British rower Matthew Pinsent has vowed to think long and hard about whether to go for a fifth Olympic gold in Beijing.
The 33-year-old narrowly took victory in the coxless fours on Saturday to claim his fourth win in as many Games.
But he told BBC Sport that he would not let the euphoria of the moment affect any decision about his future.
"I must consider if I can live without rowing, see what else I want to do with my life and decide if I have the mental ability to carry on," Pinsent said.
He added: "I also need to talk to my wife."
Sir Stephen Redgrave, winner of five Olympic titles, has already backed former rowing partner Pinsent to win two more gold medals.
But Pinsent has promised to learn from Redgrave, who came out of retirement to compete in Sydney after famously telling anyone who saw him get in a boat again to "shoot" him.
"It's true that you are a long time retired in sport," he told BBC Radio Five Live's Sportsweek programme.
"Steve made his retirement speech but then changed his mind within two weeks, so you really have to take your time over making a decision like that.
"If I do decide to quit then that will be it and I won't come back," he said.
Pinsent said it was too early to judge which Olympic medal meant most to him.
"It's hard to say if the fourth is the best because it's still so close to the event.
"It feels magical and extra special at the moment because of all the emotion of the last two days.
"But in a year's time I'll be able to look back at the four medals and see which was the most meaningful. They're all special in their own way."