--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: As I watched my mental and physical…" description: "\"“As I watched my mental and physical health rapidly decline during a decade of working in high altitude professional astronomy, I became suspicious abo..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/62c/steven-magee-129_altitude_as-i-watched-my-mental-and-physical-heal_2389878.jpg" --- # As I watched my mental and physical health rapidly decline… ![“As I watched my mental and physical health rapidly decline during a decade of working in high altitude professional astronomy, I became suspicious about the toxicity of the jobs and left the field to protect my long term health.” quote by Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/62c/steven-magee-129_altitude_as-i-watched-my-mental-and-physical-heal_2389878.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/62c/steven-magee-129_altitude_as-i-watched-my-mental-and-physical-heal_2389878.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/62c/steven-magee-129_altitude_as-i-watched-my-mental-and-physical-heal_2389878.jpg) > ““As I watched my mental and physical health rapidly decline during a decade of working in high altitude professional astronomy, I became suspicious about the toxicity of the jobs and left the field to protect my long term health.”” [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. High‑altitude work harmed health, prompting a career change to protect long‑term wellbeing. **In simple terms:** Health decline led to leaving a toxic job. Key Takeaway Prioritize health over career pressure Themes health career environment Mood reflective cautious Type personal professional When to use this quote - astronomy - high‑altitude work - career transitions Key Concepts occupational health risk assessment Questions to Reflect On - What signs indicated toxicity? - How can workplaces reduce health risks? A Different Perspective Some may accept health risks for passion or prestige. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Astronomy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/astronomy/) [Decline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decline/) [Health](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/health/) [High-altitude](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/high-altitude/) [Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jobs/) [Long term](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long-term/) [Mental And Physical Health](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mental-and-physical-health/) [Physical health](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/physical-health/) [Suspicious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suspicious/) [Toxicity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/toxicity/) ## Related quotes > [“There was no management training in high altitude professional astronomy that covered the long-term health effects that were appearing in their mal-acclimatized staff.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/there-was-no-management-training-in-high-altitude-professional/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [“The illnesses in high altitude professional astronomy are generally a mixture of long term altitude sickness and workplace toxicity.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/the-illnesses-in-high-altitude-professional-astronomy-are-generally-a/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [“If you want to know what biological incompetence looks like, just take a look at high altitude professional astronomy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/if-you-want-to-know-what-biological-incompetence-looks-like-just-take/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [“I was never aware of any professional astronomy summit worker that had received formal industry recognized training in the safe handling of cryogenic fluids…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/i-was-never-aware-of-any-professional-astronomy-summit-worker-that/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [“The oldest computer hardware I worked on was in professional astronomy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/the-oldest-computer-hardware-i-worked-on-was-in-professional-astronomy/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [“It was a mistake to pursue a career in high altitude professional astronomy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/it-was-a-mistake-to-pursue-a-career-in-high-altitude-professional/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [“High altitude professional astronomy is a hypoxic job.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/high-altitude-professional-astronomy-is-a-hypoxic-job/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [“Some professional astronomy telescopes are associated with unusual illnesses and deaths in their workers.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/some-professional-astronomy-telescopes-are-associated-with-unusual/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [“When I became aware of the extensive health and safety issues in professional astronomy, I was legally required to alert the unsuspecting workers of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/when-i-became-aware-of-the-extensive-health-and-safety-issues-in/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [“I consider my low exposure to industrial carbon dioxide in professional astronomy to be a good thing, as opposed to the optics department that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/i-consider-my-low-exposure-to-industrial-carbon-dioxide-in/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [“UK professional astronomy worked differently from USA professional astronomy. When I told my UK employer I was going to work for another company, they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/uk-professional-astronomy-worked-differently-from-usa-professional/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [“The definition of ‘Summit Brain’ is a malfunctioning brain that is at high altitude and/or is hypoxic and/or is radiation exposed and/or has been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/the-definition-of-summit-brain-is-a-malfunctioning-brain-that-is-at/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [“COVID-19 is very similar to high altitude diseases.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/covid-19-is-very-similar-to-high-altitude-diseases/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [“Poor diet combined with high altitude exposures may bring increased risks of illnesses and cancers.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/poor-diet-combined-with-high-altitude-exposures-may-bring-increased/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [“I knew I was disabled when everyday home activities became overwhelming!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/i-knew-i-was-disabled-when-everyday-home-activities-became/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) ## More by Steven Magee > [“The global population of Earth are involved in the following corporate government experiments: The long term effects of - 1. Nuclear bomb fallout radiation.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/the-global-population-of-earth-are-involved-in-the-following/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [“The police ultimately pay the price for poor customer service when citizens become fearful of them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/the-police-ultimately-pay-the-price-for-poor-customer-service-when/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [“It is unnatural to fear something natural.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/it-is-unnatural-to-fear-something-natural/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [“The world is witnessing one of the greatest frauds the Florida government has ever engaged in.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/the-world-is-witnessing-one-of-the-greatest-frauds-the-florida/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [“Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) is largely an interrogation agency for whistle-blowers that extracts their full range of knowledge without upholding their legal rights.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/occupational-safety-health-administration-osha-is-largely-an/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [“The medical profession is a money making con, they will keep you sick on a variety of expensive prescriptions and on a yo-yo into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/the-medical-profession-is-a-money-making-con-they-will-keep-you-sick/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [“There is a time and place for electromagnetic shielding and I regard it as a last resort due to the long term biological problems…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/there-is-a-time-and-place-for-electromagnetic-shielding-and-i-regard/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [“To riot or not to riot, that is the question.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/to-riot-or-not-to-riot-that-is-the-question/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [“Publicly telling the truth on social media can be one of the most effective healing journeys.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/publicly-telling-the-truth-on-social-media-can-be-one-of-the-most/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [“The W. M. Keck Observatory is the only employer that has surprised me during my employment with urine tests for illegal drugs.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/the-w-m-keck-observatory-is-the-only-employer-that-has-surprised-me/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [“I will do everything I legally can to shut down the toxic Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT) project atop Mauna Kea.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/i-will-do-everything-i-legally-can-to-shut-down-the-toxic-thirty/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [“The difference between President Trump and Steven Magee? Steven Magee publicly acknowledges his mental illnesses.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/the-difference-between-president-trump-and-steven-magee-steven-magee/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [“There were a lot of stressed out people in the company as we were discovering how dangerous the DeSoto Solar Farm was!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/there-were-a-lot-of-stressed-out-people-in-the-company-as-we-were/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [“Interacting with a corrupt government judge is futile.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/interacting-with-a-corrupt-government-judge-is-futile/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [“I knew I was disabled when everyday home activities became overwhelming!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/i-knew-i-was-disabled-when-everyday-home-activities-became/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) [Explore all 1,204 Steven Magee quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) ## More Altitude quotes > [Change your attitude and gain some altitude. Believe me, you'll love it up here.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/change-your-attitude-and-gain-some-altitude-believe-me-you-ll-love-it/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [“I will do everything I legally can to shut down the toxic Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT) project atop Mauna Kea.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/i-will-do-everything-i-legally-can-to-shut-down-the-toxic-thirty/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [“I knew I was disabled when everyday home activities became overwhelming!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/i-knew-i-was-disabled-when-everyday-home-activities-became/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [“Over 275,000 people had signed to end the construction of the TMT telescope at the Mauna Kea Observatories (MKO) by week 20 of the protest.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/over-275-000-people-had-signed-to-end-the-construction-of-the-tmt/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [“The toxicity of medical and industrial gas to the human depends on where it is used. A gas that is regarded as safe in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/the-toxicity-of-medical-and-industrial-gas-to-the-human-depends-on/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [It is not your aptitude, but your attitude, that determines your altitude.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zig-ziglar/it-is-not-your-aptitude-but-your-attitude-that-determines-your/) [Zig Ziglar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zig-ziglar/) > [“Summit Lag occurs when a summit worker is kept in a permanent state of mal-acclimatization.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/summit-lag-occurs-when-a-summit-worker-is-kept-in-a-permanent-state/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [“My interest in astronomy took me to the premier astronomical observatories in the world before I developed occupational diseases and became disabled at age…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/my-interest-in-astronomy-took-me-to-the-premier-astronomical/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [Climbing at altitude is like hitting your head against a brick wall - it's great when you stop.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-darwin/climbing-at-altitude-is-like-hitting-your-head-against-a-brick-wall/) Chris Darwin > [Attitude and not the Aptitude decide the Altitude you reach in life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zig-ziglar/attitude-and-not-the-aptitude-decide-the-altitude-you-reach-in-life/) [Zig Ziglar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zig-ziglar/) > [“Plastic bottles of Gatorade were given free to very high altitude workers on Mauna Kea and they were advised to drink it while on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/plastic-bottles-of-gatorade-were-given-free-to-very-high-altitude/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [With the altitude in the Rocky Mountains, the ball jumps off your foot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-tucker/with-the-altitude-in-the-rocky-mountains-the-ball-jumps-off-your-foot/) [Justin Tucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-tucker/) > [I believe it is our attitude that determines our altitude. It is our attitude that allows us to soar above those things that would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-d-jakes/i-believe-it-is-our-attitude-that-determines-our-altitude-it-is-our/) [T. D. Jakes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-d-jakes/) > [“It's your ATTITUDE not your APTITUDE that ultimately determines your ALTITUDE!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-s-your-attitude-not-your-aptitude-that-ultimately-determines-your/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Poor diet combined with high altitude exposures may bring increased risks of illnesses and cancers.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/poor-diet-combined-with-high-altitude-exposures-may-bring-increased/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) Browse all 214 Altitude quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“As I watched my mental and physical health rapidly decline during a decade of working in high altitude professional astronomy, I became suspicious about the toxicity of the jobs and left the field to protect my long term health.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Steven Magee" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/as-i-watched-my-mental-and-physical-health-rapidly-decline-during-a/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Altitude" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/as-i-watched-my-mental-and-physical-health-rapidly-decline-during-a/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/62c/steven-magee-129_altitude_as-i-watched-my-mental-and-physical-heal_2389878.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/62c/steven-magee-129_altitude_as-i-watched-my-mental-and-physical-heal_2389878.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/62c/steven-magee-129_altitude_as-i-watched-my-mental-and-physical-heal_2389878.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“As I watched my mental and physical health rapidly decline during a decade of working in high altitude…” — Steven Magee", "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": "Steven Magee", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“As I watched my mental and...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/as-i-watched-my-mental-and-physical-health-rapidly-decline-during-a/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/as-i-watched-my-mental-and-physical-health-rapidly-decline-during-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 } } ] } ```