To empower yourself is to build your own table as Tyler Perry admonishes. Build your own table and stop asking for a seat at someone else’s table, according to him. Empowering yourself to success may seem daunting in today’s world with too many distractions. Especially with so much social media time, most people want to be somebody. Who do you want to be? You are made for a purpose unique to you. 

You can learn from others who have failed or succeeded. You can emulate the outstanding characteristics of successful people. All the same, you must be you – finding value in your work, embracing your story, and recognizing what success actually means. You have the ability to empower yourself to success.

Build your own table is an inspirational message from Tyler Perry. He is a self-made billionaire who perspired to be where he is today. In fact, Forbes magazine in the recent past, listed him as Hollywood’s newest billionaire, according to CBC News. This is one of the best inspirational stories that can teach you how to empower yourself. It is a guide on how to build your own personal brand.

His story is an inspirational guide on how you can build the future of your dreams. His is also a story of how you can learn in progress. You don’t need to have a Ph.D. or an MBA to be successful in what you do.

In the Forbes article – From “Poor as Hell” to Billionaire: How Tyler Perry Changed Show Business Forever, Tyler Perry said,

“You got to understand, I had no mentors. My father doesn’t know anything about business, and my uncles and mother know nothing about this. I didn’t go to business school. Everything I’ve learned, I’ve learned in progress.”

You must learn from doing. From failure,  you learn many ways that don’t work. You don’t have to allow unnecessary influence, especially in today’s culture of celebrity influencers. Do the so-called celebrity influencers stand for what you believe? 

“Build your own table, and stop asking for a seat at someone else’s table. I know the value of what I do, and I know how important our stories are to us. We have to stop trying to run and cross over and get attention from somebody else”… I found value in my own face, in my own people, in my own color… Why ask someone to validate me outside of the world I live in that is so special and built this entire place…?” – Tyler Perry 

In an ebony magazine article of March 2020, Tyler Perry – Master of His Message highlighted pertinent lessons you can embrace for sure success. My most important takeaway, which I believe you can also leverage includes these 3 points:

• Find value in what you do.
• Embrace your story and build from it.
• Recognize the true meaning of success.

To empower yourself is to find value in what you do

Life is all about purpose. If you want to be successful, you must find value in what you do or something you do. What is your ‘WHY’? Why are you who you are? Why are you an optometrist? Why are you a lawyer? Why are you in business? Why are you a healthcare professional? Why are you a manager? Why are you an engineer? 

To empower yourself to success is to know your “WHY” WHY do you do what you do? Finding the value of purpose in what you do or finding a purpose to pursue will determine what you do and how you do it. As Simon Sidek said, you should

“Start With Why”.

I will never get tired of referencing the best seller by Simon Sinek- Start With Why. In this must-read book, Simon Sinek proposed The Golden Circle framework.

According to him:

Many people know WHAT they do. 

They can clearly articulate the features and benefits of their products or services.

Few know HOW they do it. 

They know their unique differentiators and their value proposition

Very few know WHY they do WHAT they do.

They may not even know their purpose, their cause, or their belief. ‘WHY’, is the reason your business exists and why anyone should care. It is the purpose behind why you do what you do in any certain way.

According to him, ‘WHAT’ is the easiest to know and articulate and most organizations start with ‘WHAT’: promoting features and benefits. A further focus will then be on ‘HOW’, with ‘WHY’ always at the back.

Simon advocates that you invert the order by communicating from the inside out of the golden circle. Start with WHY, then HOW, and end with WHAT.

Your WHY 

is the reason 

your brand exists.

Empower yourself by embracing Your Story to Build From It. 

You come from somewhere. You can be running away from who you are or forget where you are coming from. Seeking to rather grab attention from outside of your substance is doomed to be unsatisfactory. Those you seek validation from, might not see the value you embody. If they do, they may even try to suppress it. 

Your own original and authentic story is a good place to start developing your personal brand. Personal branding helps you empower yourself to succeed. It enables you to communicate your unique value to those who need it. There are many ways to develop your personal brand but you may like to see The 5 Best Ways to Build Your Unique Personal Brand.

Recognize The True Meaning of Success

Success is when you align what you do to a higher purpose. This enables you to bring change. 

“I know a lot of people who have power but aren’t necessarily rich. A definition for me is when you have a tool that you can use for good, ” says Tyler Perry.

You might have great talent. Is it to just bring glory to yourself? You might be a great orator. Is it so you can cajole people with falsehood? You might be a fiery pastor. Is it to enable you to extort money from your people?

If your gifts, talents, qualifications, etc are not aligned to a divine purpose, fulfillment will be elusive. For a better perspective, see Tyler Perry’s Power Reminders:

It is a two-way sword.

Handle it with care.

Use it for good.

It doesn’t make you who you are.

If in the right hands, it can change the world.

Wrapping It Up

Tyler Perry has a message. Tony Elumelu has a message. Nelson Mandela had a message. What is your message? What positive change do you want to bring to the world, to your community, or even just your little sphere of influence? Asking ourselves these vital questions will help in defining our purpose, embracing and building on our identity, appreciating the true meaning of success, and contributing to bringing change in our society.

“Build your own table, 

and stop asking for a seat 

at someone else’s table.”