"At the end of the Beatles, I really was done in for the first time in my life. Until then, I really was a kind of cocky sod"

In this quote, Paul McCartney reflects on completion of the Beatles and how it affected him personally. He confesses that for the very first time in his life, he felt completely drained pipes and defeated. The breakup of the band was a substantial event that left him feeling lost and not sure of what the future held. Before this, McCartney had constantly been confident and self-assured, and now he recognizes that he had actually been rather big-headed and overconfident. The end of the Beatles humbled him and made him recognize that he was not invincible. It was a turning point in his life that required him to review himself and his actions.