Miley Cyrus  tells ET that her parents have kept her in line through her sudden rise to fame, “I have to give it to my parents. They don’t tell me that I can’t do something. They say, ‘you know what, if this is your dream and it’s important to you, then go ahead and do it.’ It’s a trust thing. That’s what my parent’s relationship is built on. I trust my parents and my parents trust me.”

Using her father, Billy Ray Cyrus‘ experience in the spotlight as an example, Miley says she knows how to avoid burning out, “My dad says that we train like athletes. You’ve got to start slow, you can’t start out going into a sprint, or you will get tired and worn out. When you get tired and you’re not having fun anymore, then it becomes so much like work that you’re not even chasing your dream. That thing that keeps me strong is the little bit of fire that I do want to keep going.”

On being a role model for young girls, “I don’t want to be perfect, but I do want to be a role model. My mom always tells me that imperfections equal beauty. All of us are imperfect. I’m not always happy-go-lucky. I do get frustrated.”

The number one rule in the Cyrus household? “I’m always super respectful of my parents, that’s the biggest rule in our house, but they respect me back.” As for her personal life, Miley exclaims, “I’m single!”

ET, WENN