The One Lesson From the Movie ‘The Devil Wears Prada’ That Most People Miss

I recently watched a movie that had long sat on my watchlist: The Devil Wears Prada. And I can surely say that it's brilliant. At first glance, it may seem like a story about the fashion industry, but underneath its glossy surface, it offers many powerful life lessons on career, success, relationships, and life.

The movie, ‘The Devil Wears Prada’ also highlights the importance of managing work-life balance, so that your professional life does not affect or ruin your personal life.

The movie delivers a powerful message for anyone who has ever felt torn between success and self, or stuck in a role that doesn’t truly fulfill them, a message for those who aren't satisfied with their current job.

The most important takeaway from this movie is simple, yet profound: figure out what truly matters to you, and don’t be afraid to walk away from everything else.

Andy Sachs is a recent college graduate who dreams of becoming a journalist. She enters the world of Runway magazine with one clear goal in mind: to build her resume and eventually get a job as a journalist. She doesn’t care about fashion, and she certainly doesn’t imagine herself getting lost in that world. Yet, over time, everything starts to change. The job demands not only her time and energy, but eventually takes over her values, her relationships, and her sense of self.

Andy is a smart girl, and she realizes what's happening, both to herself and to those around her. The turning point in the movie is when Miranda Priestly, Andy’s boss, the powerful editor-in-chief, betrays her loyal colleague Nigel, for personal gain. In that moment, Andy realizes that power and prestige mean nothing if you lose who you are, if you lose your values. 

She realizes that her integrity and values are more important than money and fame. Just because a path is highly desired doesn’t mean it’s the right one. She realizes that it’s not the right job for her, and she can’t sacrifice her values for a position that, as they say, "a million girls would kill for."

There’s a particularly powerful message in Andy’s decision to walk away. She doesn’t leave in anger or frustration, but her decision comes because of clarity. She knows this job was never meant to be her end goal. It was a stepping stone, not a final destination. That choice — to leave something most people would always cling to — reveals her true strength and character.

What makes Andy’s story compelling isn’t just that she pursued her dream. It’s that she did so without giving up her true identity. 

In a world that constantly pushes us to chase success, power and fame, ‘The Devil Wears Prada’ reminds us that authenticity matters more than anything else. Andy did not care for approval or validation of others, but chose to be herself, rather than become someone she no longer recognized. 

"To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment." - Ralph Waldo Emerson

She could have followed in Miranda’s footsteps, learned to go against her values and play the cruel games, and stay in a job that gave her money and status, but it would have cost her too much, her identity, her sense of self.

This movie quietly asks us all an important question: Are you choosing your path, or are you walking someone else’s?

It’s easy to get trapped in chasing titles, paychecks, or the validation of others around us. But success without alignment with your values is empty. 

Andy knew what she wanted — to be a journalist — and she never lost sight of that, even when tempted by the glamour of the fashion world. She never gave up on her values. She chose authenticity over approval. 

She reminds us that you don’t have to sacrifice your nature for your goals. You can be driven by your ambition, and still be kind. You can achieve success and still be compassionate.

“Be yourself; everyone else is already taken.” - Oscar Wilde

So if there’s one powerful lesson to take from The Devil Wears Prada, it’s this: know what matters to you. Choose yourself. The most traveled road isn’t always the right one for you. And sometimes, the best thing you can do is walk away from something good, as it will lead you to something better.