/i-reject-criticism-because-the-last-thing-i-wanted-was-to-sit-there/) [Matt Tyrnauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-tyrnauer/) > [“I take my actions because of my passion not because of compulsion.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/i-take-my-actions-because-of-my-passion-not-because-of-compulsion/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [When the first Superman movie came out I was frequently asked "What is a hero?" ...My answer was that a hero is someone who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-reeve/when-the-first-superman-movie-came-out-i-was-frequently-asked-what-is/) [Christopher Reeve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-reeve/) [Browse all 14,940 Action quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/action/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "At my age, 85, I'm at age where I can look back and derive some conclusions about my actions. 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