I've never stopped learning.

Mick Taylor, famed guitarist and craftsman of sound, once spoke a phrase of profound simplicity and eternal weight: “I’ve never stopped learning.” Though the words are few, they carry the wisdom of a lifetime, echoing a truth as old as humanity itself: that the path of growth never ends, that knowledge is an infinite well, and that the soul which remains curious will never grow old.

To say “I’ve never stopped learning” is to admit that mastery is not a final destination, but a continual journey. Taylor, though celebrated for his brilliance with the guitar, did not see himself as finished, nor complete. Instead, he walked the way of humility, knowing that every note played, every performance given, every encounter with other musicians revealed something new. This is the same path walked by the ancients, who declared that wisdom belongs not to those who claim to know, but to those who admit how much remains unknown.

The spirit of Taylor’s words can be found in the story of Socrates, who proclaimed, “I know that I know nothing.” For in that confession lay his greatness: his mind was always open, his heart always ready to inquire further. Just as Taylor continued to push beyond the limits of his instrument, so too did Socrates continue to press into the depths of philosophy, asking questions that stirred the conscience of generations. To never stop learning is to live with the courage of curiosity, to resist the stagnation that so often traps the proud.

History also remembers Leonardo da Vinci, who, though praised as painter, sculptor, inventor, and scientist, spent his last days filling notebooks with sketches, questions, and unfinished ideas. He could have rested in his fame, but he confessed himself still a student of the world, still grasping at mysteries too vast to contain. Like Mick Taylor, Leonardo lived as one who believed that greatness comes not from the moment of applause, but from the unending pursuit of discovery.

Taylor’s words also carry a warning. Many cease their learning once they have achieved success, believing that laurels can replace growth. Yet the tree that stops drawing water from the soil soon withers, no matter how tall it has grown. To never stop learning is to remain rooted in humility, to know that life itself will always have new lessons—through joy, through sorrow, through triumph, through failure. Only the soul willing to learn in all seasons can remain alive in spirit until the very end.

The lesson for us is clear: live as perpetual students. Do not confine learning to school or youth; carry it into every age. Seek wisdom in books, in music, in nature, in the stories of others. Learn from mistakes as much as from victories. Approach each day not as one who has arrived, but as one who still journeys. For those who embrace this mindset will find that life remains fresh, their hearts ever renewed by wonder.

So let Mick Taylor’s words ring like a chord struck deep within the soul: “I’ve never stopped learning.” Make this your vow. Let no day pass without growth, no year end without new wisdom gained. For the one who continues to learn continues to live, and their spirit, like a song, will echo beyond time itself, carrying truth and beauty into the ears of generations yet to come.