HAVING INTEGRITY AS AN ARTISTE

According to Wikipedia, “integrity is regarded as the honesty and truthfulness or accuracy of one's actions”. Integrity is that character that many of us value in ourselves, and it’s what we look for consistently in other people. The Random House Dictionary defines integrity as: adherence to moral and ethical principles; soundness of moral character; honesty.

What does Integrity mean to an artiste?

It means that you never have to spend time or energy questioning yourself. When you listen to your heart and do the right thing, your career will be free from unnecessary hassles and you don't have to worry about hiding anything. Your integrity is what determines your reputation not just as an artiste, but as a person. So how do you develop and preserve your integrity? 

·         Know what you believe in.  Define your core values. Those are values that no matter what happens later, you know you will never compromise on.  If your core values are set, trust me, you can save yourself from a career full of scandals and bad press.

·         Properly analyse your choices. Believe me; I learnt this the hard way. I made some irrational choices as a teenager and even when I graduated from the university and oh boy….the consequences were not palatable at all! So no matter what, you make the right choice - especially when no one is watching! You'll usually know what's right and wrong, but if you're not sure what the right choice is, ask yourself this question:  "If my choice was printed on the front page of the newspaper for everyone to see, would I feel OK about it?"

·         Do your best to avoid “white lies”. They may seem harmless at the time, but they will always come back and haunt you. As an artiste who is more often than not in public view, being caught in a lie is never a good thing. When dealing with industry people, answering interview question, or relating with fans, DO NOT LIE! It destroys your credibility.

·         Stay humble and down-to-earth. Be easy to relate with, and treat everyone with respect. Humility will take you to places you never thought of reaching. No matter the level of success you attain, keep a level head and avoid unnecessary swag.

·         Keep your word, and don't make promises that you know you can't keep. I know how tempting it is sometimes to make promises out of excitement or emotion. But you need to be careful. So you don’t end up being labelled as untrustworthy and unreliable in the industry.

Bottom line, having integrity means that you live in accordance to your deepest values. And remember that you talent might take you up there, your character, and integrity will keep you there.