“Chase your passion, not your pension”

American motivational speaker and author Denis Waitley wrote in Empires of the Mind (1996) that the actor Edward James Olmos was the commencement speaker at his daughter’s graduation. Olmos delivered a powerful speech, saying:
 
”“Chase your passion, not your pension! Be inspired to learn as much as you can, to find a cause that benefits humankind—and you’ll be sought after for your quality of service and dedication to excellence. This passion will make you oblivious of quitting time and to the length of your workday. You’ll awake every morning with the passion of pursuit, but not the pursuit of money.”
 
“Chase your passion, not your pension,” however, frequently is credited to Waitley, who has used the line often.
 
   
Wikipedia: Edward James Olmos
Edward James Olmos (born Edward Olmos; February 24, 1947) is an American actor and director. Among his most memorable roles are William Adama in the re-imagined Battlestar Galactica, Lt. Martin Castillo in Miami Vice, teacher Jaime Escalante in Stand and Deliver, patriarch Abraham Quintanilla, Jr. in the film Selena, Detective Gaff in Blade Runner, and narrator El Pachuco in both the stage and film versions of Zoot Suit.
   
Amazon.com
Empires of the Mind:
Lessons To Lead And Succeed In A Knowledge-Based World
By Denis Waitley  
New York, NY: William Morrow
1996  
Pg. 131:
This is what I got out of the commencement speech that day.
 
Olmos concluded with a charged voice and moist eyes. “Chase your passion, not your pension! Be inspired to learn as much as you can, to find a cause that benefits humankind—and you’ll be sought after for your quality of service and dedication to excellence. This passion will make you oblivious of quitting time and to the length of your workday. You’ll awake every morning with the passion of pursuit, but not the pursuit of money .... Those who do more than they’re paid for are always sought for their services. Their name and work outlive them and always command the highest price. Chase your passion, not your pension!”
 
Google Books
Rapport
Volume 19
1996
Pg. 18:
In Empires of the Mind, Denis Waitley relates a wonderful college commencement speech given by the actor/activist Edward James Olmos. Waitley paraphrases, “chase your passion, not your pension!”
 
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Care for Some Filet Mignon with Your Spam?
BEWARE.
8/31/96
(...)
You’ll never achieve financial independence working for an employer—you’ll only make your employer rich. It’s time to fire your boss and chase your passion instead of your pension.
(...)
Patrick Cochrane, Publisher
The Kitchen Table Millionaire
Manumit Books
http://www.invsn.com/freedom/KTM/
     
Google Books
The Ten Character C’s of Success:
A Guide for the Discount Buy Entrepreneur
By Don Burnham
Personal Development Institute
1999
Pg. 22:
As my friend and colleague Dr. Denis Waitley is fond of saying, “Chase your passion, not your pension.”
 
Google Books
Dharmic Values and Human Resource Management
By R. C. Sastry
New Delhi: Vikas Publishing House PVT LTD
2001
Pg. 162:
“Chase (your) passion, not your pension.” Edward James Olmos, an actor activist was quoted by Waitely as part of Olmos’ address to inner city students: “Please never, ever work for money. Please don’t just get a job. A job is something you do for money. But a career is something you do because you must do it. You want to do it, you love doing it, and you are excited when you do it.”
 
27 March 2003, The Daily Times (Farmington, NM), “Staff,” San Juan County Chronicle, pg. 7, col. 3:
Marcum said he believes in an old saying, “Do what funds your passion, not what funds your pension.”
 
Google Books
The Power of Mentorship:
Developing the Leader Within
By Don Boyer
Whittier, CA: Real Life Teaching /Pub.
2006
Pg. 49:
Chapter Five
CHASE YOUR PASSION
(NOT YOUR PENSION)!
Denis Waitley
Pg. 51:
This is what I got out of the commencement speech that day.
 
Olmos concluded with a charged voice and moist eyes. “Chase your passion, not your pension! Be inspired to learn as much as you can, to find a cause that benefits humankind—and you’ll be sought after for your quality of service and dedication to excellence. This passion will make you oblivious of quitting time and to the length of your workday. You’ll awake every morning with the passion of pursuit, but not the pursuit of money .... Those who do more than they’re paid for are always sought for their services. Their name and work outlive them and always command the highest price. Chase your passion, not your pension!”
 
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gordon tredgold
‏@GordonTredgold
“Chase your passion, not your pension.”
— Denis Waitley #Leadership
9:15 AM - 17 May 2015