--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If you own this story you get to write…" description: "\"If you own this story you get to write the ending.\" — Brené Brown" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/860/bren-brown-280_ending_if-you-own-this-story-you-get-to-write-t_3145068.jpg" --- # If you own this story you get to write the ending. ![“If you own this story you get to write the ending.” quote by Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/860/bren-brown-280_ending_if-you-own-this-story-you-get-to-write-t_3145068.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/860/bren-brown-280_ending_if-you-own-this-story-you-get-to-write-t_3145068.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/860/bren-brown-280_ending_if-you-own-this-story-you-get-to-write-t_3145068.jpg) > “If you own this story you get to write the ending.” [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Owning a story gives you agency to shape its conclusion, emphasizing personal responsibility and creative control over one's life. **In simple terms:** You control your story’s ending, highlighting personal agency. Key Takeaway Take charge of your narrative. Themes agency creativity responsibility Mood empowering thoughtful Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - personal decision‑making - creative projects - career planning Key Concepts self‑determination authorial control life design Questions to Reflect On - What parts of your life can you rewrite? - How do you handle constraints? A Different Perspective Stories may be constrained by external forces beyond one's control. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Personal responsibility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/personal-responsibility/) [Stories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stories/) [Story](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/story/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [If we own the story then we can write the ending.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/if-we-own-the-story-then-we-can-write-the-ending/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [If you own the story you get to write the ending](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-own-the-story-you-get-to-write-the-ending/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [We are all the main characters in our stories, so why not write the ending of how it should be ourselves...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/we-are-all-the-main-characters-in-our-stories-so-why-not-write-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Life is a story, and you are the author. You hold the pen, only you have the power to write your ending. You can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-a-story-and-you-are-the-author-you-hold-the-pen-only-you-have/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When we deny our stories, They define us. When we own our stories, we get to write the ending.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/when-we-deny-our-stories-they-define-us-when-we-own-our-stories-we/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [I don't really decide what the core of the story is before I write. I write to figure out what the story is. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greta-gerwig/i-don-t-really-decide-what-the-core-of-the-story-is-before-i-write-i/) [Greta Gerwig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greta-gerwig/) > [No one ever gets to write their ending, write their final script.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-olsen/no-one-ever-gets-to-write-their-ending-write-their-final-script/) [Greg Olsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-olsen/) > [“You’ve gone far away to a place with no horses and very little grass, and you’re studying how to write a story with a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-echols/you-ve-gone-far-away-to-a-place-with-no-horses-and-very-little-grass/) [Jennifer Echols](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-echols/) > [Life's like a movie, write your own ending. Keep believing, keep pretending. We've done just what we set out to do. Thanks to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-henson/life-s-like-a-movie-write-your-own-ending-keep-believing-keep-2/) [Jim Henson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-henson/) > [I've always felt that life is a novel, and part of it is written for you, and part of it is written by you.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynn-johnston/i-ve-always-felt-that-life-is-a-novel-and-part-of-it-is-written-for/) [Lynn Johnston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynn-johnston/) > [“Write the ending first and then you'll know before the opening sentence that it's going to be a good book.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-e-goodrich/write-the-ending-first-and-then-you-ll-know-before-the-opening/) [Richelle E. Goodrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-e-goodrich/) > [“Please write an ending where the Martians are defeated. Don't take away your readers' hope.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-lix-j-palma/please-write-an-ending-where-the-martians-are-defeated-don-t-take/) [Félix J. Palma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-lix-j-palma/) > [“How often do you think we write our own ending before the story is even finished? How often do we give up on ourselves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-van-dyken/how-often-do-you-think-we-write-our-own-ending-before-the-story-is/) [Rachel Van Dyken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-van-dyken/) > [“It is the storyteller's prerogative to try to write, every now and then, the ending she might wish for. Even if it exists only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natasha-solomons/it-is-the-storyteller-s-prerogative-to-try-to-write-every-now-and/) [Natasha Solomons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natasha-solomons/) > [Life's like a movie, write your own ending. Keep believing, keep pretending.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-henson/life-s-like-a-movie-write-your-own-ending-keep-believing-keep/) [Jim Henson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-henson/) ## More by Brené Brown > [We're raising children who have little tolerance for disappointment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/we-re-raising-children-who-have-little-tolerance-for-disappointment/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [“always put off writing by reorganizing my entire house and spending way too much time and money buying office supplies and organizing systems. Every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/always-put-off-writing-by-reorganizing-my-entire-house-and-spending/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [When you ask people about love, they tell you about heartbreak.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/when-you-ask-people-about-love-they-tell-you-about-heartbreak/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [“I can recognize shame when it’s happening.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/i-can-recognize-shame-when-it-s-happening/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [I carry a small sheet of paper in my wallet that has written on it the names of people whose opinions of me matter.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/i-carry-a-small-sheet-of-paper-in-my-wallet-that-has-written-on-it/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [Courage starts with showing up and letting ourselves be seen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/courage-starts-with-showing-up-and-letting-ourselves-be-seen/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [Waking up every day and loving someone who may or may not love us back, whose safety we can't ensure, who may stay in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/waking-up-every-day-and-loving-someone-who-may-or-may-not-love-us/) [Brene Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [“No matter how separated we are by what we think and believe, we are part of the same spiritual story.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/no-matter-how-separated-we-are-by-what-we-think-and-believe-we-are/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [Perfectionism is self-destructive simply because there is no such thing as perfect. Perfection is an unattainable goal. Additionally, perfectionism is more about perception -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/perfectionism-is-self-destructive-simply-because-there-is-no-such/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [Shame corrodes the very part of us that believes we are capable of change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/shame-corrodes-the-very-part-of-us-that-believes-we-are-capable-of/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [If you're also in the arena and you're putting your ideas out and you're owning them and you're saying "I disagree with you about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/if-you-re-also-in-the-arena-and-you-re-putting-your-ideas-out-and-you/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [“I found that men and women with high levels of shame resilience share these four elements: They understand shame and recognize what messages and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/i-found-that-men-and-women-with-high-levels-of-shame-resilience-share/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [Connection gives purpose and meaning to our lives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/connection-gives-purpose-and-meaning-to-our-lives/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [“But here’s the tricky part about compassion and connecting: We can’t call just anyone. It’s not that simple. I have a lot of good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/but-here-s-the-tricky-part-about-compassion-and-connecting-we-can-t/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [“It turns out to be the place of true belonging, and it's the bravest and most sacred place you'll stand.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/it-turns-out-to-be-the-place-of-true-belonging-and-it-s-the-bravest/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) [Explore all 759 Brené Brown quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) ## More Ending quotes > [So many times in television, you get cancelled arbitrarily as a result of your ratings in the off season, and you don't have an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-wyle/so-many-times-in-television-you-get-cancelled-arbitrarily-as-a-result/) [Noah Wyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-wyle/) > [So ,you're thinking it's ending but it's only just began.Your whole life is there right-right in front of you! Life's a story that is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/unkown/so-you-re-thinking-it-s-ending-but-it-s-only-just-began-your-whole/) Unkown > [You could be the leaf that never falls from the tree you could be the sun that never leaves the sky this might be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/you-could-be-the-leaf-that-never-falls-from-the-tree-you-could-be-the/) [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) > [The happy ending is hardly important, though we may be glad its there. The real joy is knowing that if you felt the trouble…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynda-barry/the-happy-ending-is-hardly-important-though-we-may-be-glad-its-there/) [Lynda Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynda-barry/) > [It doesn't matter to me if it has a surprise ending or not. I usually go for the material or the project.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donnie-wahlberg/it-doesn-t-matter-to-me-if-it-has-a-surprise-ending-or-not-i-usually/) [Donnie Wahlberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donnie-wahlberg/) > [Business, much like life, is not a movie, and not everyone gets to have a storybook ending.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/om-malik/business-much-like-life-is-not-a-movie-and-not-everyone-gets-to-have/) [Om Malik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/om-malik/) > [ Harvey \[Weinstein\] didn't want to release \[MY SON THE FANATIC\]; he held it for two years because he wanted a happy ending, although I… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hanif-kureishi/harvey-weinstein-didn-t-want-to-release-my-son-the-fanatic-he-held-it/) [Hanif Kureishi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hanif-kureishi/) > [Pagan Romans started their midwinter celebrations with the feast of Saturnalia on 17 December, ending them with a new year festival, the Kalendae Januariae,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-roberts/pagan-romans-started-their-midwinter-celebrations-with-the-feast-of/) [Alice Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-roberts/) > [Maybe my movie isn't over, I say, because sometimes moviemakers trick the audience with a false bad ending, and just when you think the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-quick/maybe-my-movie-isn-t-over-i-say-because-sometimes-moviemakers-trick/) [Matthew Quick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-quick/) > [I loathe people who say, 'I always read the ending of the book first.' That really irritates me, It's like someone coming to dinner,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-loathe-people-who-say-i-always-read-the-ending-of-the-book-first/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Friendship doesn't has ending...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/friendship-doesn-t-has-ending/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [In 2010, Republicans took control of politics in Alabama by advocating for increased transparency and an end to government corruption, but instead of ending…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-crumpton/in-2010-republicans-took-control-of-politics-in-alabama-by-advocating/) [Ron Crumpton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-crumpton/) > [Yesterday brought the beginning, tomorrow brings the end, and somewhere in the middle we became the best of friends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/yesterday-brought-the-beginning-tomorrow-brings-the-end-and-somewhere/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Break ups arent always meant for make ups. Sometimes relationships end in order for you to wake up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nix-mae/break-ups-arent-always-meant-for-make-ups-sometimes-relationships-end/) [Nix Mae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nix-mae/) > [Everything we do really is just a little marker on the long road to death. And sometimes that’s overwhelmingly depressing to me, and sometimes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joss-whedon/everything-we-do-really-is-just-a-little-marker-on-the-long-road-to/) [Joss Whedon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joss-whedon/) Browse all 1,316 Ending quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If you own this story you get to write the ending.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Brené Brown" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/if-you-own-this-story-you-get-to-write-the-ending/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Ending" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/if-you-own-this-story-you-get-to-write-the-ending/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/860/bren-brown-280_ending_if-you-own-this-story-you-get-to-write-t_3145068.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/860/bren-brown-280_ending_if-you-own-this-story-you-get-to-write-t_3145068.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/860/bren-brown-280_ending_if-you-own-this-story-you-get-to-write-t_3145068.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If you own this story you get to write the ending.” — Brené Brown", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Brené Brown", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "If you own this story you...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/if-you-own-this-story-you-get-to-write-the-ending/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/if-you-own-this-story-you-get-to-write-the-ending/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```