I've compiled a list of retirement quotes and retirement words of wisdom from those who describe it best! You may also be interested in reading some of Warren Buffet's most famous quotes.
When I say the word “retirement,” what image pops into your mind? Is it a tropical vacation somewhere? Is it a golf course with friends? Maybe relaxing with your grandkids? What about planning for an early retirement? Whatever it is, I hope it’s a happy image. Because retirement should be just that - happy, healthy, and wealthy.
You’ve spent the majority of your years planning, saving, and making money by working hard in your career. Your job may have been your passion, but now is the time to seek out new opportunities.
Find new passions that leave you feeling fulfilled even without a paycheck. Create stronger bonds with the people around you. Challenge your body and mind with new and exciting activities.
Use this time to enjoy yourself, and experience what life has to offer outside of the office.
To make that image of retirement a reality—whether it’s travel, time with grandkids, or pursuing passions—you need more than just savings. You need a plan. In Rule #1 Investing, we believe financial freedom starts with learning how to confidently grow your money through smart, long-term investing in wonderful businesses. The earlier you start, the more your money can compound—turning your vision into reality.
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35 Inspirational Retirement Quotes for a Happy, Healthy, & Wealthy Life
1. “The question isn't at what age I want to retire, it's at what income.” -George Foreman
2. “As in all successful ventures, the foundation of a good retirement is planning.” - Earl Nightingale
3. “Preparation for old age should begin not later than one’s teens. A life which is empty of purpose until 65 will not suddenly become filled on retirement.” -Arthur E. Morgan
4. “Choose a work that you love and you won’t have to work another day.” - Confucius
5. "Retire from work, but not from life." -M.K. Soni
6. “The best time to start thinking about your retirement is before the boss does.” - Unknown
Related: Where to Invest Money and How to Get Good Returns
7. "Planning to retire? Before you do, find your hidden passion. Do the thing that you have always wanted to do." - Catherine Pulsifer
Planning isn't just about when to stop working—it's about how to ensure your money continues working for you. That's why Rule #1 Investors prioritize understanding a business before buying its stock, focusing on value, and investing with a margin of safety. It's not about gambling. It's about being certain. With the right tools and mindset, retirement can be more secure than you imagined.
8. “Sooner or later I'm going to die, but I'm not going to retire.” - Margaret Mead
9. “Don't simply retire from something; have something to retire to.” - Harry Emerson Fosdick
10. “Age is only a number, a cipher for the records. A man can't retire his experience. He must use it. Experience achieves more with less energy and time.” - Bernard Baruch
11. “You can't put off being young until you retire.” - Philip Larkin
12. “Retirement is wonderful. It's doing nothing without worrying about getting caught at it.” - Gene Perret
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13. “Retirement: That's when you return from work one day and say, "Hi, Honey, I'm home — forever." - Gene Perret
14. “Often when you think you’re at the end of something, you’re at the beginning of something else.” - Fred Rogers
15. “Retirement is not the end of the road. It is the beginning of the open highway.” - Unknown
16. “What do you call a person who is happy on a Monday? Retired.” - Unknown
Related: How to Invest in Stocks: A Market Guide
17. "There is a whole new kind of life ahead, full of experiences just waiting to happen. Some call it ‘retirement.’ I call it ‘bliss.’" - Betty Sullivan
18. "The trouble with retirement is that you never get a day off." - Abe Lemons
19. “You are never too old to set a new goal or dream a new dream.” - C.S. Lewis
Retirement isn’t about stopping—it’s about evolving. Many successful Rule #1 investors use retirement as a chance to focus on wealth-building, personal growth, and mentoring others. Whether it's managing your portfolio, reading company annual reports, or teaching your grandkids about money, retirement can be your most enriching chapter yet.
20. "I'm retired - goodbye tension!" - Unknown
21. “If we had no winter, the spring would not be so pleasant; if we did not sometimes taste of adversity, prosperity would not be so welcome.” - Anne Bradstreet
22. “Time spent in laughter when one is retired is well invested.” - Unknown
23. “Don't act your age in retirement. Act like the inner young person you have always been.” - J. A. West
24. “There's one thing I always wanted to do before I quit . . . . retire!” - Groucho Marx
25. “Retirement is wonderful if you have two essentials — much to live on and much to live for.” - Unknown
26. “Financial freedom is available to those who learn about it and work for it.” – Robert Kiyosaki
27. “A goal without a plan is just a wish.” – Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
28. “Retirement is when you stop living at work and start working at living.” – Unknown
29. “You make a living by what you get. You make a life by what you give.” – Winston Churchill
30. “We don’t stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing.” – George Bernard Shaw
31. “Financial peace isn’t the acquisition of stuff. It’s learning to live on less than you make.” – Dave Ramsey
32. “It’s not your salary that makes you rich, it’s your spending habits.” – Charles A. Jaffe
Rule #1 Wisdom: True wealth is built not from how much you earn, but how much you keep and grow. Invest what you save, and let compounding do the rest.
33. “Retirement is not a life without purpose; it’s the opportunity to pursue it full-time.” – Unknown
34. “Do not grow old, no matter how long you live. Never cease to stand like curious children before the Great Mystery into which we were born.” – Albert Einstein
Rule #1 Wisdom: Investing is lifelong learning. The best investors remain curious, always improving their knowledge of great businesses and adapting to change.
35. “Your life does not get better by chance, it gets better by change.” – Jim Rohn
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Retirement isn’t the end of your journey—it’s a new chapter filled with freedom, fulfillment, and financial independence. Whether you're just beginning to plan or you're already counting down the days, the wisdom in these quotes reminds us that the most successful retirements are built with intention. At Rule #1 Investing, we believe anyone can retire wealthy—with the right education, tools, and mindset. If these quotes inspired you, take the next step: learn how to invest with confidence and create a retirement that’s not only happy and healthy, but truly wealthy. And if you have a favorite quote or retirement insight, drop it in the comments—we’d love to hear what inspires you.
Looking for more quotes that will teach you how to invest with certainty? Get this free eBook that contains all of the advice from the world’s greatest investors.
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**Editor’s Note (Updated April 2025): This article was originally published in 2017 and has been significantly updated in 2025 to reflect current examples and Rule #1 investing insights.
