"Most important was to remain focused and always have presence of mind"
About this Quote
“Presence of mind” sharpens the line. She isn’t talking about ambition in the abstract; she’s talking about composure under pressure, the ability to stay alert while everything around you is engineered to knock you off-script. That phrase carries the subtext of risk: long shoots, shifting expectations, gatekeepers, sudden opportunities that can turn predatory or punitive if you’re not fully awake. Presence means noticing the room, reading the power dynamics, and keeping enough agency to say yes, no, or not yet.
The syntax does important work. “Most important” signals a hierarchy of values that rejects the usual model mythology (beauty, luck, connections). It frames professionalism as mental discipline, not just physical presentation. Coming from someone whose public image would have been curated and flattened, the line hints at a private ethic: success isn’t merely being seen; it’s staying conscious while being seen.
Quote Details
| Topic | Self-Discipline |
|---|---|
| Source | Help us find the source |
| Cite |
Citation Formats
APA Style (7th ed.)
Joseph, Nafisa. (2026, January 15). Most important was to remain focused and always have presence of mind. FixQuotes. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/most-important-was-to-remain-focused-and-always-100023/
Chicago Style
Joseph, Nafisa. "Most important was to remain focused and always have presence of mind." FixQuotes. January 15, 2026. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/most-important-was-to-remain-focused-and-always-100023/.
MLA Style (9th ed.)
"Most important was to remain focused and always have presence of mind." FixQuotes, 15 Jan. 2026, https://fixquotes.com/quotes/most-important-was-to-remain-focused-and-always-100023/. Accessed 5 Feb. 2026.






