Beyoncé is intelligent. You rarely achieve her level of success without being immensely so. That’s why her perfectly scripted public persona puzzles me. It’s almost like she has no mind of her own and lives on a perpetual stage. Like she can’t risk being caught off guard. Even when rumors of Jay-Z’s alleged infidelity swirled, and a heated elevator video was leaked, her sister Solange did the fighting, not her.
Contrast her with Justin Bieber, a mega superstar in his own right. Whenever I think of him, I see a man who has finally come to terms with himself. He accepts it’s okay to love Jesus, sex, booze, family, fame and fortune all at the same time. And so, he is sorting himself out while his audience is free to deal with it as they wish. Though he may dress like a bum, he owes no one an explanation. His fight for authenticity came at great personal cost, and his battles have been obsessively documented. You can read about them online.
Why Must we Experience Crisis?
Why do we have to go through a crisis to experience this thing called authenticity?
In my case, I reached a point where I was dissatisfied with being a corporate executive. I was deeply unhappy and losing touch with my creative side in the midst of an administrative avalanche. It was tiring being the angry black choleric who shouted at people. (I shared my story here.) So, I found a better way.
To reclaim your authenticity, you must develop a very thick skin. If you’re accomplished, almost view your achievements as being outside you. Never fully appropriate them, so you can keep your head. Instead of considering your possessions in terms of ownership, embrace stewardship. Mostly un-look online commentary & praise and focus on feedback from constructive critics.
Achieving this Thing called Authenticity
Embracing authenticity means deliberately surrounding yourself with equals and those who are better than you. Sycophants ought to irritate you. And, you should only extend trust to people who have earned it, and not because you are lonely. In addition, you must take back your life from your fans.
Begin to enthrone freedom above money. Be prepared to give up some income for privacy and creative control. You can finally afford to. Choose to enjoy your wealth and not remain cocooned in a self-imposed prison.
Finally, fight for your authenticity because you will never be truly happy until you do. Express the very depths of your uniqueness. Shine like the star God created you to be.
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