Jonathan Rea says a love of racing motorbikes and winning world titles forced him to abandon previous retirement plans.
The Northern Ireland rider had vowed to hang up the leathers by the time he was 32.
Now aged 34, Rea has put the brakes on that promise in a bid to continue his incredible run of success in the World Superbike championship.
He has won six WSBK titles on the bounce, and last week chalked up his 100th career win in the series.
Rea kick-started the 2021 season last weekend with two wins at Motorland Aragon in Spain.
This weekend he will look to extend his 12-point lead at the top of the standings when he competes at the second round in Estoril.
"I am 34, and I feel I am as fit as I have ever been," Rea told Belfast Live.
"I have another couple of years with Kawasaki, so I will focus on that and then see what happens next.
"But as a motorbike rider you take things year by year, and opportunity by opportunity. But right now I am in great spirits."
He added: "After I won my first championship when I was 29, I said to my mates I will be retired when I am 32.
"But I am enjoying it so much that I can't see retirement anytime soon.
"There will come a time when that will arrive, and something else might emerge that lights your fire, or it's the kids wanting to get stuck in with football, or my wife wanting to do something different.
"But right now we're solely focused on me and trying to do the best I can do."
Rea has made countless sacrifices to win six back-to-back World Superbike crowns.
But he says the incredible run of success makes up for the various family events he has been forced to miss over the years.
"I have missed family weddings, birthdays, things like that," he added.
"I have always tried to keep Tarsh and the kids with me, and bring them travelling with me. That's nice. More recently with Covid they haven't been able to travel, and it's tough.
"But it is all worthwhile when you get a win or a good feeling with the bike."
