Cartoonist Gary Larson – Quit While You’re On Top

I have always admired Gary Larson. I think his cartoons are hysterical but beyond that he retired at the top of his game in the 90’s, without ceremony. He felt his work was becoming repetitive and did not to enter what he called the, “Graveyard of Mediocre Cartoons”.

This suits his chart to a T. Mr. Larson is a Leo with his Sun conjunct Pluto so there you have the both the cut-off of his creativity and the graveyard reference. He has a Virgo Moon, with Saturn conjunct Mercury in Virgo which would denote an exacting standard and I have no problem relating.

While I have never reached the level of Mr. Larson’s success, I have quit everything I have every quit at the pinnacle of whatever success I did manage for a similar reason.  My heart just wasn’t in the thing anymore and I did not want to perform subpar.

What do you think?  Quit while you’re on top or ride the thing down?

16 thoughts on “Cartoonist Gary Larson – Quit While You’re On Top”

  1. Quit on top…I think if you try to hold on for ever…You are going to regret it. Looking back at something that could only be classified as great , will look embarrasing. Its like those tv shows that go on forever. They become parodies of themself and any quality they brougt to the table is going to loose its sigifigance. I think:)
    But offcouse some actually manage to reinvent themselves within the same context ….but I think those a minority.

  2. I’ve got Pluto in the 10th… So, yup I can relate. I don’t know about dropping it all while ‘on top’- but, certainly once the ‘fun’ is over and I feel I’ve ‘mastered’ the job/career, I’m done and ready to move onto the next job.

    I also LOVE Gary’s cartoons/humor!

  3. I quit when all the signs coming are that it’s time to. 😉
    And if I “think” it’s time to quit, ask for guidance, and then it keeps coming at me, I pick myself back up, and have at it again.
    I, too, love Gary Larson.
    Two of my favorites….
    Gee, Ginger, you look stunning, and whatever you rolled in sure does stink.
    Ha! Ha! Biff! My family is taking ME for a car ride, and after that, I’m going to get tutored!
    (Both doggie jokes.)

  4. I quit when I’ve learned how to do something and the repeating starts to bug me. I need to be always learning and building, which means moving on. In my professional life I was good at setting up projects, didn’t always want to hang around to see them through, other people can do that…

    “a Leo with his Sun conjunct Pluto so there you have the both the cut-off of his creativity and the graveyard reference”

    I’m interested Elsa in your comment about Sun conj Pluto, one important man in my life (a Leo like Larrson) has this, almost exact (0.02Ëš) and I know at least two people I like a lot on the boards here have it (one also a Leo!). Can you elaborate as I’m not sure what the implication here is! Sorry to be dense.

    This man been extremely dogged and determined in following his chosen (creative and semi-creative) path, with little hope of material reward either.

  5. I think Stacey said it best. I know logically that it would be best to quit at said certain point but I’ve never really been able to for some reason. Must be that mad cap..

  6. Quit while you’re on top because then instead of falling down in that field, I might discover another area in which to succeed (even if success is only measured by my pleasure in partaking in the new passtime)

  7. Leeeeebra!

    Part of me recognizes the intelligence in quitting while you’re ahead (see also Bill Watterson of Calvin and Hobbes fame, though he also wanted out because of the business side of things), but part of me mourns the loss. I don’t know which would win, I’ve never been put in that position. :/

  8. Quit while you are ahead..who knows what the future holds for something that may be more meaningful (and less high profile?).

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