Eye on the Prize
Prioritize long-term direction over short-term speed by making decisions that increase your velocity toward your ultimate goal, as exemplified by Mae West's career strategy.
THE IDEA
Eye on the prize
Mae West’s career decisions* illustrate direction over speed.
Early in her career, West realized that she needed more control over what she was appearing in if she wanted to achieve the success she desired. So she put effort into the other components of a production beyond acting. “The transition from struggling performer to creator, producer, and star of her own scripts came slowly, and required a major mobilization; getting there took concentrated energy, belief in her own abilities, sweat, and well-worked connections.”14
West seemed to be totally devoted to her goals. She turned down scripts she thought were a step backward or portrayed women in a way that didn’t complement the image she was creating. She reworked her roles until they were completely her own, until they couldn’t have been played by anyone other than Mae West:
She went out very little. In the classic age of the speakeasy, a place she made much use of in her stage material, she was hardly ever reported to be in one or photographed there. She figured rarely in the gossip columns except for obvious publicity purposes. She did not frequent nightclubs or premieres, except her own. The reason seems to be that when not on stage, she was working. West was a writer.15
West wrote, co-wrote, or significantly modified almost everything she appeared in. She came up with the classic one-liners for which she is still famous—like “Goodness had nothing to do with it, dearie,” and “When caught between two evils I generally like to take the one I never tried before.”
Starting on the stage, then moving into film, she was one of the few actresses at the time who worked and was successful outside the Hollywood studio system. She kept control of her persona and thus her career. In 1935 she earned more than any other female in the world, and the most in total earnings in the United States second only to media tycoon William Randolph Hearst. She approached her career focused on the long game. She knew the direction she was headed and made decisions to increase her velocity in that direction.
When to use it
Career planning: When offered a promotion that moves you away from your desired expertise, consider declining to maintain direction.
Entrepreneurship: A startup might reject a lucrative but off-brand client to preserve focus and long-term identity.
Creative work: An artist turns down commercial projects that don't align with their artistic vision to build a consistent portfolio.
Personal development: Choosing to invest time in learning a difficult skill aligned with future goals instead of watching entertaining but unproductive content.
FROM THEORY TO EVERYDAY LIFE
In practice
Choosing Direction Over Quick Wins
Mae West turned down scripts she thought were a step backward or didn't align with the image she was creating, even if they offered immediate pay or exposure.
Investing in Control to Stay on Course
West wrote, co-wrote, or significantly modified almost everything she appeared in. Spending time on the material gave her more control over the roles and persona she was developing.
A MOMENT TO REFLECT
Put it to work.
What is your ultimate long-term goal, and are your current daily actions increasing your velocity toward it?
Are there any opportunities or distractions you should turn down because they would divert you from your true direction?
How can you gain more creative or strategic control over the trajectory of your career or personal projects?
CONTINUE THE CONVERSATION
Source texts
- The Great Mental Models Volume 2 Physics, Chemistry and Biology