Most don’t see the discipline, the solitude, the restraint. They don’t understand why I said no to shortcuts, why I walked away from would be praise, or why I kept showing up when no one was watching. But I understand. And that’s enough. My integrity stayed intact. My soul stayed unbought. Never will it be for sale.
Now I understand why things had to happen the way they did. I didn’t at the time. It hurt. It confused me. But now I see the reason in the chaos. I wasn’t being punished. I was being prepared. Rejection made room. Waiting built patience. Failure taught precision. Every misstep was secretly making me better.
It was never about ego. I’m not building for anyone's validation. No one. I’m building for legacy. I need my choices to reflect my values, not just my ambition. It took a lot of time. A lot of sacrifice. I said… so be it. I’d rather be remembered for how I lived than how quickly I won.
I’m no longer the same. I’m clearer. Sharper. Stronger. And most of all, proud. Proud not just of where I’m going, but of how I got here.
The risk was real. But so was the reward. I’d do it all again.
Because it was never about playing it safe.
It was always about having the courage to live what I believe.