--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It's reducing my entire professional…" description: "\"It's reducing my entire professional career and background to this one word [mistress].\" — Paula Broadwell" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/089/paula-broadwell-12073_backgrounds_it-s-reducing-my-entire-professional-car_611530.jpg" --- # It's reducing my entire professional career and background… ![“It's reducing my entire professional career and background to this one word [mistress].” quote by Paula Broadwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/089/paula-broadwell-12073_backgrounds_it-s-reducing-my-entire-professional-car_611530.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/089/paula-broadwell-12073_backgrounds_it-s-reducing-my-entire-professional-car_611530.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/089/paula-broadwell-12073_backgrounds_it-s-reducing-my-entire-professional-car_611530.jpg) > “It's reducing my entire professional career and background to this one word \[mistress\].” [Paula Broadwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-broadwell/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker feels their entire career is reduced to a single, possibly demeaning label, suggesting a loss of nuance and identity. **In simple terms:** Career reduced to a single label. Key Takeaway Resist being defined by one word. Themes identity career stigma Mood frustrated defensive Type critical reflective When to use this quote - job interviews - social media profiles - public scrutiny - personal branding Key Concepts labeling reductionism Questions to Reflect On - How does a single label shape your self‑perception? - Can you reclaim your narrative beyond the label? A Different Perspective The label may also highlight a specific achievement or role. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Career](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/career/) [Mistress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mistress/) [Professional career](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/professional-career/) ## Related quotes > [My local paper, The New York Times, Yahoo News, CBS, and The Washington Post, all agreed to stop using the word 'mistress.' The big…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-broadwell/my-local-paper-the-new-york-times-yahoo-news-cbs-and-the-washington/) [Paula Broadwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-broadwell/) > [I have dedicated my entire professional life to the United States of America.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-vindman/i-have-dedicated-my-entire-professional-life-to-the-united-states-of/) [Alexander Vindman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-vindman/) > [“The word “mistress” sounds like a cross between mistake and mattress. “We’ve”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-kleypas/the-word-mistress-sounds-like-a-cross-between-mistake-and-mattress-we/) [Lisa Kleypas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-kleypas/) > [It's the fact that you can reduce my whole life to one word, whatever it is, my entire career, my service to my country,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-broadwell/it-s-the-fact-that-you-can-reduce-my-whole-life-to-one-word-whatever/) [Paula Broadwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-broadwell/) > ['Party Down' was one of the most magical, special experiences of my professional career. Also special in my personal life, too. I made really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-marino/party-down-was-one-of-the-most-magical-special-experiences-of-my/) [Ken Marino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-marino/) > [I loved playing with friends and talking trash over 'FIFA' and 'Mario Kart.' Then, in the early stages of my professional career, I got…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clint-dempsey/i-loved-playing-with-friends-and-talking-trash-over-fifa-and-mario/) [Clint Dempsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clint-dempsey/) > [I started in my pro debut in a leisure centre in front of a couple of hundred people and I just worked hard for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rocky-fielding/i-started-in-my-pro-debut-in-a-leisure-centre-in-front-of-a-couple-of/) [Rocky Fielding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rocky-fielding/) > [I don't mind talking about my professional career, but I hate interviews if I have to answer a stupid question about personal matters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dimple-kapadia/i-don-t-mind-talking-about-my-professional-career-but-i-hate/) [Dimple Kapadia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dimple-kapadia/) > [I spent more than 20 years of my professional career researching and developing renewable energy sources.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-mcnerney/i-spent-more-than-20-years-of-my-professional-career-researching-and/) [Jerry McNerney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-mcnerney/) > [When I thought my professional career was over, it hadn't even started yet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ina-garten/when-i-thought-my-professional-career-was-over-it-hadn-t-even-started/) [Ina Garten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ina-garten/) > [The two greatest role models in my professional career were Walt Disney and Dr. Deming. Dr. Deming was the Father of Total Quality Management…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-capodagli/the-two-greatest-role-models-in-my-professional-career-were-walt/) [Bill Capodagli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-capodagli/) > [I was pursuing the arts with theater in school, and I was doing after-school activities, but not in any real movement towards a professional…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/uzo-aduba/i-was-pursuing-the-arts-with-theater-in-school-and-i-was-doing-after/) [Uzo Aduba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/uzo-aduba/) > [I do think Briedis will be the toughest opponent I have faced in my professional career. He is 23-0, he's a cruiserweight, and he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oleksandr-usyk/i-do-think-briedis-will-be-the-toughest-opponent-i-have-faced-in-my/) [Oleksandr Usyk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oleksandr-usyk/) > [It is just the start of your professional career and you have to handle it properly and realise that it is not always like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hector-bellerin/it-is-just-the-start-of-your-professional-career-and-you-have-to/) [Hector Bellerin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hector-bellerin/) > [Krushna is my boyfriend but my life doesn't begin and end with him and neither does his professional career begin and end with me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kashmira-shah/krushna-is-my-boyfriend-but-my-life-doesn-t-begin-and-end-with-him/) [Kashmira Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kashmira-shah/) ## More by Paula Broadwell > [I think the public doesn't understand that one of the reasons I haven't stood up for myself is because in order to do that,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-broadwell/i-think-the-public-doesn-t-understand-that-one-of-the-reasons-i-haven/) [Paula Broadwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-broadwell/) > [ \[Fighting for equality for women\] that's what my mission has been for the last years. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-broadwell/fighting-for-equality-for-women-that-s-what-my-mission-has-been-for/) [Paula Broadwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-broadwell/) > [ I had been working on a second book with \[David\] Petraeus called Relentless. Obviously that book and the income that it would have generated… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-broadwell/i-had-been-working-on-a-second-book-with-david-petraeus-called/) [Paula Broadwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-broadwell/) > [I want to serve. I love my country. I love service above self and I don't want my talents to go to waste. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-broadwell/i-want-to-serve-i-love-my-country-i-love-service-above-self-and-i-don/) [Paula Broadwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-broadwell/) > [A few months into my research, General Petraeus, who was then leading Central Command, invited me to go for a run with him and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-broadwell/a-few-months-into-my-research-general-petraeus-who-was-then-leading/) [Paula Broadwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-broadwell/) > [ I was incredulous as the bias of the media in terms of the candidates \[for presidency\]. I was incredulous at the fake news. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-broadwell/i-was-incredulous-as-the-bias-of-the-media-in-terms-of-the-candidates/) [Paula Broadwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-broadwell/) > [You can reclaim your own narrative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-broadwell/you-can-reclaim-your-own-narrative/) [Paula Broadwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-broadwell/) > [I also feel like I've done plenty of wrong things. I'm not innocent here, and I'm certainly not going to be righteous about that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-broadwell/i-also-feel-like-i-ve-done-plenty-of-wrong-things-i-m-not-innocent/) [Paula Broadwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-broadwell/) > [When I get this kind of support, I feel validated in my decision to stand up for myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-broadwell/when-i-get-this-kind-of-support-i-feel-validated-in-my-decision-to/) [Paula Broadwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-broadwell/) > [I think it is important for working moms to recognize that family is the most important.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-broadwell/i-think-it-is-important-for-working-moms-to-recognize-that-family-is/) [Paula Broadwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-broadwell/) > [If I'm strong, I'm not going to apologize for being strong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-broadwell/if-i-m-strong-i-m-not-going-to-apologize-for-being-strong/) [Paula Broadwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-broadwell/) > [My local paper, The New York Times, Yahoo News, CBS, and The Washington Post, all agreed to stop using the word 'mistress.' The big…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-broadwell/my-local-paper-the-new-york-times-yahoo-news-cbs-and-the-washington/) [Paula Broadwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-broadwell/) > [Having a bunch of medals and badges doesn’t necessarily mean you’ve achieved anything, you’ve got to do something beyond yourself to make a difference…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-broadwell/having-a-bunch-of-medals-and-badges-doesn-t-necessarily-mean-you-ve/) [Paula Broadwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-broadwell/) > [We have to raise our young boys to respect women and our young girls to demand respect and to get their values from something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-broadwell/we-have-to-raise-our-young-boys-to-respect-women-and-our-young-girls/) [Paula Broadwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-broadwell/) > [I think Ivanka Trump she has this power and powerful women are reaching out to her and she needs to take advantage of that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-broadwell/i-think-ivanka-trump-she-has-this-power-and-powerful-women-are/) [Paula Broadwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-broadwell/) [Explore all 56 Paula Broadwell quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-broadwell/) ## More Backgrounds quotes > [We do not want to be reminded that it is we, the indigenous people, who are poor and exploited in the land of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-biko/we-do-not-want-to-be-reminded-that-it-is-we-the-indigenous-people-who/) [Steven Biko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-biko/) > [When you see how fragile and delicate life can be, all else fades into the background.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenna-morasca/when-you-see-how-fragile-and-delicate-life-can-be-all-else-fades-into/) [Jenna Morasca](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenna-morasca/) > [Worship is not about personality, temperament, personal limitations, church background, or comfort. It is about God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wimber/worship-is-not-about-personality-temperament-personal-limitations/) [John Wimber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wimber/) > [Eventually the consumer will come to appreciate the editorial point of view of every different brand. User-generated content without editorial oversight will simply be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-eisner/eventually-the-consumer-will-come-to-appreciate-the-editorial-point/) [Michael Eisner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-eisner/) > [I bring my classical training - some of it, but not all of it - and also my background and culture, to spirituals. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathleen-battle/i-bring-my-classical-training-some-of-it-but-not-all-of-it-and-also/) [Kathleen Battle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathleen-battle/) > [The acting background helped a lot when I started writing. I was training for it. In acting class they teach you about the stakes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carol-higgins-clark/the-acting-background-helped-a-lot-when-i-started-writing-i-was/) [Carol Higgins Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carol-higgins-clark/) > [In the dim background of our mind we know meanwhile what we ought to be doing: getting up, dressing ourselves, answering the person who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-james/in-the-dim-background-of-our-mind-we-know-meanwhile-what-we-ought-to/) [William James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-james/) > [I think it is a sin to look at another person as inferior to yourself because of race or because of ethnic background and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-graham/i-think-it-is-a-sin-to-look-at-another-person-as-inferior-to-yourself/) [Billy Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-graham/) > [The thing that is making jazz healthy today is that people are coming out of other backgrounds - from rock, folk, from ethnic music.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-taylor/the-thing-that-is-making-jazz-healthy-today-is-that-people-are-coming/) Billy Taylor > [We do not have to be ashamed of what we are. As sentient beings we have wonderful backgrounds. These backgrounds may not be particularly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chogyam-trungpa/we-do-not-have-to-be-ashamed-of-what-we-are-as-sentient-beings-we/) [Chogyam Trungpa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chogyam-trungpa/) > [People from my sort of background needed grammar schools to compete with children from privileged homes like Shirley Williams and Anthony Wedgwood Benn.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-thatcher/people-from-my-sort-of-background-needed-grammar-schools-to-compete/) [Margaret Thatcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-thatcher/) > [Persons who have cleansed themselves of any transgression and who have shown their ability to deal with homosexual inclinations and put them in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallin-h-oaks/persons-who-have-cleansed-themselves-of-any-transgression-and-who/) [Dallin H. Oaks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallin-h-oaks/) > [I come from a theater background, so I always like to dissect the scene and try to get some hint about what the author…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adina-porter/i-come-from-a-theater-background-so-i-always-like-to-dissect-the/) [Adina Porter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adina-porter/) > [And, of course, some SF is set close enough to here and now that Anglo and European do apply. Since many of the writers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-schmidt/and-of-course-some-sf-is-set-close-enough-to-here-and-now-that-anglo/) [Stanley Schmidt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-schmidt/) > [For me, I try to look at a person's swagger and a little background on them if I already haven't liked them as a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bivins/for-me-i-try-to-look-at-a-person-s-swagger-and-a-little-background-on/) [Michael Bivins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bivins/) Browse all 1,648 Backgrounds quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It's reducing my entire professional career and background to this one word [mistress].", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Paula Broadwell" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-broadwell/it-s-reducing-my-entire-professional-career-and-background-to-this/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Backgrounds" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-broadwell/it-s-reducing-my-entire-professional-career-and-background-to-this/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/089/paula-broadwell-12073_backgrounds_it-s-reducing-my-entire-professional-car_611530.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/089/paula-broadwell-12073_backgrounds_it-s-reducing-my-entire-professional-car_611530.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/089/paula-broadwell-12073_backgrounds_it-s-reducing-my-entire-professional-car_611530.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It's reducing my entire professional career and background to this one word [mistress].” — Paula Broadwell", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Paula Broadwell", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-broadwell/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "It's reducing my entire professional career...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-broadwell/it-s-reducing-my-entire-professional-career-and-background-to-this/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-broadwell/it-s-reducing-my-entire-professional-career-and-background-to-this/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```