"I want to go out at the top, but the secret is knowing when you're at the top, it's so difficult in this business, your career fluctuates all the time, up and down, like a pair of trousers"

This quote by Rod Stewart speaks with the difficulty of knowing when to end a profession in the entertainment industry. Stewart is saying that it is hard to understand when you have actually reached the peak of your career, as success in this organization is typically unpredictable and can change. He is revealing his desire to go out at the top, but acknowledges that it is difficult to know when that time has actually come. The metaphor of a pair of pants is utilized to show the idea of a profession going up and down, as pants can be pulled up and down to adjust the fit. Stewart's quote is a suggestion of the unpredictability of the show business and the problem of understanding when to end a career.