Longevity in Career Quotes

I look at my career and I feel I have the potential to maybe mature into a Samuel Jackson-type older cat, and people will still respect me and say 'Yo, Ice-T was wild', into my old age. And why not? I don't necessarily think I'll be rapping in 10 years.

I've got to work with people who have had really fantastic careers and who are still lovely people to be around. So, I suppose that's kind of a big inspiration for me - to work for as long as possible but to continue to enjoy it. I want to be a part of the process, rather than just wanting the rewards.

I'm always open. I try not to have a closed mind. In fact the only reason why I'm able to continue to make films since 1986 is I have been adaptable. If I weren't flexible I sure wouldn't be making films this many years as I've been doing it. I've been making a film a year almost since 1986 and that's hard. That ain't easy.

I don't think that I'll always necessarily be, I guess, famous. I think, hopefully I'll just have longevity at what I love. So, I kind of think it's about taking the right steps and the right roles, and doing the best you can... and praying.

I'm so thankful that I've had such a long and uninterrupted [knocks wood] career... I count my blessings every day for that because it was so fulfilling.

I don't want to be an action star; action star's life is so short. I want my life to get longer. I want my career to get longer.

Being promoted as a bubble-gum type artist that has one hit and it's all over is not something I want to do. I want a long career. I want to continue to play guitar and have as much guitar in there as possible in a commercial song without being too indulgent.

I been doing the same things as in my younger days, when I was coming up, and now here I am, an old man, up there in the charts. And I say, well, what happened? Have they just thought up the real John Lee Hooker, is that it? And I think, well, I won't tell nobody else! I can't help but wonder what happened.

I also realise power is fleeting, it doesn't last forever in this career, so I want to make the most of it. I want to make the kinds of pictures that interest me, it's as simple as that. I've never done work for money ever. If your choices are based on grosses and the film doesn't do well, what does that mean? It leaves you with nothing.

If you're not putting enough time into the music, there's not gonna be a whole lot of it. So in my eyes, success is just being able to do what I love for a living, spend all my time doing it, connect with fans, and continue that for a long f - king time.

I just don't feel like I'm old. I still feel like I've got a lot of years, a lot to give in this game, and I'm able to do it because I love to work.

Am I a star? That's a different thing. I mean no, I'm not in People magazine. But I must be doing something right, because I've done it for 50 years! And I like doing what I do.

The fact that I get to do what I love and 14 years in, I'm still doing it - I don't know how anything could get better.

I'll tell you what does impress me: the fact that a lot of the cats who were our idols are still out there doing it. That impresses me very much.

For me, the most interesting thing is longevity and sustaining a career, because that's what's truly difficult.

Im in a very enviable position, being able to work like this 45 years later. Its always beginning! I never have a sense of finishing up, just new things beginning. When I die, theyre going to carry me off a stage.

I'm at a point in my career, I've been around a long time now, over 35 years in broadcasting. I don't worry about much. I respect what America's Got Talent is. It is a family show. It is a show that I love.

At the very worst, if I have a short-lived career, at least I could say I sparked a change - that I inspired some leniency in what people accept in hip-hop. And if I have a very long career and can be gyrating in a leotard at 35, that would be great.

I love playing for my country. I see it as the biggest privilege of my career, so there's no way I'm going to volunteer to give that up. I want to go on for as long as I can. I've got 68 caps and I'd love to think I could get 100. I know there are some players who reach their 30s and announce their international retirement. I totally understand and respect their decisions. We are away a lot and for long spells. But although it's hard, we're doing one of the most privileged jobs in the world.

Acting keeps me young! I love that the fans like this kind of action and as long as they want me I'll continue to do it.

But really - look at the span of my career, and it's something people dream about. And to be spared major injury: I had some moments along the way, but being able to retire on my own terms after having driven during those decades when safety conditions were more precarious than today - am I lucky, or  what?

I wake up in the morning and I still have a passion for what I do, and I'll be doing it when I'm 105, I'll be scribbling away. If it was 100 years ago I'd be sitting by the campfire, saying, "Have I got a story to tell you."

I recently interviewed Bernie Ecclestone in London. He had a go at women, said [Vladimir] Putin should be running Europe and so on. He enjoys it - he's been doing it for such a long time. He has an entrenched position. The truth be known, he is unique, right?

Michael Caine is so happy. Happy and healthy. I think he enjoys life. I think he's 82 now, and I have no clue if I'll be working at that age.

I've been around a long time, and it seemed for the longest time like I was the young guy. Now, all of a sudden, I've got fans with beards telling me, "I used to watch you when I was a kid." So, I don't know what happened to all those years, but the little bit I do remember? It was definitely a fun ride.