Tillie Olsen Quotes

I don't have to be a 'gazillionaire;' what's important to me is to just being able to work.

I played basketball to try to get my parents from working so hard.

I did 75 films. I didn't take a break; I didn't spend my money. I have my savings, so when you're not working for money anymore, then you should find things that are meaningful and not just be like, 'OK, that's another day gone.'

I can still do clothing, movies, cartoons. I'mma get mine regardless. Whether I put an album out or not, I'm still gonna see a check.

I'm really lucky because I found myself in a position where I can do whatever I want to do. I can make records, produce records, make movies, or I can do nothing. I'm not a slave to the dollar.

At the end of the day, I don't need to work, and I think it's good that I have the drive and willpower to get up and do something in the morning even though I don't need to.

Work for the fun of it, and the money will arrive some day.

My goal is to be able to provide for myself and not have to worry about the daily expenses. I do want to be able to benefit from my work and make a good living, but I love it so much that I would do it for free.

Any woman that is willing to take control of their life and do what they want to do to make their living, I have a lot of respect for.

I know people think we drive around in these nice cars and we do whatever we want and our parents will pay our credit cards, but that's not the case. Sure, my parents were generous; I got a nice car at 16, but at 18 I was cut off. I've worked really hard. I opened the store myself.

Fortunately, now I've got myself in a position where things are about story and not money. In my earlier career, it was more about getting my foot in the door and to get enough money to live, to be perfectly honest.

My business doesn't keep me warm at night.

By 17, I was modeling and had bought myself a flat. I've always tried to be self-sufficient.

You want to strike that happy medium: the balance of being able to find creative satisfaction in your profession, be able to afford a roof over your head, but still have the freedom to live a relatively normal life.

It's great when people appreciate your work, but I don't know how seriously to take it. The amazing thing is that I found something so early that I can support myself doing, and that can even be extremely lucrative, but I love it either way.

I've always made a clear distinction between making a life and making a living.

The best piece of advice I ever got from anyone was when Spike Jonze said, 'Take money out of the equation.' And that's actually when Vice started making lots of money. That's when I stopped worrying about money and started worrying about what I wanted to do.

My goal was never to win awards. Mine was let me get to a place where I don't have to work. I don't have to do anything I don't want to.

I was 30 before I made a living that was not embarrassing.

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

For me as an individual, it's important that I have a career as a role model for my children, that I earn my own money, and I spend it prudently and imprudently.

The less of one's life one must exchange for money, the more freedom one may enjoy.

Money is just a low priority for me. I'm more interested in good work than a big bank account.

For me, being successful meant not having to do my laundry at a laundromat and not having a second job.

I've had days here and there where I would get discouraged because I wasn't a big star, but I've made a living ever since I was 27. Not a great living, but enough for me. I think actually being able to pay my rent and eat and perform is enough, and I did that for many years. Then I had some good years in there, too, where I made pretty good money.