Success in any endeavor depends on the degree to which it is an expression of your true self.

The line frames “success” less as external achievement and more as alignment: an endeavor flourishes when it expresses one’s authentic values, strengths, and identity. Implicitly, it critiques purely status-driven or imitative pursuits, suggesting they tend to feel hollow or prove unsustainable because they draw on borrowed motives rather than intrinsic commitment. The quote also implies a practical psychology: when work matches the “true self,” effort is easier to sustain, decisions become clearer, and resilience increases because the goal is internally meaningful. In this view, success is measured by congruence—how faithfully an action embodies who you are—rather than by applause, money, or rank alone.