"My biggest advice is: don't give up, and know what you want"
About this Quote
The second clause does the real work. “Know what you want” quietly shifts the burden from hustle culture to self-authorship. It’s not “work hard” (everyone says that) but “choose.” In a celebrity ecosystem where young women are constantly cast by other people’s fantasies - the ingenue, the sex symbol, the brand ambassador - Zendaya is signaling that clarity is a form of protection. If you can articulate what you want, you’re harder to manage, harder to dilute, harder to sell back to yourself as a product.
The intent feels especially calibrated to her audience: teens and young adults watching her navigate fame with unusually controlled boundaries. It’s advice that doubles as a public philosophy: resilience without self-erasure. Not chasing every opportunity, not collapsing into anyone else’s script. The cultural moment here is a generation allergic to vague platitudes and deeply aware of burnout; she offers ambition with an off-switch and a compass.
Quote Details
| Topic | Never Give Up |
|---|---|
| Source | Seventeen magazine interview/profile (2013) |
| Cite |
Citation Formats
APA Style (7th ed.)
Zendaya. (2026, February 16). My biggest advice is: don't give up, and know what you want. FixQuotes. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/my-biggest-advice-is-dont-give-up-and-know-what-184655/
Chicago Style
Zendaya. "My biggest advice is: don't give up, and know what you want." FixQuotes. February 16, 2026. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/my-biggest-advice-is-dont-give-up-and-know-what-184655/.
MLA Style (9th ed.)
"My biggest advice is: don't give up, and know what you want." FixQuotes, 16 Feb. 2026, https://fixquotes.com/quotes/my-biggest-advice-is-dont-give-up-and-know-what-184655/. Accessed 18 Feb. 2026.












