Chris Gardner Quotes

Doing something because it's quote-unquote a good career move doesn't really appeal to me.

Choose a field that will supply sufficient remuneration to provide adequately for your companion and your children. I bear testimony that these criteria are very important in choosing your life's work.

But I was going to be a teacher my entire life, so I wasn't counting on money to much.

Don't make career choices on short-term financial gain. Job satisfaction and career enjoyment are far more important.

My career has mostly been jobs I love or cases where I needed money.

I am just a normal professional with a great job and a great life.

I knew I'd have to go to work in real estate or something else or I could never finish my novel.

Don't ever let economic alone determine your career or how you spend the majority of your time.

I chose to have a career, and I enjoyed it while I had it.

I don't have a career. I have a life.

I don't think acting is addictive. If I stopped acting tomorrow, I really wouldn't care. If you told me that I would have to sell real estate in New York City to look after my family, that would be fine with me.

I don't want only a career.

Because modeling is lucrative, I'm able to save up and be more particular about the acting roles I take.

What about the rat race in the first place? Is it worthwhile? Or are you just buying into someone else's definition of success? Only you can decide that, and you'll have to decide it over and over and over. But if you think it's a rat race, before you drop out, take a deep breath. Maybe you picked the wrong job. Try again. And then try again.

When I don't have a movie, I don't take a job just for the sake of working. I just sit it out until I find something I'm passionate about.

I never wanted to take a job because I needed money, and I never have.

Money does not motivate me as long as I can provide for my children.

I don't think my parents would have let me go straight into acting full time when I was 12. I do like to have balance, naturally, as an individual.

When you get to a point where you're successful enough that you can say, 'I don't have to take any job anymore,' and you're still good at what you do, how do you decide what work to take on? I think the answer is that you pursue what you enjoy. In my case, it's variety.

My career choice is my career choice. Just stepping out of that zone, to be able to be a provider. I understand my position as a provider and my role as a dad also... Just being able to be comfortable with it.

I'd be lying if I said that I didn't want to do a TV show or movie, but life comes first, and then there's business. If this business doesn't allow me to have my life, then I'll do something else and be a happier man.

My approach has always been to work so that I can support my family.

My two great fears are either not working or working on something that means you can't do something else you really want.

I'm glad I've had the comic work. I plan to do others, but I could lay it down if I had to choose. I hope I don't have to, though.

I'm lucky enough to do what I like for work - not everyone's that fortunate.