Steven Spielberg Quotes

I don't want to spend my life doing jobs that I don't care about.

I read a quote by James Dean when I was 17; he said, 'I'd rather starve than do a whole bunch of work that I don't care about.' The older I got, the more I understood what he was saying. If I want to do a whole lot of work that I don't care about, then I would probably be working in a law office somewhere.

I think that the best career that someone can have is one that's reflective of their personal tastes.

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.

Putting lifestyle first is how you find a job - not a calling.

I accept a role only if it's something I really, really like.

And the reason I came to IBM was I think - I always say at a really early age, I learned you've got to be passionate about what you do. No matter what it is, you put too much, your heart and soul in it, you have to be passionate about it. You make too many sacrifices.

Like what you do, if you don't like it, do something else.

Like what you do, if you don't like it, do something else.

Converting your own passions into a job is the fastest method for eliminating any passion you once had.

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

So I was always passionate about it and felt that it was sort of the golden thread inside me in terms of what I was supposed to do in terms of work but I think I have relaxed a lot in terms of the actual experience and actually enjoy it more and enjoy the people more.

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.

You know, I think I'm more of a micro-person, so to me, the context and the framework of trying to do what you love and feel passionate about, in supporting your family in that way, is the most important thing to me.

It doesn't really matter where the opportunity comes from, as long as I have fun doing the work.

My parents have always done what they've loved, and they've had many different careers.

I actually went to study journalism at Northwestern, thinking that would be my Plan B for a career. But then I realized, if I'm going to struggle and make no money, I might as well do what I really want to do.

You don't always get to work as much as you like, because I'm waiting to find things that I care about. Sometimes that's frustrating.

I don't think of careers from a functional perspective or from a subject matter perspective. I think of careers as, how do you like spending the time in your day? What makes you happiest? What are you most passionate about?

Probably the hardest question I get asked is, 'How do I choose between passion and practicality?' I can't answer that. I had to do both. I was passionate about pursuing a career in financial services. But I was also passionate about feeding my child.

I was lucky enough to find my passion early - in retail - and I have done well but, most importantly, loved doing it.

Don't manage your career. Follow your dream and contribute.

When I graduated from UCLA, I actually started interviewing for banking jobs. But at some point I realized a career in banking felt more like a continuation of school than a passion.

The offers are plenty. I'm just taking time and only working on those projects that excite me.

If you can find a way to make a living doing something you enjoy, or a range of things that you enjoy, then it can scarcely be called work.