"You can't model for the rest of your life, so it is important to diversify your career"
About this Quote
The subtext is sharper. Diversification here isn’t a cute side hustle; it’s self-defense against a system that commodifies your image and then replaces it. Coming from Banks, the line also doubles as a personal origin story. She didn’t just outlast the runway; she translated visibility into leverage - producing, hosting, building a brand that made her harder to discard. In that sense, the quote is a playbook for turning fame (a fickle asset) into ownership (a durable one).
Context makes it resonate beyond fashion. Banks rose in the era when models became cross-platform celebrities, and she helped popularize the idea that “model” could be a launchpad rather than a label. The intent is practical, but the cultural message is almost political: don’t let an industry define your shelf life. If the market values you for a narrow, temporary version of yourself, the smartest move is to expand the product line - not because ambition is trendy, but because autonomy is.
Quote Details
| Topic | Career |
|---|---|
| Source | Help us find the source |
| Cite |
Citation Formats
APA Style (7th ed.)
Banks, Tyra. (2026, January 16). You can't model for the rest of your life, so it is important to diversify your career. FixQuotes. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/you-cant-model-for-the-rest-of-your-life-so-it-is-99627/
Chicago Style
Banks, Tyra. "You can't model for the rest of your life, so it is important to diversify your career." FixQuotes. January 16, 2026. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/you-cant-model-for-the-rest-of-your-life-so-it-is-99627/.
MLA Style (9th ed.)
"You can't model for the rest of your life, so it is important to diversify your career." FixQuotes, 16 Jan. 2026, https://fixquotes.com/quotes/you-cant-model-for-the-rest-of-your-life-so-it-is-99627/. Accessed 12 Feb. 2026.










