I’m not sure I understand the question, but here is what comes up for me.
As I understand it, to "burn out" implies "burning the candle at both ends " or living as fully as possible, for a short span. I’m not as clear about the meaning of "fading away" but I’ve most often garnered the impression that it has a negative connotation, representing an unrealized, purposeless life that becomes less meaningful as it drags on monotonously..
Many people who "burn the candle at both ends" seem to pay a steep price, often in terms of sacrificing physical and or mental health, which results in a short life. There are also adrenaline junkie who engage in extreme sports and meet early ends. The latter seem to believe an early, spectacular death is preferable to a longer life span that involves a normal slow diminishment of faculties.
Admittedly there are also people born with an above average capacity/energy for achievement/intense engagement with life. They may burn "hot" for a long time without necessarily "burning out". There are also people who are "slow and steady"-- they maintain a consistent pace and achieve a lot without appearing remarkably effortful.
We are each born with a particular temperament and physiology. We have to work with who we are and make the most of it.
If we get to the point where we cannot make wise choices regarding what’s best for our well being, then it’s time to seek professional help.
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Thanks @stuartk
I suppose the answer is personal. My post, reflects the long question , Neil Young asked a while back.
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Tough decision though I am firmly on the fade away track myself. 
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@slaw
Perhaps You can provide a link to Neil Young's comments. That way, you may get more targeted responses.
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I'll say fade away. I lost my best friend and a brother who was very dear to me because although both were joyful beings, they paid little attention to their physical well-being. I wish that they were still here to enjoy life with me, and eventually, to fade away with me.
@stuartk
Neil said "It's better to burn out than fade away." in one of his old songs from the 80's. His opinion is worth nothing to me.
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Neil Young had to be thinking of all the rock musicians who died at age 27 when he wrote that song:
Jimi Hendrix
Janis Joplin
Brian Jones
Jim Morrison
Ron Pigpen Mc Kernan
Alan Wilson
Pete Ham
Dave Alexander
Gary Thain
That marked me. It obviously marked him too. Somehow he didn't follow up on those lyrics and is still kicking. Me too.
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@roxy54
Yes; I'm aware of Neil's lyric re: Johnny Rotten.
Whatever implications that might have for forum members escapes me.
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@roxy54 - "Hey Hey My My" was from the 70's, not the 80's.
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@larsman
Thanks for the correction. I've never been one of his fans, so I just made a guess.
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@stuartk
I'm with you. I don't get it either.
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My post wasn't meant to be a serious discussion but more about personal observations. I'm still thinking on mine.
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I am 100% burning out but I am doing this while listening to tunes (on great systems) almost every second I am up, which is usually 18 hours a day.
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For me, I think it depends on your age.
When I was young, I didn't have any problem doing some things that had a certain risk factor to them. Despite the risk, I was more interested in having a good time, rather than taking a more objective, long term view.
However, I recently turned 70 (!) and for the past 45 years I have had a more sensible lifestyle that is more conducive to having more birthday parties.
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@slaw
OK. Thanks for the clarification!
@tony1954
Many experiment while young, then opt for less risky lifestyles. Others appear to be born with a stronger than normal craving for intensity/stimulation. When it's a function of brain chemistry, it's not so easy to outgrow, especially when it leads to addiction.
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I'm 68 and still an adrenaline junkie.
the key is to never rust.
Jerry
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I saw Neil being interviewed by Dan Rather who asked this question to him. I'd have to go back and search. AXS tv. Dan does some good interviews of musical artists.
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@slaw
Yes; he does. The one with G. Allman is the first one I came across, filmed at Allman's home.
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++1 I'm 68 and still an adrenaline junkie. the key is to never rust.
I used to be that active. Consistency is key. Now, I jog in place while listening to music, but I need to get back to my previous routine.
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I don’t know why it has to be one or the other. You can choose to live a very full life without taking stupid risks. It’s a matter of being open to new people, places and experiences regardless of your age. I just don’t think you want to sit around and rust. That my opinion.
@puppyt
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and yet rust never sleeps. NY still here and every now n then reinvents himself…
I think it’s a fair question with a lot of grey area between the poles… Wishing you the best in your journey Steve…. retirement is a transition…. some “ flunk it “…
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@tomic601
some “ flunk it “…
You mean, the ones who, sooner or later, go back to work? ;o)
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@slaw
He did a good one with R. Plant, too...
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@stuartk Well, my view and experience so far is it’s self graded…
i still “ work “…. in some capacity: not for profits x 2, advisor to a bleeding edge tech company… sometime helper at the old wage slave firm…on a free basis “ greybeard type work… so yes, by your yardstick… i am failing…
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At one time in my life I found the concept of "burning out" to be romantic; in retrospect I am grateful and feel fortunate that I did not.
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Neil has the answer in the song. It’s better to burn out because rust never sleeps. The king is gone but he’s not forgotten. Happy Groundhog Day. Again.
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@tomic601
FYI: my insertion of ;o) was intended to convey the fact that I was speaking "tongue in cheek". I wouldn’t presume to judge the efficacy of anyone else’s retirement. That would be ridiculous, not to mention wholly irrelevant.
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@stuartk
I really had a "tongue in cheek" attitude when I initially posted this. Of course every individual has a personal answer but all are valid
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@stuartk ah… thank you…i had my subtlety detector set to low…. and often..my posts are self coaching… Best to you in music - i greatly enjoy your contributions here…
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They need not be mutually exclusive.... 
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@tomic601
ah… thank you…i had my subtlety detector set to low…. and often..my posts are self coaching… Best to you in music - i greatly enjoy your contributions her
No worries! I make plenty of mistakes in interpretation, here. I believe it’s unavoidable in a communication medium where we aren’t privy to so much of the information that would otherwise be available to us in a phone call, not to mention a face to face conversation. All we can do is try our best.
@larsman
They need not be mutually exclusive....
Indeed not! And we need not stay in one place on the spectrum bookended by these extremes. I’m not an "adrenaline junky" but one of the main pay-offs that draw me to engage in my hobbies -- listening to music, playing guitar, creative writing -- is the access they offer to a state of "enhanced aliveness". However, it takes a significant amount of energy to sustain that state. I’m nearly 69 and don’t have the sort of endurance I once had. So, some of my time is spent in higher intensity mode and the rest in lower intensity mode.
@slaw
I really had a "tongue in cheek" attitude when I initially posted this. Of course every individual has a personal answer but all are valid
Now I see that. At first, I assumed you were looking for some sort of in-depth philosophical debate. ;o)
And I agree that all answers are "valid’.
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Neither sounds very appealing.
Still, it's probably better to very slowly fade away.
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"Hey Hey My My" was from the 70’s, not the 80’s.
I remember that LP, Rust Never Sleeps, it was one of the first LPs I ever bought (1979) when I started buying vinyl instead of 8-tracks. I bought it for the song Powderfinger. I remember that I bought the self titled John Cougar LP on the same trip to the record store for the song I Need A Lover (that won’t drive me crazy) (and I also thought Night Dancing was a pretty cool track). I had just seen John Mellencamp (aka Cougar) open for South Side Johnny And The Asbury Jukes at The Kiel Opera House in St. Louis, and although South Side Johnny didn’t do a whole lot for me, I thought that the John Cougrr show rocked out.
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Neither sounds very appealing.
Still, it's probably better to very slowly fade away.
I am with you on that, @inna . I am happy I am still around.
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And then there is Bob Dylan, who has done neither.
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There is always the exception.
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@baylinor
Your post reminds me of a Letter to the Editor in National Lampoon many years ago. The "writer" was describing some aspect of heaven and signed it "Jim Jimi Janice and those are just the J's" Still sticks with me...
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@slaw
Yes, ones teenage years can sometimes resemble that Russian roulette scene from The Deer Hunter.
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