Here’s a fun thought:

What if none of this works out?

What if all the dreams, the projects, the side hustles—everything we’ve put our energy into—ends up going nowhere?

What if we’re just wasting our time, building something on sand?

I think about that a lot.

I mean, who doesn’t, right? The fear that maybe all the effort we’re putting into something will just… fizzle.

That we’ll wake up one day and realize we didn’t get any closer to where we wanted to be. Or worse, that we were never meant to get there in the first place.

What if I keep pushing and pushing, and it never clicks?

What if this whole thing—the website, the music, the car, the dreams of leaving Oceanvale—ends up being just another thing I look back on and wonder, “What was that all for?”

It’s a thought that hangs around like a shadow.

And if you’re reading this, I’m guessing it’s something you’ve wondered too.

The Fear of Wasting Time

We’re told we have time, but then we’re also told we need to hurry up. Get it together. Figure it out. Don’t waste time.

But what if you’ve already spent too much of it?

What if all those hours of writing, working on the car, trying to build something out of nothing were just… wasted?

That fear—it creeps in when you least expect it. One minute, you’re full of hope, grinding away, pushing forward.

Then, the next, you’re looking at the calendar, feeling like the clock is ticking and you’ve got nothing to show for it.

Time is the one thing we can’t get back. So, the idea that you might be wasting it—that’s a hell of a weight to carry.

But let’s break it down for a second. Because there’s something important here that we need to face head-on:

Just because it doesn’t work out in the way you think it will, doesn’t mean it was wasted.

Not everything that’s worth your time is going to look like you expected.

The Myth of the Perfect Outcome

There’s this idea we all chase—the perfect outcome.

We think if we just work hard enough, make the right choices, follow the “right” steps, we’ll eventually get there.

There’s a perfect version of success out there, and if we just grind hard enough, we’ll find it.

But that’s not how life works.

Sometimes, it’s not about “getting there.” Sometimes, it’s about how you got there, and who you became along the way.

The perfect outcome is a myth.

It’s a shiny object that we reach for, thinking that it’ll make everything worth it. But in the end, all we have are the lessons, the mess-ups, the wins, and the failures.

And maybe—just maybe—that’s enough.

The Weight of Expectations

Sometimes, I think we get caught up in expectations—not just the ones other people have of us, but the ones we have of ourselves.

You ever stop and think about how heavy those expectations are?

We live in a world that constantly tells us what we should be doing. By this age, we should be here. By that age, we should have this.

But what if it’s not working out because you’re not meant to fit into some mold?

Maybe your journey is a little messier. Maybe it’s slower. Maybe it’s completely off the map.

That’s okay.

But when we start thinking that everyone else is hitting the mark while we’re stuck behind, we start questioning ourselves.

Are we doing enough? Are we good enough? Are we ever going to get to where we want to be?

The answer?

Who the hell knows.

But that doesn’t mean you’re failing.

It just means you’re figuring it out.

The Beauty of Failing Forward

Here’s the thing: failure isn’t the end.

It’s actually a pretty important part of the process—whether we like it or not.

You don’t learn how to build a car from scratch without messing up a few times. You don’t write a song without writing a ton of bad lyrics first.

You don’t launch a website without making a ton of mistakes along the way.

Failure isn’t failure unless you stop.

The trick is not letting it define you.

You’ve probably heard people say that before. “Failure is just a lesson.”

But there’s a reason it’s repeated so often—it’s true.

When you fail, you don’t just lose. You gain experience. You figure out what didn’t work, and you take that knowledge into the next round.

And here’s the kicker—sometimes, the failure you think is the end of the road? It’s just a detour to a better destination.

Reframing the Question: What If It Does Work Out?

What if it never works out?

It’s a scary thought. But here’s the thing—what if it does?

What if, after all the sleepless nights, the doubts, the fear, the struggle—you finally find your way?

What if all the mistakes, all the wrong turns, all the times you thought you’d failed were just steps on the path to something that’s actually worth it?

What if the thing you’re afraid will never work out is the thing that actually does?

That’s where the magic lies.

You can’t guarantee it’ll work out the way you imagine it, but you can guarantee that if you keep trying, you’ll eventually find your way.

You’re not running out of time—you’re just getting started.

Letting Go of the “What Ifs”

So, what do we do with this fear that it might never work out?

We let it go.

No, seriously.

It’s there for a reason, sure. It’s trying to keep you safe. But the truth is, you’re never going to know unless you take the leap.

And if it doesn’t work out the way you thought? Well, then it’s not the end. It’s just another chapter in your story.

You can’t control everything. You can’t predict the outcome. But you can control the effort you put in.

You can control whether or not you give up.

And that, in itself, is enough.

So, What Now?

If you’re staring at your own life, wondering if it’s ever going to work out, stop for a second.

Take a deep breath.

You’re not failing.

You’re figuring it out.

So stop asking, “What if it never works out?” and start asking, “What if it does?”

Because the truth is, it might.

And when it does, all those “what ifs” will seem so damn worth it.

Just keep going.

You’re closer than you think.

—J