Live with integrity, respect the rights of other people, and

Nathaniel Branden, seeker of truth in the realms of psychology and philosophy, left us a teaching both simple and profound: “Live with integrity, respect the rights of other people, and follow your own bliss.” These words, though spoken in our modern age, carry the cadence of ancient wisdom, for they strike at the heart of what it means to live a life both just and fulfilled. They are not merely instructions, but a path, a way of being that binds together the duties we owe to ourselves and to others.

First, he calls us to live with integrity. Integrity is wholeness, the unity of word and deed, the harmony between what is spoken and what is done. Without it, life collapses into emptiness. To live with integrity is to be unbroken, to walk with a spine unbent by falsehood, to be the same in darkness as in light. The ancients honored this virtue above all—Socrates drank the hemlock rather than betray the truth he taught, showing that a short life with integrity is nobler than a long one without it.

Next, he commands us to respect the rights of other people. For no man or woman lives alone; we are threads woven into the vast tapestry of humanity. To honor the rights of others is to recognize that the freedom we seek is not ours alone but belongs to all. History shows us the cost when this truth is ignored: oppression, war, tyranny. Yet when it is embraced, peace blooms. Consider the wisdom of the Magna Carta, or the courage of those who marched for civil rights—each act proclaimed that true freedom is shared, not hoarded.

Then comes the final jewel: follow your own bliss. This is not the indulgence of fleeting pleasures, but the pursuit of the deepest calling of the soul. It is to heed the voice within that whispers of destiny, to walk the path that brings not only joy but meaning. The poet Rumi said, “Let yourself be silently drawn by the strange pull of what you really love. It will not lead you astray.” To follow one’s bliss is to honor the purpose for which one was born.

Consider the life of Harriet Tubman, who embodies all three principles. She lived with integrity, never betraying those who trusted her on the Underground Railroad. She respected the rights of others, believing fiercely in the freedom of her people. And she followed her bliss, not of comfort or safety, but of a calling that gave her life unshakable meaning. Though she risked everything, her life remains a shining testament to Branden’s truth.

O children of tomorrow, remember this: integrity without respect becomes self-righteousness; respect without bliss becomes duty without joy; bliss without integrity becomes selfish indulgence. But when all three are woven together, life becomes whole, radiant, and strong. This is the balance of a noble existence.

The lesson is clear: in your daily life, speak truth and live it. Guard the rights of those around you as fiercely as your own. And listen to the whisper of your heart, that you may follow the path that makes your soul sing. These acts do not require wealth or power, only courage. Yet they yield a treasure greater than gold: a life well-lived.

Thus, let Branden’s words guide you. Live with integrity, respect the rights of others, and follow your bliss. Do this, and your days will not only be long, but full; your legacy not only remembered, but honored; your life not only endured, but truly lived.