Taylor Swift – “Leading” (Official Music)

They used to tell me where to stand I finally learned where I'm going I spent my younger nights waiting on signs Reading between words that were never mine Letting voices shape the girl I'd be Trying so hard just to fit their dreams I followed footsteps that were my own Held onto hands that let me go Every promise dressed in gold Every truth revealed too slow I learned the hard way, tears don't lie Neither do goodbyes in disguise Some doors close so you finally see You were never meant to follow, you were meant to lead I stopped asking for permission Started trusting my own vision I'm leading now, no looking back I found my voice, I found my path No more waiting to be chosen I'm standing tall, my heart wide open If they doubt me, let them see I was never lost, I was becoming me I'm leading now, this life is mine, somehow I watched love come and love retreat Learned not every loss means defeat Some people teach you how to stay Some show you what to walk away I dipped in my shine for runes Afraid of being too much too soon Now I let the light spill free If it's blinding, it's not on me I wrote my fears in disappearing ink Turned heartbreak into melodies Every scar became a line Every wrong turn realigned Not this time I trust the stars that live inside I'm leading now, no second guess I chose myself, I chose my best No more shrinking for applause No more breaking my own laws If they whisper and talk, I've been quiet I'm leading now Brave don't mean you're never scared It means you move even when it's there If the road feels lonely at the top That's just proof I didn't stop I used to dream with borrowed hope Tie my words to someone else's rope Now I hold my own belief Tight enough to carry me I thank the girl who cried at night She taught me how to survive the fight Every version led me here Every doubt made courage clear If the future asks who's in control I'll smile back and say, I know I'm leading now, first strong I waited years to feel this song No crown needed, no applause I stand complete without a cause If they follow, if they don't I'll still walk proud of what I chose Yeah, I'm leading now And I've never felt so close to home Some stories are meant to be chased They're meant to be written They used to tell me where to stand I finally learned where I'm going I spent my younger nights waiting on signs Reading between words that were never mine Letting voices shape the girl I'd be Trying so hard just to fit their dreams I followed footsteps that weren't my own Held onto hands that let me go Every promise dressed in gold Every truth revealed too slow I learned the hard way tears don't lie Neither do goodbyes in disguise Some doors close so you finally see You were never meant to follow, you were meant to lead I stopped asking for permission Started trusting my own vision I'm leading now, no looking back I found my voice, I found my path No more waiting to be chosen I'm standing tall, my heart wide open If they doubt me, let them see I was never lost, I was becoming me, yeah I'm leading now This life is mine somehow I watched love come and love retreat Learned not every loss means defeat Some people teach you how to stay Some just show you what to walk away I used to dim my shine for rooms Afraid of being too much too soon Now I let the lights spill free If it's blinding, it's not on me I wrote my fears in disappearing ink Turned heartbreak into melodies Every scar became a line Every wrong turn realigned I don't need a map this time I trust the stars that live inside I'm leading now, making guests I chose myself, I chose my best No more shrinking for applause No more breaking my own laws They whisper, let them talk In quiet I've learned to walk, yeah I'm leading now I finally hear myself out loud Brave don't mean you're never scared It means you'll move even when it's there If the road feels lonely at the top That's just proof I didn't stop I used to dream with borrowed hope Tie my work to someone else's rope Now I hold my own belief Tight enough to carry me I thank the girl who cried tonight She taught me how to survive the fight Every version led me here Every doubt made courage clear If the future asks who's in control I'll smile back and say I know Heart first strong, I waited years to feel this song No crown needed, no applause I stand complete without a cause If they follow, if they don't I'll still walk proud of what I chose, yeah I'm leading now And I've never felt so close to home Some stories aren't meant to be chased They're meant to be written