Against the Current

Themes: Contemporary, Power, Reality, Rejection
Length: 1 Minute
Gender: Male

I used to believe that hard work was all it took. That if you put in the hours, made the sacrifices, everything would fall into place. But reality has a way of shattering those illusions.

I’ve faced rejection more times than I care to admit. Promotions passed over, ideas dismissed, doors slammed shut. Each one felt like a blow, a reminder that the world doesn’t always reward effort or talent. It was disheartening, maddening even. But in those moments of rejection, I found something unexpected: power.

The power to redefine my path. To stop seeking approval from those who could never see my worth. Each ‘no’ became a challenge, a push to forge my own way, to swim against the current. I stopped playing by their rules and started making my own.

I learned to stand tall, to embrace the parts of me that others overlooked. I found strength in my resilience, in my refusal to give up. Rejection became my fuel, igniting a fire within me to prove them all wrong.

Now, I see rejection for what it truly is: a redirection. A nudge towards a path that is uniquely mine. I’ve taken control of my narrative, found power in my persistence. The rejections still come, but they don’t break me anymore. They remind me that I am in charge of my destiny.

I used to believe that hard work was all it took. Now, I know it’s about working smart, about finding power in the unexpected, and never letting anyone else define my worth.