A few days ago I was walking and listening to some music when a song called “We Got Love” by Teyana Taylor came on. The song is upbeat, high tempo, and as the title suggests, it’s full of good vibes and, well… love :-).
Near the end of the song, I heard an interlude (at 2:57) that I hadn't really listened to before. It was a heartfelt message from fellow musician Lauryn Hill, which I later learned was sent as a voice note to Taylor before the release of her new album.
“Above all, you keep your clarity,
You keep your focus,
You keep your sense of love,
And you keep your sense of purpose.
Those are, they're integral, you know, they're key.
…
A lot of people define success differently...
You know, for me, you can have everything,
You can have all the money in the world,
But if it's not enjoyable, if it's not sustainable,
If you can't be a person of integrity while having all of these things —
What does it matter? What does it mean?
The value is internal.
Your value is internal.”
What an unexpected hit of inspiration, wisdom, and delight. And a perfect tribute to this month’s theme of Integrity.
Media and materialism tempt us to use fame and fortune and other external signs as indicators of success. The truth is, as Hill says, we each have the ability — the choice — to define success for ourselves based on our internal values.
I am beginning to think that perhaps integrity — the extent to which we live in accordance with our own values — is the best measure of a successful life.
How does this definition of a successful life sit with you? How do you measure success in your life?
Wishing you success by every measure,
Dave Radparvar
Co-Founder, Holstee
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Integrity
This article is part of our series on the theme of Integrity.
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