Kay:

Well, hello there, fantabulous Questers!

Shi:

Fri-yay, Fri-yay!

Kay:

This is episode 290. We have a Quincy Jones quote for you today. Quincy quote!

Shi:

Quincy quote!

Kay:

Quincy quote for you and he says that “Greatness occurs when your children love you, when your critics respect you and when you have peace of mind.”

Shi:

Now, Quincy Jones is someone who really has the authority to say something like this. Remember it’s Black History Month. We’re bringing you black leaders, impactful quotes. Quincy was an American record producer, a multi-instrumentalist, a songwriter, composer, arranger, film, and television producer. He worked for 60 years in the entertainment industry. He is pretty much a legend. He has a record of 80 Grammy Award nominations, 28 Grammys, and a Grammy Legend Award in 1992. So, he’s a legend.

Kay:

He’s a legend.

Shi:

Yeah.

Kay:

Quincy Jones is accredited with many of Michael Jackson’s creative breakthroughs and so much more within the Pop and R&B space. But this quote is incredible. We were saying right before we got ready for this today we really like it when people bring forward actual measures of success. Thank you for giving us something to measure against when it comes to looking at where I am in regards to happiness and success.

Shi:

Inspiration, motivation, encouragement, all of those things are necessary and fun and needed but sometimes it’s good to have a few boxes to check and that’s what Quincy gives us here. You heard how great he is, and he tells us that this greatness occurs when three things happen. Great, alright three boxes to check. Box one- your children love you. Ooh, as a mother of two ten-year-olds.

Kay:

They love you!

Shi:

They love me so much. I know they do, but sometimes I know that they could be a little frustrated by the love of their mother. But overall, I know that they love me. So, I know that at least right now, I feel good about checking that box. I think this really means more than just like your biological children. These are those that you’re responsible for and it’s also the younger generation at large. A few different ways you can take this first box here.

Kay:

I think that as children grow and, as a child who have grown up, you see the humanness inside your parents and as your children grow if they see your humanness, they can look upon your mistakes and love you anyway because you gave them that love in return. Be that the younger people in your life, your biological children, or the youth that you have a direct impact over that is a great measure of greatness. The next one (and this one I think I love probably the most) is that he says that your critics respect you. Now, one of the things that I think gets a critic to respect you is when you are respectful to and for your critics. When they criticize you, you are not overly emotional and crazy. You do not attack them personally. You take things with grace. All the trolls on the internet could come on to all your Facebook pages and you would take it with grace and so do those critics respect you?

Shi:

This one is really hard, and I think it’s probably my favorite out of the three too just because it’s one of those – ooh, right?! Kids love you. I think every parent wants their kids to love them.

Kay:

Yeah.

Shi:

But critics respect you is one of those distinctions I think of someone who really is great, that has found that greatness, that they’re able to face critics from a place where they are able to respond in the way that is most indicative of their highest self, most of the time. Like Kay said, we’re still humans so we’re going to have those human moments. But the kind of person that has a critic that respects them is the kind of person who acts with humility, who acts with grace, who might get heated but that might also come back and say, I’m sorry, or I see things a different way, or I respect your perspective or stand their ground and draw their boundaries. So, I think that critics respecting you is one that might be the hardest to achieve out of these three.

Kay:

Well, he didn’t say critics like you.

Shi:

Yeah.

Kay:

He didn’t say the critics are supposed to agree with you. He didn’t say the critics are supposed to become your best friend and have you guys ride off into the sunset together. He just said the word respect and that is definitely a different tone, but it leads into this final one, which is peace of mind, which is really this idea of can you live with the things that you have done and the things that you regularly do? Are you working toward that peace of mind for yourself? Do you actively work on that mindfulness for you in order to cultivate peace of mind in your daily existence?

Shi:

Are you not suffering internally? Is your internal critic both respectful of you and maybe even an encourager to you from a place of empowerment. That peace of mind piece, that serenity, that ability to enjoy your life. Everyone talks about the rich people who are miserable because they haven’t figured out that internal piece, the science of getting wealthy and the art of fulfillment. So, let’s bring it back to our quote to end out our week. Quincy Jones tells us, “Greatness occurs when your children love you, when your critics respect you and when you have peace of mind.”

Kay:

So that means it’s a #FriYay Quest.

Shi:

Whoop, whoop!

Kay:

Today we want you to embrace an internal state of peace on this Friday by sitting in, or sharing in, some love with a family member, whether that be family by blood or by a bond. Spend some time together, maybe in your home or on a Zoom. Offer a little love to those who mean the most to you and see what greatness you invite into your weekend. Are you ready?

Kay & Shi:

Let’s quest!