Powerful Retirement Lessons: Inspiring Quotes from 7 Famous Retirees

Looking for some inspiration for retirement? Check out these retirement lessons that can be gleaned from a diverse group of famous older people.
The following seven successful individuals have shared some wisdom with the world that can help you have a better retirement. They also demonstrated that age is just a number. Some of them reached their physical, financial, and professional peaks in life well beyond what we think of as the traditional retirement age.

Andrew Carnegie, 1835-1919 (Retired in 1901)

Andrew Carnegie is one of the most famous – and arguably richest – businesspeople in American history.  Born in 1835, he built a massive fortune through the expansion of the steel industry.

In 1901, at 66 years old, Carnegie sold his highly profitable holdings at a massive valuation. His companies were sold for $480 million – a figure equivalent to 12 times his businesses’ annual earnings.

It is fairly unusual for a business person to retire. Many continue to pursue for-profit ventures. Carnegie, however, focused instead on writing, activism, and philanthropy.

Retirement Lesson: Carnegie did not get rich by accident.  Building wealth and planning for retirement takes focus and dedication. Use retirement planning tools that let you track and manage your strategies.

Retirement Lesson: There should be a purpose for the money you amass and for your retirement. You might want to think about creating a “retirement manifesto.”

Louis Armstrong, 1901-1971 (Never Retired)

Louis Armstrong had a long, vibrant career as one of the world’s most beloved jazz musicians. In 1964, at the age of 63, he recorded his best-selling record. He kept touring and performing all over the world until his death.

Retirement Lesson:  The lesson here is to figure out what gives you happiness and just keep doing it.  Here are 41 ideas for health, wealth and happiness in retirement.

Laura Ingalls Wilder, 1867-1957 (Never Retired)

Laura Ingalls Wilder was born in 1867 in the Big Woods region of Wisconsin. She was the second of five children in a family of pioneers and settlers. Laura and her husband, Almanzo, began a farm near Mansfield, Missouri in 1894. At their farm, they had an apple orchard, raised poultry and dairy, and cultivated wheat. Wilder was recognized as an authority in rural living, and she was invited to contribute a column to the Missouri Ruralist when she was 44 years old.

The stock market crash of 1929 devastated the Wilder family. To generate some income, Wilder, now age 65, and her daughter collaborated on a manuscript based on Wilder’s pioneering childhood. That manuscript eventually became “Little House in the Big Woods” and turned into a nine-volume series about pioneering life in the 19th century.

Wilder passed away at home, just days after her 90th birthday.

Retirement Lesson: Focus on what is important to you and make sure you spend your time doing what matters.

George Burns, 1896-1996 (Never Retired)

Born Nathan Birnbaum in 1896, George Burns was an entertainer who worked in vaudeville, radio, film, and television. He worked nearly up to the day of his death at the age of 100.

Burns underwent major heart surgery in 1975. But he didn’t even consider retirement, saying, “The happiest people I know are the ones that are still working. The saddest are the ones who are retired. Very few performers retire on their own. It’s usually because no one wants them.”

Returning to the film industry, Burns won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in “The Sunshine Boys.” He continued to star in films and perform live comedy, in addition to writing two best-selling books.

Retirement Lessons: If Michael Jordon is a great example of thriving in a second career, George Burns is the poster child for someone who never retired.  His work just happened to be exactly what he loved doing and was probably one of the things that helped him to live such a long life.  Explore the many benefits of working past retirement age.

Sophia Loren, 1934-Present

While Sophia Loren is an acclaimed film star, she is probably most famous for being one of the most beautiful women in the world. At the age of 83, she remains a stunning and vibrant icon.

Want More Retirement Quotes?

You’ll laugh (or cry) when you read these list of famous quotations about retirement.