May 27, 2025 • 12 mins
In this conversation, Marquita Moore unpacks what success really means—pushing past the noise of likes, labels, and luxury to uncover something deeper. She challenges the idea that success is something we wear or display, and instead points us inward. It’s about alignment, not applause. She speaks on the disconnect that happens when we measure our worth by external validation and offers a call to return to authenticity, purpose, and peace. In a world obsessed with image, Marquita reminds us there’s power in stillness—and in choosing a path that reflects who we really are.
Key Takeaways:
-
Success isn’t about status—it’s about soul alignment.
-
External validation can be loud, but it often drowns out inner peace.
-
True success is rooted in joy, purpose, and obedience to what you’re called to do.
-
Wealth doesn’t guarantee wholeness.
-
Being authentic means checking your motivations and moving with intention.
-
Your value isn’t tied to your possessions or how the world sees you.
-
A healed, connected community thrives on truth, not competition.
-
Balancing drive with contentment is key to sustainable growth.
-
You’re allowed to walk away from what doesn’t serve your spirit.
-
Living authentically is a radical act—and a necessary one.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
Marquita Moore. Today's get is a friend of the show
who's an author and an inspirational conversationalist who's the founder
of the inspirational lifestyle brand. How I grew up today? Well,
you know, we've had all had these moments where we
look at what defines success, right, and recently we were
(00:22):
talking about redefining true success and living by it, and
so I really want to ground this conversation around what
is real success? Right? And so in your opinion, you know,
how has modern culture kind of shaped what we believe
success looks like?
Speaker 2 (00:38):
Hmm, that's a that's a good one. Well, I believe
culture is it pushes us to be loud and flashy,
you know, success, money, status, followers, aesthetics, all of the
things that are external. It's about what people see. But
(00:59):
success is really internal, you know. It's that external success
usually comes at a cost of something internal, should I say?
And you know, the culture, it teaches us to chase
applause before peace.
Speaker 1 (01:20):
I'm like that close before peace. Yeah, So, how do
you define what success looks like? And has that changed
over time? And it sounds like it has because of
how you kind of just spoke to it.
Speaker 2 (01:34):
For sure. For me, success used to mean achievement, hitting
my goals, access status, having a bunch of money in
my account, you know, but over time is shifted. Now
success to me looks like obedience to God. Am I
doing what he what He's called me to do? It
(01:57):
looks like peace, joy unprompted, meaning I don't need anything
external to bring me that piece that joy. It just is,
you know, doing what I've been called to do. Whether
people see it or not, you know, that's freedom and
that success.
Speaker 1 (02:18):
And there's such a what's I think there's a danger
in trying or or i should say, tying our value
to material or external achievements.
Speaker 2 (02:27):
Oh yeah, yeah, because you end up performing for approval.
You're not living from a place of wholeness. You're living
from again those external things. You know, the moment the
thing is, you know, taking away what is it? Who
(02:50):
are you?
Speaker 1 (02:51):
And that word you just use performing is a strong one.
And you know, how do we begin then to detach
from the performative aspect of life and live more what
you're kind of saying authentically, Because that's a huge that's
a big, big thing.
Speaker 2 (03:09):
Yeah, it does start with honesty and you have to
be willing to ask yourself, you know, who went I
when there's no one clapping, when no one's watching, Like
you got to really strip down to the intention of
why you're doing a thing. You know, who are you
performing to? And I think that you know, being still
(03:30):
and listening and getting real yourself is key. Can't do
it any other way.
Speaker 1 (03:36):
No easier said than done. And I think, and I'm
sure you have a great deal of experience in dealing
with this, right And I'm wondering when you had the moment,
as you talked about before, what success looked like for
you at that moment. Did you feel empty? Did you
know you were empty or did you feel full? Like
(03:59):
because again we've all been through that, any of us
still through that, and that's where we feel full. Yeah,
But have you ever experienced a moment when you had
it all and I'm doing air quotes that people see,
but still felt empty?
Speaker 2 (04:13):
Yeah, And it's very sobering. Like I had the access,
I had the status, I had money, I had everything
you could name. I had it what I thought I
thought I knew all the boxes right, Like in my mind,
I said, if I had this, this, this, this, this,
then I'll be good right, a life with no problems,
(04:37):
but no, it looked like I had everything, but I
had nothing on the inside. It ran out and I
was tired, and I was disconnected from myself, you know,
And so that was a loss. I realized that success
without aligning to something deeper is still a loss. It's
(04:59):
not success.
Speaker 1 (05:01):
Was it a culmination of a number of moments or
was there one in particular that you remember where like
the switch happened.
Speaker 2 (05:11):
Yeah, I feel like it started off with one big thing,
because it's been it was knocking at my door, like
are you happy? Are you really happy? You got all?
Speaker 1 (05:21):
You have?
Speaker 2 (05:21):
All these things. There would be moments where I'm in Burgdorf,
right and I'm shopping, and I'm like, I can go
in here and I can buy anything that I want.
But then there's something in me to say, is that
really enough?
Speaker 1 (05:33):
Right?
Speaker 2 (05:34):
And so when I finally began to listen to that,
then more opportunities for me to see where I was empty.
No matter what I had presenting it, they presented itself.
So it's a few more it's different levels to it.
Like I can give you an example. Recently, I had
a nice watch and I wanted to trade it in right,
(05:57):
something else, but the But there was a thought of
if I got this one and it's not a higher
tier in this higher tiered watch brand, how would I
feel like it was?
Speaker 1 (06:10):
It's weird. I really that's because it's it's right, and
it shouldn't be about the tier. It should be like
what is it that you are looking for? But the
fact that you're thinking about tier, it's taking away from
But do I really like the watch?
Speaker 2 (06:24):
Me?
Speaker 1 (06:25):
So now you're putting it into into the standards of
how it's being presented in marketing, in the programming of
what people don't see. Oh, but that's lower tier to
what you have before? Why would you go to that? Markita? Yep?
Speaker 2 (06:35):
So what am I associating that me having that higher
tiered watch with me now quote unquote downgrading to another
a lower tier that I like? What am I associating
that with not my value? Not having enough? I'm doing bad?
Speaker 1 (06:52):
But like, no, I.
Speaker 2 (06:53):
Really want the other watch. That watch was given to me,
and I want something else and it's not the same.
It's a lower tiered of this higher tiered brand. Like
what isn't that something? Right?
Speaker 1 (07:06):
No? It it's crazy. And so the other thing that
I don't want people to think is that having money
or being ambitious is a bad, right, toxic thing, right,
because I think it is possible or is it possible
to be both ambitious and content right? Like, how do
you strike that balance? Because what we don't want to
(07:30):
send is a message of having money and things takes
away from you knowing who you are. Is there a balance?
Is there a recommendation of thought that you have on that.
Speaker 2 (07:39):
It can't be the thing that makes you right, Like
you can have the wealth, you can have this as
a we're supposed to be. We are here to subdue
the earth and have power and authority and have all
these things and do right. But it can't be the reason.
It can't be the thing. It can't be the god,
you know what it has to be. It can't define you,
(08:03):
It can't make you feel. It can't be the thing
that you hang your head on, and you can't be
so attached to it that in times where wanes you
feel like you're nothing. Right, you can have it, but
you can't worship it.
Speaker 1 (08:19):
So I think that's that is key advice that you'd
give anybody who's chasing a life that and I'll call
it looks good? Yeah, but what doesn't feel good? Or
is there different advice that you would give somebody who
is chasing a life that looks good but it doesn't
feel good because your example is one of you can
(08:39):
chase those things but still feel good. But what if
somebody is chasing it but it doesn't feel good?
Speaker 2 (08:46):
Right? That's why you have to check in always and
say does it feel like me? You always have to
do that intercheck is this is this me? Is this
life that I'm living? Is it authentically me?
Speaker 1 (09:01):
You know?
Speaker 2 (09:02):
You know you have permission to walk away from what
doesn't look right, And you can either stay in it
just for the sake of staying in it or being
able to walk away from it and say I'm not
in alignment to who I'm supposed to be right now,
and I know it regardless of if things look good.
Speaker 1 (09:23):
So if culture redefined success right based on peace, purpose,
inter fulfillment, what would that world look like?
Speaker 2 (09:37):
Quieter?
Speaker 1 (09:41):
I think it sounds like literally and figuratively, yes.
Speaker 2 (09:44):
Quieter, more grounded people will stop competing and start connecting.
We would see less burnout, right, let's comparison, more joy
and rest. It would feel like healing, like I mean,
like the best fantasy show that you could see with
(10:06):
everybody getting along. I feel it would be just such
a world where we could all just be free.
Speaker 1 (10:20):
Do you think it's possible?
Speaker 2 (10:22):
I mean it is. I think that it is in
a sense if everyone does what's required to get there.
Speaker 1 (10:30):
Right.
Speaker 2 (10:31):
But yeah, I mean I feel like I feel like
when I say it is too individually, it is for
the individual.
Speaker 1 (10:41):
Right.
Speaker 2 (10:41):
And so if we all say this is how I
want to live, this is how I'm going to live
my life, and I believe that that would then really
make how everybody else is not doing it a little
bit easier. When you I think you have to make
the decision to live your life and be in existence
(11:01):
in that way in your life. So that's why I
say it is regardless of what's going on around you.
It is your rules of engagement for your life are
not dependent on the external.
Speaker 1 (11:15):
Yeah. And you know we always, you know, our spiritual
walks always bring us back to having our grounded conversation
on our why. And you know you go to scripture
that talks about not conforming to the world but being transformative. Yeah, right,
And it sounds like that's what you're saying you have
to take on an approach of being transformative and not conformative,
(11:38):
because our society is not built on this. That's why
I asked a question about redefining It is not like that.
So it takes the leadership qualities and the boldness and
the confidence of stepping out and truly it comes back
to being your authentic self. Yeah, like who are you
(11:58):
or who are you choosing or wanting?
Speaker 2 (12:02):
Yes, we two feet in on that side. I've decided
my life in this way. I'm not going to straddle
the fence, stay rooted and what I chose, how I've
chosen to live my life in alignment to something greater,
something higher.
Speaker 1 (12:21):
Well, look, I thank you for this convo. I mean
we always have had these types of convos, especially in
the last couple of years as we reconnected. Looking forward
to sharing morphies convos with you, as you're going to
be coming on to have some dialogue around a lot
of a number of great convos. But I love that
we started with this and just want to thank you.
Speaker 2 (12:40):
Yes, me too, and thank you all Right,
Marquita Moore. Today's get is a friend of the show
who's an author and an inspirational conversationalist who's the founder
of the inspirational lifestyle brand. How I grew up today? Well,
you know, we've had all had these moments where we
look at what defines success, right, and recently we were
(00:22):
talking about redefining true success and living by it, and
so I really want to ground this conversation around what
is real success? Right? And so in your opinion, you know,
how has modern culture kind of shaped what we believe
success looks like?
Speaker 2 (00:38):
Hmm, that's a that's a good one. Well, I believe
culture is it pushes us to be loud and flashy,
you know, success, money, status, followers, aesthetics, all of the
things that are external. It's about what people see. But
(00:59):
success is really internal, you know. It's that external success
usually comes at a cost of something internal, should I say?
And you know, the culture, it teaches us to chase
applause before peace.
Speaker 1 (01:20):
I'm like that close before peace. Yeah, So, how do
you define what success looks like? And has that changed
over time? And it sounds like it has because of
how you kind of just spoke to it.
Speaker 2 (01:34):
For sure. For me, success used to mean achievement, hitting
my goals, access status, having a bunch of money in
my account, you know, but over time is shifted. Now
success to me looks like obedience to God. Am I
doing what he what He's called me to do? It
(01:57):
looks like peace, joy unprompted, meaning I don't need anything
external to bring me that piece that joy. It just is,
you know, doing what I've been called to do. Whether
people see it or not, you know, that's freedom and
that success.
Speaker 1 (02:18):
And there's such a what's I think there's a danger
in trying or or i should say, tying our value
to material or external achievements.
Speaker 2 (02:27):
Oh yeah, yeah, because you end up performing for approval.
You're not living from a place of wholeness. You're living
from again those external things. You know, the moment the
thing is, you know, taking away what is it? Who
(02:50):
are you?
Speaker 1 (02:51):
And that word you just use performing is a strong one.
And you know, how do we begin then to detach
from the performative aspect of life and live more what
you're kind of saying authentically, Because that's a huge that's
a big, big thing.
Speaker 2 (03:09):
Yeah, it does start with honesty and you have to
be willing to ask yourself, you know, who went I
when there's no one clapping, when no one's watching, Like
you got to really strip down to the intention of
why you're doing a thing. You know, who are you
performing to? And I think that you know, being still
(03:30):
and listening and getting real yourself is key. Can't do
it any other way.
Speaker 1 (03:36):
No easier said than done. And I think, and I'm
sure you have a great deal of experience in dealing
with this, right And I'm wondering when you had the moment,
as you talked about before, what success looked like for
you at that moment. Did you feel empty? Did you
know you were empty or did you feel full? Like
(03:59):
because again we've all been through that, any of us
still through that, and that's where we feel full. Yeah,
But have you ever experienced a moment when you had
it all and I'm doing air quotes that people see,
but still felt empty?
Speaker 2 (04:13):
Yeah, And it's very sobering. Like I had the access,
I had the status, I had money, I had everything
you could name. I had it what I thought I
thought I knew all the boxes right, Like in my mind,
I said, if I had this, this, this, this, this,
then I'll be good right, a life with no problems,
(04:37):
but no, it looked like I had everything, but I
had nothing on the inside. It ran out and I
was tired, and I was disconnected from myself, you know,
And so that was a loss. I realized that success
without aligning to something deeper is still a loss. It's
(04:59):
not success.
Speaker 1 (05:01):
Was it a culmination of a number of moments or
was there one in particular that you remember where like
the switch happened.
Speaker 2 (05:11):
Yeah, I feel like it started off with one big thing,
because it's been it was knocking at my door, like
are you happy? Are you really happy? You got all?
Speaker 1 (05:21):
You have?
Speaker 2 (05:21):
All these things. There would be moments where I'm in Burgdorf,
right and I'm shopping, and I'm like, I can go
in here and I can buy anything that I want.
But then there's something in me to say, is that
really enough?
Speaker 1 (05:33):
Right?
Speaker 2 (05:34):
And so when I finally began to listen to that,
then more opportunities for me to see where I was empty.
No matter what I had presenting it, they presented itself.
So it's a few more it's different levels to it.
Like I can give you an example. Recently, I had
a nice watch and I wanted to trade it in right,
(05:57):
something else, but the But there was a thought of
if I got this one and it's not a higher
tier in this higher tiered watch brand, how would I
feel like it was?
Speaker 1 (06:10):
It's weird. I really that's because it's it's right, and
it shouldn't be about the tier. It should be like
what is it that you are looking for? But the
fact that you're thinking about tier, it's taking away from
But do I really like the watch?
Speaker 2 (06:24):
Me?
Speaker 1 (06:25):
So now you're putting it into into the standards of
how it's being presented in marketing, in the programming of
what people don't see. Oh, but that's lower tier to
what you have before? Why would you go to that? Markita? Yep?
Speaker 2 (06:35):
So what am I associating that me having that higher
tiered watch with me now quote unquote downgrading to another
a lower tier that I like? What am I associating
that with not my value? Not having enough? I'm doing bad?
Speaker 1 (06:52):
But like, no, I.
Speaker 2 (06:53):
Really want the other watch. That watch was given to me,
and I want something else and it's not the same.
It's a lower tiered of this higher tiered brand. Like
what isn't that something? Right?
Speaker 1 (07:06):
No? It it's crazy. And so the other thing that
I don't want people to think is that having money
or being ambitious is a bad, right, toxic thing, right,
because I think it is possible or is it possible
to be both ambitious and content right? Like, how do
you strike that balance? Because what we don't want to
(07:30):
send is a message of having money and things takes
away from you knowing who you are. Is there a balance?
Is there a recommendation of thought that you have on that.
Speaker 2 (07:39):
It can't be the thing that makes you right, Like
you can have the wealth, you can have this as
a we're supposed to be. We are here to subdue
the earth and have power and authority and have all
these things and do right. But it can't be the reason.
It can't be the thing. It can't be the god,
you know what it has to be. It can't define you,
(08:03):
It can't make you feel. It can't be the thing
that you hang your head on, and you can't be
so attached to it that in times where wanes you
feel like you're nothing. Right, you can have it, but
you can't worship it.
Speaker 1 (08:19):
So I think that's that is key advice that you'd
give anybody who's chasing a life that and I'll call
it looks good? Yeah, but what doesn't feel good? Or
is there different advice that you would give somebody who
is chasing a life that looks good but it doesn't
feel good because your example is one of you can
(08:39):
chase those things but still feel good. But what if
somebody is chasing it but it doesn't feel good?
Speaker 2 (08:46):
Right? That's why you have to check in always and
say does it feel like me? You always have to
do that intercheck is this is this me? Is this
life that I'm living? Is it authentically me?
Speaker 1 (09:01):
You know?
Speaker 2 (09:02):
You know you have permission to walk away from what
doesn't look right, And you can either stay in it
just for the sake of staying in it or being
able to walk away from it and say I'm not
in alignment to who I'm supposed to be right now,
and I know it regardless of if things look good.
Speaker 1 (09:23):
So if culture redefined success right based on peace, purpose,
inter fulfillment, what would that world look like?
Speaker 2 (09:37):
Quieter?
Speaker 1 (09:41):
I think it sounds like literally and figuratively, yes.
Speaker 2 (09:44):
Quieter, more grounded people will stop competing and start connecting.
We would see less burnout, right, let's comparison, more joy
and rest. It would feel like healing, like I mean,
like the best fantasy show that you could see with
(10:06):
everybody getting along. I feel it would be just such
a world where we could all just be free.
Speaker 1 (10:20):
Do you think it's possible?
Speaker 2 (10:22):
I mean it is. I think that it is in
a sense if everyone does what's required to get there.
Speaker 1 (10:30):
Right.
Speaker 2 (10:31):
But yeah, I mean I feel like I feel like
when I say it is too individually, it is for
the individual.
Speaker 1 (10:41):
Right.
Speaker 2 (10:41):
And so if we all say this is how I
want to live, this is how I'm going to live
my life, and I believe that that would then really
make how everybody else is not doing it a little
bit easier. When you I think you have to make
the decision to live your life and be in existence
(11:01):
in that way in your life. So that's why I
say it is regardless of what's going on around you.
It is your rules of engagement for your life are
not dependent on the external.
Speaker 1 (11:15):
Yeah. And you know we always, you know, our spiritual
walks always bring us back to having our grounded conversation
on our why. And you know you go to scripture
that talks about not conforming to the world but being transformative. Yeah, right,
And it sounds like that's what you're saying you have
to take on an approach of being transformative and not conformative,
(11:38):
because our society is not built on this. That's why
I asked a question about redefining It is not like that.
So it takes the leadership qualities and the boldness and
the confidence of stepping out and truly it comes back
to being your authentic self. Yeah, like who are you
(11:58):
or who are you choosing or wanting?
Speaker 2 (12:02):
Yes, we two feet in on that side. I've decided
my life in this way. I'm not going to straddle
the fence, stay rooted and what I chose, how I've
chosen to live my life in alignment to something greater,
something higher.
Speaker 1 (12:21):
Well, look, I thank you for this convo. I mean
we always have had these types of convos, especially in
the last couple of years as we reconnected. Looking forward
to sharing morphies convos with you, as you're going to
be coming on to have some dialogue around a lot
of a number of great convos. But I love that
we started with this and just want to thank you.
Speaker 2 (12:40):
Yes, me too, and thank you all Right,
Host
Astor Chamber
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