If you pay any attention to pop culture, you’ve probably already heard the news that KeKe Palmer will make her debut as Cinderella on Broadway starting September 9th. While most headlines make mention of KeKe being the first African American Cinderella on Broadway, there’s more to this story. Over the past 10 years, Palmer has made her rounds from small screen to big screen, with stops at the Disney Channel and primetime networks. Most recently, Keke made headlines as the youngest person to ever host a talk show. Just Keke debuted its trial run on BET in June to great reviews. At just 20 years old, KeKe Palmer has already set out on a path destined for success and established herself as one to watch.

The fascinating thing about this Cinderella story is not that KeKe magically ended up here; But that she chose her steps wisely. KeKe Palmer is just a regular girl from the outskirts of Chicago who had a dream and set forth on the path to achieve it. You don’t get to choose the cards that life deals you, but you get to choose how you play them. It’s my belief that everyone, no matter their environment, social class, economic status or demographic, is born with a talent or gift. It’s up to you to identify it and put it to use. What good is a talent never explored?