---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The worst career advice is to just do…"
description: "\"The worst career advice is to just do something because it's paying, and there are a lot people out there that will push you to take a job because of m..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/edf/melina-matsoukas-26314_career-advice_the-worst-career-advice-is-to-just-do-so_2332557.jpg"
---

#  The worst career advice is to just do something because…

![“The worst career advice is to just do something because it's paying, and there are a lot people out there that will push you to take a job because of money. I am not motivated by money, and I have found a lot of disappointment when I've had to do something because I needed to support myself in…” quote by Melina Matsoukas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/edf/melina-matsoukas-26314_career-advice_the-worst-career-advice-is-to-just-do-so_2332557.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/edf/melina-matsoukas-26314_career-advice_the-worst-career-advice-is-to-just-do-so_2332557.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/edf/melina-matsoukas-26314_career-advice_the-worst-career-advice-is-to-just-do-so_2332557.jpg)

> “The worst career advice is to just do something because it's paying, and there are a lot people out there that will push you to take a job because of money. I am not motivated by money, and I have found a lot of disappointment when I've had to do something because I needed to support myself in that way.”

[Melina Matsoukas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melina-matsoukas/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Prioritizing money over passion leads to dissatisfaction; true motivation comes from purpose, not paycheck.

**In simple terms:** Money‑driven jobs cause disappointment.

Key Takeaway

Seek work aligned with values.

Themes

purpose career satisfaction motivation values

Mood

reflective thoughtful

Type

advice motivational

When to use this quote

- career decisions
- personal budgeting
- job hunting
- skill development

Key Concepts

intrinsic motivation career fulfillment financial pressure

Questions to Reflect On

- What values guide your career choices?
- How can you balance financial needs with passion?

A Different Perspective

Money alone cannot sustain long‑term fulfillment.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Career advice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/career-advice/) [Disappointment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disappointment/) [Money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/money/) [Support](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/support/)

## Related quotes

> [There are more important things than money. If I were motivated by money, I could have sold these documents to any number of countries…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/there-are-more-important-things-than-money-if-i-were-motivated-by/)

[Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/)

> [Personally, it doesn't matter to me if I had the worst career stats in N.B.A. history as long as I got my 'ships. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rasheed-wallace/personally-it-doesn-t-matter-to-me-if-i-had-the-worst-career-stats-in/)

[Rasheed Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rasheed-wallace/)

> [Plus, I've always felt that, if the worst came to the worst in my career, I could always fall back to doing voices on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-brydon/plus-i-ve-always-felt-that-if-the-worst-came-to-the-worst-in-my/)

[Rob Brydon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-brydon/)

> [I never cared about money because I never needed money, you know what I mean? When I was 12 to 17 I never saw…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricky-schroder/i-never-cared-about-money-because-i-never-needed-money-you-know-what/)

[Ricky Schroder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricky-schroder/)

> [Unless I have to, I can't take a job for the money. Unless my children are going to be out on the street, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-smart/unless-i-have-to-i-can-t-take-a-job-for-the-money-unless-my-children/)

[Jean Smart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-smart/)

> [No holiday, no job, no amount of money, not even my own security can mean more to me than my love for God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monica-johnson/no-holiday-no-job-no-amount-of-money-not-even-my-own-security-can/)

[Monica Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monica-johnson/)

> [My security comes from the fact that I've never done a job for money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-elliott/my-security-comes-from-the-fact-that-i-ve-never-done-a-job-for-money/)

[Sam Elliott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-elliott/)

> [Your results, or your job, or how much money you make doesn't define you as a person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/coco-gauff/your-results-or-your-job-or-how-much-money-you-make-doesn-t-define/)

[Coco Gauff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/coco-gauff/)

> [A job is what we do for money; work is what we do for love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marysarah-quinn/a-job-is-what-we-do-for-money-work-is-what-we-do-for-love/)

Marysarah Quinn

> [“The way I see it, there’s work and then there’s work. And there’s a big difference between your work and your job. A job…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chip-gaines/the-way-i-see-it-there-s-work-and-then-there-s-work-and-there-s-a-big/)

[Chip Gaines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chip-gaines/)

> [I wanted to just get a job so I could have enough money for my own apartment and be able to get drunk. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-tosches/i-wanted-to-just-get-a-job-so-i-could-have-enough-money-for-my-own/)

[Nick Tosches](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-tosches/)

> [People may take a job for more money, but they often leave it for more recognition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-nelson/people-may-take-a-job-for-more-money-but-they-often-leave-it-for-more/)

[Bob Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-nelson/)

> [“You are not your job, you're not how much money you have in the bank. You are not the car you drive. You're not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-palahniuk/you-are-not-your-job-you-re-not-how-much-money-you-have-in-the-bank/)

[Chuck Palahniuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-palahniuk/)

> [Anytime I have communicated with college-going people, fresh out of college, looking for a job - money is very important, that is just so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nimrat-kaur/anytime-i-have-communicated-with-college-going-people-fresh-out-of/)

[Nimrat Kaur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nimrat-kaur/)

> [“When you have no job, There will be no money, No money you die. That's why work hard”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-yambao/when-you-have-no-job-there-will-be-no-money-no-money-you-die-that-s/)

John Yambao

## More by Melina Matsoukas

> [I love that denim can be as simple or as complicated as you want it to be. Anything goes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melina-matsoukas/i-love-that-denim-can-be-as-simple-or-as-complicated-as-you-want-it/)

[Melina Matsoukas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melina-matsoukas/)

> [My style is super versatile and doesn't pertain to any one category. It can be best compared to a mood ring. It is very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melina-matsoukas/my-style-is-super-versatile-and-doesn-t-pertain-to-any-one-category/)

[Melina Matsoukas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melina-matsoukas/)

> [Denim comes and goes into style often, but my Levi's have longevity. They will never be just a fad.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melina-matsoukas/denim-comes-and-goes-into-style-often-but-my-levi-s-have-longevity/)

[Melina Matsoukas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melina-matsoukas/)

> [The reason I got into filmmaking was super naive: to change the world, you know? To really make the voices that we don't get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melina-matsoukas/the-reason-i-got-into-filmmaking-was-super-naive-to-change-the-world/)

[Melina Matsoukas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melina-matsoukas/)

> [I never feel like anything I have done is perfect. I feel like there is always room for improvement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melina-matsoukas/i-never-feel-like-anything-i-have-done-is-perfect-i-feel-like-there/)

[Melina Matsoukas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melina-matsoukas/)

> [I like to see a video through a computer or through a phone to make sure it looks good at its worst. I hate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melina-matsoukas/i-like-to-see-a-video-through-a-computer-or-through-a-phone-to-make/)

[Melina Matsoukas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melina-matsoukas/)

> [As a toddler, my favorite piece of clothing was my Oshkosh denim overalls that I would call my Oreos because I could never say…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melina-matsoukas/as-a-toddler-my-favorite-piece-of-clothing-was-my-oshkosh-denim/)

[Melina Matsoukas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melina-matsoukas/)

> [I'm proud of who I am. I'm proud of my history. I'm proud of the women and the men who came before us who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melina-matsoukas/i-m-proud-of-who-i-am-i-m-proud-of-my-history-i-m-proud-of-the-women/)

[Melina Matsoukas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melina-matsoukas/)

> [In college, I interned at a production company and spent a lot of time on sets. I love music videos and felt I could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melina-matsoukas/in-college-i-interned-at-a-production-company-and-spent-a-lot-of-time/)

[Melina Matsoukas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melina-matsoukas/)

> [I like to know that my actors or my performers are going into it with the same amount of passion that I have for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melina-matsoukas/i-like-to-know-that-my-actors-or-my-performers-are-going-into-it-with/)

[Melina Matsoukas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melina-matsoukas/)

> [I really can't get involved with any project that I don't feel a hundred percent I can stand behind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melina-matsoukas/i-really-can-t-get-involved-with-any-project-that-i-don-t-feel-a/)

[Melina Matsoukas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melina-matsoukas/)

> [I never really saw myself as a comedy director, and I still don't. I see myself as a director.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melina-matsoukas/i-never-really-saw-myself-as-a-comedy-director-and-i-still-don-t-i/)

[Melina Matsoukas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melina-matsoukas/)

> [I've tried to create a comedy that doesn't look like any other comedy. Maybe traditionally in TV there has been a kind of formula…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melina-matsoukas/i-ve-tried-to-create-a-comedy-that-doesn-t-look-like-any-other-comedy/)

[Melina Matsoukas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melina-matsoukas/)

> [For me, the scariest moment is walking on set before we shoot the first shot, and I am so anxious. It's a lot of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melina-matsoukas/for-me-the-scariest-moment-is-walking-on-set-before-we-shoot-the/)

[Melina Matsoukas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melina-matsoukas/)

> [I got a young black woman agent, and she kinda just knew what I would be attracted to. She sent me this pilot for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melina-matsoukas/i-got-a-young-black-woman-agent-and-she-kinda-just-knew-what-i-would/)

[Melina Matsoukas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melina-matsoukas/)

[Explore all 22 Melina Matsoukas quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melina-matsoukas/)

## More Career advice quotes

> [Ask any woman who has gone through a divorce and had her standard of living decline substantially. Ask any woman who's been fired or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sallie-krawcheck/ask-any-woman-who-has-gone-through-a-divorce-and-had-her-standard-of/)

[Sallie Krawcheck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sallie-krawcheck/)

> [“Your education is important because with only a few words you can show an employer the depth of your potential.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-t-cross/your-education-is-important-because-with-only-a-few-words-you-can/)

Matthew T. Cross

> [I'd like to believe that achieving a leadership position is all about competency, capability and ambition, so I try not to distinguish between the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heather-bresch/i-d-like-to-believe-that-achieving-a-leadership-position-is-all-about/)

[Heather Bresch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heather-bresch/)

> [“Pushing them (children) into a career that is “practical”/ “safe”/ prestigious/ well-paying doesn’t count as help. It’s how parents satisfy their own needs.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lukasz-laniecki/pushing-them-children-into-a-career-that-is-practical-safe/)

[Lukasz Laniecki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lukasz-laniecki/)

> [“They (parents) use this guilt-tripping to stop you from fulfilling your plans, but most important, from believing something they don’t (something which contradicts their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lukasz-laniecki/they-parents-use-this-guilt-tripping-to-stop-you-from-fulfilling-your/)

[Lukasz Laniecki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lukasz-laniecki/)

> [“Nothing you are choosing to do for yourself is worth the tears and feelings of dread every single morning. NOTHING.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-mihalic/nothing-you-are-choosing-to-do-for-yourself-is-worth-the-tears-and/)

[Mary Mihalic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-mihalic/)

> [“Move out of your comfort zone, develop those necessary skills and go all out for that much needed advancement!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhishek-ratna/move-out-of-your-comfort-zone-develop-those-necessary-skills-and-go/)

[Abhishek Ratna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhishek-ratna/)

> [“People have a much greater chance of finding something they’ll enjoy doing and making those greatest contributions when they trust themselves and are free…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lukasz-laniecki/people-have-a-much-greater-chance-of-finding-something-they-ll-enjoy/)

[Lukasz Laniecki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lukasz-laniecki/)

> [“One of my greatest fears is family decline.There’s an old Chinese saying that “prosperity can never last for three generations.” I’ll bet that if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-chua/one-of-my-greatest-fears-is-family-decline-there-s-an-old-chinese/)

[Amy Chua](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-chua/)

> [“Even though your time on the job is temporary, if you do a good enough job, your work there will last forever.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idowu-koyenikan/even-though-your-time-on-the-job-is-temporary-if-you-do-a-good-enough/)

[Idowu Koyenikan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idowu-koyenikan/)

> [“Life doesn't happen in your head! It occurs in the environment that you are in.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-toops/life-doesn-t-happen-in-your-head-it-occurs-in-the-environment-that/)

Emma Toops

> [I've often been given the career advice to not wear too many hats, which, of course, has just encouraged me to wear other hats,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-brannon/i-ve-often-been-given-the-career-advice-to-not-wear-too-many-hats/)

Matthew Brannon

> [“That’s not our role here, provide our parents with a “success story” to share at gatherings. Our role here is to contribute the best…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lukasz-laniecki/that-s-not-our-role-here-provide-our-parents-with-a-success-story-to/)

[Lukasz Laniecki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lukasz-laniecki/)

> [When I was a kid I read Bob Wilson's autobiography. After every match, Bob's dad used to ask him: 'Did you enjoy the game?'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-james/when-i-was-a-kid-i-read-bob-wilson-s-autobiography-after-every-match/)

[David James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-james/)

> [“In the present day corporate world, it is utmost important to build a personal brand for yourself and anyone who knows the basics of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhishek-ratna/in-the-present-day-corporate-world-it-is-utmost-important-to-build-a/)

[Abhishek Ratna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhishek-ratna/)

[Browse all 64 Career advice quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/career-advice/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "The worst career advice is to just do something because it's paying, and there are a lot people out there that will push you to take a job because of money. I am not motivated by money, and I have found a lot of disappointment when I've had to do something because I needed to support myself in that way.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Melina Matsoukas"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melina-matsoukas/the-worst-career-advice-is-to-just-do-something-because-it-s-paying/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Career advice"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melina-matsoukas/the-worst-career-advice-is-to-just-do-something-because-it-s-paying/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/edf/melina-matsoukas-26314_career-advice_the-worst-career-advice-is-to-just-do-so_2332557.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/edf/melina-matsoukas-26314_career-advice_the-worst-career-advice-is-to-just-do-so_2332557.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/edf/melina-matsoukas-26314_career-advice_the-worst-career-advice-is-to-just-do-so_2332557.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“The worst career advice is to just do something because it's paying, and there are a lot people out there…” — Melina Matsoukas",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Melina Matsoukas",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melina-matsoukas/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "The worst career advice is to...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melina-matsoukas/the-worst-career-advice-is-to-just-do-something-because-it-s-paying/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melina-matsoukas/the-worst-career-advice-is-to-just-do-something-because-it-s-paying/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
