Master of Me: The Secret to Controlling Your Narrative

by Keke Palmer

Our minds do this interesting thing where, even as we grow, our ideas of certain things will stay the same unless we look back and force our current perspective to observe the past, in hindsight.

don’t be afraid to bring all your talents to the table, because the only thing too much is the limitations we place on ourselves. I’m not saying to overextend, but I am saying there is nothing wrong with bringing the table, the food, the drinks, and the chairs. I mean, you do what you want when you poppin’, right? Don’t block your blessings and potential opportunities by allowing the voices of other people to influence your actions. How you’re choosing to set yourself up for success is between you and the person looking back at you in the mirror.

I learned to separate my performance from my personal emotions by establishing a clear boundary: I am not my work, but I do my work.

At the end of the day, aren’t we all putting on a performance? The gag, is who’s pulling your strings?

Society loves to tell us what’s of value, but the true fear is not in taking the bait and believing you’re worthless; it’s actually in believing that you are worthy, important, and capable.

This is why it’s crucial to separate your purpose from your right to be. Meaning, you deserve to exist and be yourself regardless of how or when you fulfill your purpose.

Our purpose doesn’t have a time frame; it can be fulfilled in an instant or unfold over time. None of us know when we’ll find our thing, and that’s okay. The key is to look inward first, trusting that our internal guidance will lead us forward, even when external validation is scarce.

discipline trumps talent. The whole experience was a testament to the power of discipline, which became my guiding principle: with discipline, anything is possible.

It’s dangerous to have outside voices in the space where you’re the most creative version of yourself. And I’ll admit that it’s a really tough but necessary skill to have. Or else, all your life, you’ll be looking to the validation of others who may not even have your goal in mind—and where’s your power in that? I place value in spaces I know I will be valued and where my goals are aligned. That’s

The freedom to say no is so big, but it really does take time and confidence to get there. It took a long time for me to get to this level of liberation. All I’m saying is, you never know what will happen if you speak up, or if you don’t. So don’t underestimate the power of your voice.

If you say Scooter Braun three times, you might be able to summon him in your bathroom mirror. (Kidding!)