The artist George Michael went from an 80s teen pop idol to a more complex and accomplished songwriter a decade later. Yet his label Sony wanted him to remain the teen idol he had become and churn out those pop hits to keep crowds swooning.
That was until he put his pen down and refused to continue to compose work he no longer identified with or that gave him any satisfaction. Finally, after a long protracted conflict, a contractual solution was crafted, allowing him to create work he was proud of and valued. Many, including he, would say it was his best work yet.
What about you? Do you have that sense of freedom? Are you doing what you love and expressing yourself meaningfully? Do you feel valued and appreciated, but even more, do you value and appreciate what you do? Are you maintaining your integrity?
If you do, you are fortunate. If not, continue striving for that sense of fulfillment since we can never truly identify unless we do what we believe is meaningful and valuable. If you think about it, others will also recognize it.
When we find the freedom and then liberate ourselves, we soon realize that with freedom comes tremendous responsibility, and with integrity comes a license to pursue one’s purpose.
