Mad Men creator explains the secret to Don Draper's success

Over the past six seasons, Mad Men's womanizing, alcoholic, fundamentally damaged protagonist Don Draper has been held up as an icon of masculinity. (He does, admittedly, look pretty great in a suit.) But if you're looking to channel your inner Don Draper, what can you do? In a recent interview with Denise Martin at Vulture, Mad Men creator Matt Weiner reveals the secret to Don Draper's success: He never changed with the times.

"The secret to his success is in not being a fad-ist," says Weiner. "It's not like someone's coming in and blowing him away with brand-new work that's super ingenious. He operates from what he wants. His creative style is timeless. Things that have torpedoed him at work have much more to do with drinking too much and letting his anxiety overwhelm him, acting impulsively, acting selfishly. That is not a product of the times."

If that advice is a little too abstract for you, you can always turn to "Don Draper's Guide to Picking Up Women." --Scott Meslow

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up