Eleanor Holmes Norton Quotes

I think a person who takes a job in order to live - that is to say, for the money - has turned himself into a slave. Work begins when you don't like what you're doing. There's a wise saying: make your hobby your source of income. Then there's no such thing as work, and there's no such thing as getting tired. That's been my own experience. I did just what I wanted to do. It takes a little courage at first, because who the hell wants you to do just what you want to do; they've all got lots of plans for you. But you can make it happen.

Do what you think is interesting, do something that you think is fun and worthwhile, because otherwise you won't do it well anyway.

I am happiest when I am working though, when I am being creative. I realized at a very young age what I loved doing. I think it is so important for people to pursue the things that they love and not give up on their dreams.

I am a free man. I don't need to earn money. But I need to love what I do.

I get to do what I love and communicate whatever I want.

I love what I do, and I never thought about doing anything else. I think my voice was bestowed upon me; it was a gift I was given. I just had to learn to understand how to use it.

The unspoken factor is love. The reason I can work so hard at my writing is that it's not work for me.

I love writing, it's the center of my life. If you don't love what you do, you'd better find something else to love. Otherwise, you don't have a reason for living.

One piece of advice I have is: Want something else more than success. Success is a lovely thing, but your desire to say something, your worth, and your identity shouldn’t rely on it, because it’s not guaranteed and it’s not permanent and it’s not sufficient. So work hard, fall in love with the writing — the characters, the story, the words, the themes — and make sure that you are who you are regardless of your life circumstances. That way, when the good things come, they don’t warp you, and when the bad things hit you, you don’t fall apart.

I can do anything - but that doesn't mean I should do that. I need to enjoy what I do. I enjoy making movies.

When a man's earning his living doing things he doesn't like, he feels like a slave; when he's doing what he loves, he feels like a prince.

Live your passion. What does that mean, anyway? It means that when you get up for work every morning, every single morning, you are pumped because you get to talk about or work with or do the thing that interests you the most in the world. You don’t live for vacations because you don’t need a break from what you’re doing—working, playing, and relaxing are one and the same. You don’t even pay attention to how many hours you’re working because to you, it’s not really work. You’re making money, but you’d do whatever it is you’re doing for free.

Basically, my work is play. It never actually feels that way - I'm always aiming to attain that state. But I get to do for a living what I did as a child for fun, and that's pretty cool.

The only advice my Dad's given me is: If you ain't having fun, it ain' working, so always have fun with what you're doing. If you don't love it then there's no reason to do it. And don't do it for fame or money- do it because it's something that you feel is right.

It is important to always love what you do and do what you love. This is my mentality towards my career and my personal life.

Enjoying your work is essential. If your work becomes an expression of your own ideas, you will surely enjoy it.

I'm just trying to do things that are interesting for me.

Love is the answer to everything. It's the only reason to do anything. If you don't write stories you love, you'll never make it. If you don't write stories that other people love, you'll never make it.

Writing is only the frosting on my cake. I'm whole without it.

The essential conditions of everything you do must be choice, love, passion.

I have the distinct pleasure of doing exactly what I want to do and get paid for it. It's a joy.

Happiness for me is getting to write about the most important things I know.

I sort of cringe when I hear myself say the word 'work.' Getting to do something you love to do never really feels like work.

I didn't do it for the money. I know a lot of people say that, but if I'd wanted to be rich, I'd have stayed working as a city lawyer. I gave that up eight years ago and took a massive drop in salary, and I didn't mind because I was doing what I loved. There's plenty of material for the other five books.

I love what I do, and when I don't love what I do, I'll make a change.