--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I see you're a man with ideals. I better…" description: "\"I see you're a man with ideals. I better be going before you've still got them.\" — Mae West" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/df9/mae-west-1200_quote_i-see-you-re-a-man-with-ideals-i-better_2014024.jpg" --- # I see you're a man with ideals. I better be going before… ![“I see you're a man with ideals. I better be going before you've still got them.” quote by Mae West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/df9/mae-west-1200_quote_i-see-you-re-a-man-with-ideals-i-better_2014024.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/df9/mae-west-1200_quote_i-see-you-re-a-man-with-ideals-i-better_2014024.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/df9/mae-west-1200_quote_i-see-you-re-a-man-with-ideals-i-better_2014024.jpg) > “I see you're a man with ideals. I better be going before you've still got them.” [Mae West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mae-west/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A warning that clinging to ideals can make one a target; better to leave before they are challenged. **In simple terms:** Ideals can attract danger; leave before they’re tested. Key Takeaway Avoid confronting rigid ideals prematurely. Themes caution ideals conflict Mood defensive reflective Type advice cautionary When to use this quote - political debate - personal relationships - ethical dilemmas - career decisions Key Concepts Moral integrity social pressure Questions to Reflect On - Do you protect your ideals or avoid conflict? - When is it wise to walk away? A Different Perspective Sometimes confronting ideals is necessary for growth. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Better Going](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/better-going-248290/) [Going](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/going/) [Ideals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideals/) [Ideals Better](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideals-better-1440541/) [Man Ideals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/man-ideals-1118970/) ## Related quotes > [I judge the people and the nations by their ideals; the higher the ideals, the better the person, the greater the nation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/i-judge-the-people-and-the-nations-by-their-ideals-the-higher-the/) [Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [Our ideals are our better selves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amos-bronson-alcott/our-ideals-are-our-better-selves/) [Amos Bronson Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amos-bronson-alcott/) > [“Human nature simply cannot subsist without a hope and aim of some kind; as the sanity of the Old Testament truly said, where there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-k-chesterton/human-nature-simply-cannot-subsist-without-a-hope-and-aim-of-some/) [G.K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-k-chesterton/) > [The man who is egoless is the man who has no ideals. Let this be the criterion, and you have stumbled upon a fundamental.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/the-man-who-is-egoless-is-the-man-who-has-no-ideals-let-this-be-the/) [Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/) > [“When a man of ideals decides he is too old to risk everything for what he believes in, then he is no longer a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-koontz/when-a-man-of-ideals-decides-he-is-too-old-to-risk-everything-for/) [Dean Koontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-koontz/) > [The first thing a man will do for his ideals is lie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-a-schumpeter/the-first-thing-a-man-will-do-for-his-ideals-is-lie/) [Joseph A. Schumpeter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-a-schumpeter/) > [The man who has his ideals, no matter how thoroughly he may be persuaded to desert them, survives well only so long as he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-ron-hubbard/the-man-who-has-his-ideals-no-matter-how-thoroughly-he-may-be/) [L. Ron Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-ron-hubbard/) > [We're going to play better, and we're going to play harder.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-quade/we-re-going-to-play-better-and-we-re-going-to-play-harder/) [Mike Quade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-quade/) > [You're better than this. Better than whatever it is you're going to do now.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-mead/you-re-better-than-this-better-than-whatever-it-is-you-re-going-to-do/) [Richelle Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-mead/) > [I believe if you act with people who are better than you, it's only going to make you better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/drew-fuller/i-believe-if-you-act-with-people-who-are-better-than-you-it-s-only/) [Drew Fuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/drew-fuller/) > [For me, the more time you can take and the more care you can take with songs, the better off you're going to be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-stapleton/for-me-the-more-time-you-can-take-and-the-more-care-you-can-take-with/) [Chris Stapleton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-stapleton/) > [At the end, the one that plays better is going to win.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garbine-muguruza/at-the-end-the-one-that-plays-better-is-going-to-win/) [Garbine Muguruza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garbine-muguruza/) > [I'm only going to get better and better. Not going to get worse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-pierre-paul/i-m-only-going-to-get-better-and-better-not-going-to-get-worse/) [Jason Pierre-Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-pierre-paul/) > [The more you control where your food comes from instead of relying on restaurants, fast food joints, convenience stores and other processed sources, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-aries/the-more-you-control-where-your-food-comes-from-instead-of-relying-on/) [Austin Aries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-aries/) > [The more you read, the better you're going to become as a storyteller.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stan-lee/the-more-you-read-the-better-you-re-going-to-become-as-a-storyteller/) [Stan Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stan-lee/) ## More by Mae West > [Reason was nowhere, time was an immovable object nailed high on the wall, except where the world kept shop.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mae-west/reason-was-nowhere-time-was-an-immovable-object-nailed-high-on-the/) [Mae West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mae-west/) > [I've been in 'Who's Who' and I know what's what, but it'll be the first time I ever made the dictionary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mae-west/i-ve-been-in-who-s-who-and-i-know-what-s-what-but-it-ll-be-the-first/) [Mae West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mae-west/) > [Look your best - who said love is blind?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mae-west/look-your-best-who-said-love-is-blind/) [Mae West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mae-west/) > [Don't let a man put anything over on you except an umbrella.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mae-west/don-t-let-a-man-put-anything-over-on-you-except-an-umbrella/) [Mae West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mae-west/) > [In my long and colorful career, one thing stands out: I have been misunderstood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mae-west/in-my-long-and-colorful-career-one-thing-stands-out-i-have-been/) [Mae West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mae-west/) > [The finest woman that ever walked the streets.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mae-west/the-finest-woman-that-ever-walked-the-streets/) [Mae West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mae-west/) > [The best way to hold a man is in your arms.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mae-west/the-best-way-to-hold-a-man-is-in-your-arms/) [Mae West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mae-west/) > [Live close, visit often.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mae-west/live-close-visit-often/) [Mae West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mae-west/) > [A real farmer. He spent his childhood in the wheat, and his marriage in the hay.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mae-west/a-real-farmer-he-spent-his-childhood-in-the-wheat-and-his-marriage-in/) [Mae West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mae-west/) > [Marriage? I ain't got time for a husband or child. All my life I've looked after myself as if I was my own child.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mae-west/marriage-i-ain-t-got-time-for-a-husband-or-child-all-my-life-i-ve/) [Mae West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mae-west/) > [“If I can't a man with a million dollars, I'll a million men with one dollar.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mae-west/if-i-can-t-a-man-with-a-million-dollars-i-ll-a-million-men-with-one/) [Mae West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mae-west/) > [Sometimes I don't drink so the next day I can remember having fun.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mae-west/sometimes-i-don-t-drink-so-the-next-day-i-can-remember-having-fun/) [Mae West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mae-west/) > [Positive thoughts generate positive feelings and attract positive life experiences. You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mae-west/positive-thoughts-generate-positive-feelings-and-attract-positive/) [Mae West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mae-west/) > [I believe in the single standard -- for men and women.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mae-west/i-believe-in-the-single-standard-for-men-and-women/) [Mae West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mae-west/) > [“Goodness had nothing to do with it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mae-west/goodness-had-nothing-to-do-with-it/) [Mae West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mae-west/) [Explore all 271 Mae West quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mae-west/) ## More Going quotes > [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. You have to be hyper, hyper aware of what's going on around you. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-moore/i-actually-think-acting-is-a-form-of-self-hypnosis-you-have-to-be/) [Julianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-moore/) > [Some people still believe you should just fall in line with what's going on - and that's scary. It makes a mockery of freedom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-robison/some-people-still-believe-you-should-just-fall-in-line-with-what-s/) [Emily Robison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-robison/) > [At the very beginning, I was a page at Letterman, and I freelanced for any place that would let me write any word. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-schwartz/at-the-very-beginning-i-was-a-page-at-letterman-and-i-freelanced-for/) [Ben Schwartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-schwartz/) > [Keep the faith, and keep going strong!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doreen-virtue/keep-the-faith-and-keep-going-strong/) [Doreen Virtue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doreen-virtue/) > [Nobody has a crystal ball, and part of evolving a business plan is to say, 'I might have said we're going left, but I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-kavanaugh/nobody-has-a-crystal-ball-and-part-of-evolving-a-business-plan-is-to/) [Ryan Kavanaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-kavanaugh/) > [Think of these things, whence you came, where you are going, and to whom you must account.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/think-of-these-things-whence-you-came-where-you-are-going-and-to-whom/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [I really enjoy going to play for the national team and be with the guys.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cedi-osman/i-really-enjoy-going-to-play-for-the-national-team-and-be-with-the/) [Cedi Osman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cedi-osman/) > [“I’m not even going to ask you where you got that.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-mackey/i-m-not-even-going-to-ask-you-where-you-got-that/) [Mark Mackey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-mackey/) > [This is how McGregor is, waging mental warfare before the fights. There's no way that guy is going to get in my head.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chad-mendes/this-is-how-mcgregor-is-waging-mental-warfare-before-the-fights-there/) [Chad Mendes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chad-mendes/) > [For me, going to Minneapolis is like going to Mecca.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephan-pastis/for-me-going-to-minneapolis-is-like-going-to-mecca/) [Stephan Pastis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephan-pastis/) > [It's going to be used in the last days to get people to come against Christ, and that's the issue: they come against the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-lahaye/it-s-going-to-be-used-in-the-last-days-to-get-people-to-come-against/) [Tim LaHaye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-lahaye/) > [It definitely helps to have the acting experience going into singing, because when you're singing, you have to portray the emotion you were feeling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-newman/it-definitely-helps-to-have-the-acting-experience-going-into-singing/) [Ryan Newman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-newman/) > [What I do miss that I don't get anymore? You're going to think I'm crazy, but you want the truth, so here it is.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-mandrell/what-i-do-miss-that-i-don-t-get-anymore-you-re-going-to-think-i-m/) [Barbara Mandrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-mandrell/) > [Any position I was going to be in, I was going to make the best of it. I always do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-bledsoe/any-position-i-was-going-to-be-in-i-was-going-to-make-the-best-of-it/) [Eric Bledsoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-bledsoe/) > [I want to help people struggling with whatever it is they're going through.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/santan-dave/i-want-to-help-people-struggling-with-whatever-it-is-they-re-going/) [Santan Dave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/santan-dave/) [Browse all 15,485 Going quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/going/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I see you're a man with ideals. 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