We Miss You: Eight Lessons to Learn From Aaliyah

Remembering how amazing Baby Girl was.

Hard work pays off and she's an example: - "Keep working hard and you can get anything that you want.”(Photo: Christopher Kolk/Corbis)

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Long Live Baby Girl - It was 14 years ago when R&B singer Aaliyah died tragically in a plane accident in 2001. Best known for her songs “One in a Million” and “Are You That Somebody?,” this amazing young woman left us way too early at the tender age of 22, but there is so much we can still take away from her life and legacy. By Kellee Terrell (Photo: Christopher Kolk/Corbis)

You’re Never Too Young to Have a Dream - Aaliyah knew at a very early age that she wanted to be a performer, starting at the age of 6. And like so many other up-and-coming singers such as Whitney Houston, Beyoncé and Lauryn Hill, Aaliyah had also been a contestant on Star Search at the ripe age of 10. (Photo: George De Sota/Liaison/Getty Images)

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You’re Never Too Young to Have a Dream - Aaliyah knew at a very early age that she wanted to be a performer, starting at the age of 6. And like so many other up-and-coming singers such as Whitney Houston, Beyoncé and Lauryn Hill, Aaliyah had also been a contestant on Star Search at the ripe age of 10. (Photo: George De Sota/Liaison/Getty Images)

On being able to get up every day and do what she loved: - "You have to love what you do to want to do it every day.”(Photo: Frank Trapper/Corbis)

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Put Your All in to Everything You Do - “I work hard, I put everything into what I do,” Aaliyah once said in a past interview before her death. Her work ethic was impeccable, spending hours upon hours in the studio, rehearsing and taking lessons in order to achieve what her name stood for: Praised, noble and great one. (Photo: Frank Trapper/Corbis)

On always remaining true to who she is: - "I stay true to myself and my style, and I am always pushing myself to be aware of that and be original.”(Photo: Christopher Kolk/Corbis)

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Take Risks on People - According to her Rolling Stone obit, Aaliyah was all about having an original sound, one that would set her apart from other people. It was this need to be different that led her to taking a risk and working with then new producers Timbaland and Missy Elliott. With their help, she created a brand new sound for Black female singers that helped pave the way for those who came behind her. (Photo: Christopher Kolk/Corbis)

Step Outside the Box - Not only was Aaliyah’s sound completely new, so were many of her videos, especially the ones from her second and third albums. Between underground dungeons, pythons and special effects, Aaliyah didn’t seem satisfied with the same old videos that other R&B singers were making at that time. She wanted to stand out, and she did. (Photo: Brenda Chase/Online USA/Getty Images)

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Step Outside the Box - Not only was Aaliyah’s sound completely new, so were many of her videos, especially the ones from her second and third albums. Between underground dungeons, pythons and special effects, Aaliyah didn’t seem satisfied with the same old videos that other R&B singers were making at that time. She wanted to stand out, and she did. (Photo: Brenda Chase/Online USA/Getty Images)

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On keeping her private life private: - "There are certain things I want to keep to me. I don't discuss my private life.”(Photo: Kharen Hill 2000 Warner Bros./Getty Images)

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Diversify Your Talents - Aaliyah was more than a singer, she was also an actress on the rise, starring in films Romeo Must Die and Queen of the Damned. While she said she wanted to act for a long time, it wasn’t until after her career popped off that she started taking acting lessons to really hone her craft at the age of 19. “I waited for the right project and the right time and it all came together,” she once told CBS News. (Photo: Kharen Hill 2000 Warner Bros./Getty Images)

Sexiness Isn’t Always Nakedness - Every artist should have the right to express their sexiness and sexuality in their own way with no shame or judgment. But Aaliyah showed us that while her signature look was baring her midriff, she could still be incredibly sexy without having to reveal too much at the same time. (Photo: George De Sota/Getty Images)

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Sexiness Isn’t Always Nakedness - Every artist should have the right to express their sexiness and sexuality in their own way with no shame or judgment. But Aaliyah showed us that while her signature look was baring her midriff, she could still be incredibly sexy without having to reveal too much at the same time. (Photo: George De Sota/Getty Images)

Humility Is a Great Thing - In a world, where pop stars and rappers have made a career boasting how amazing they are, Aaliyah was quite the opposite. She was always thankful and sincere about her success, especially when her acting career began to take off. She once admitted that she was very nervous about being on set for Romeo Must Die and that she was surprised and thankful for the film’s success and the rave reviews she had received. (Photo: Gregory Pace/Corbis)

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Humility Is a Great Thing - In a world, where pop stars and rappers have made a career boasting how amazing they are, Aaliyah was quite the opposite. She was always thankful and sincere about her success, especially when her acting career began to take off. She once admitted that she was very nervous about being on set for Romeo Must Die and that she was surprised and thankful for the film’s success and the rave reviews she had received. (Photo: Gregory Pace/Corbis)

Life Is Not Guaranteed - Aaliyah’s tragic death is a reminder that life is precious and can be taken away from any of us at the drop of a dime. Live your life to its fullest and take advantage of every day you have. (Photo: Frank Trapper/Corbis)

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Life Is Not Guaranteed - Aaliyah’s tragic death is a reminder that life is precious and can be taken away from any of us at the drop of a dime. Live your life to its fullest and take advantage of every day you have. (Photo: Frank Trapper/Corbis)

Photo By Photo: Frank Trapper/Corbis