A lesson in Integrity … from Dana Carvey???

What is integrity? I think of it as strength, consistency, and alignment in what you say, who you are, and what you do. A person with integrity won’t be a great match for everyone – but they are fully on display, and that makes it easy for others to decide: is this for me?

For a vivid and laugh-out-loud lesson about integrity, I recommend a Hulu documentary called “Too Funny to Fail.” It’s about the star comedian and actor Dana Carvey’s eponymous sketch comedy show born after he left Saturday Night Live. The show had high expectations and a great cast and crew … but failed fast.

The show was committed to one thing: pushing the boundaries of funny. Typically, the sketches had simple premises, but the writing and acting held NOTHING back. When the sketches are funny, it’s because the writing and acting have no limits. It’s also what took the show down. In the documentary, though, the cast and crew seem at peace. Maybe the show was a failure on some level, but the strong integrity around a vision left the cast and crew – years later – with no regrets. And for many, like Steve Carrell and Stephen Colbert, the show’s failure led directly to future success.

What about YOU? Are you clear what you’re doing in your life? About what you are committed to? About what you want? About the people you want with you? That’s integrity. It’s a powerful magnet.

And please … watch “Too Funny to Fail.” Trust me. It’s so dang funny and inspirational. If you don’t have a Hulu account, I’ll send you my password. Kidding.