There’s a special kind of frustration in being close but not quite there. In knowing you almost had something—a job, a relationship, a dream—only to watch it slip through your fingers.

Almost is worse than failure in some ways because it teases you. It makes you think, Maybe if I had just tried a little harder. Maybe if I had been a little better. Maybe if I had said something different.

But here’s the truth: Almost is just part of the deal. You don’t get through life without stacking up a few almosts along the way.

The Burn of Almost

Almost getting the job. Almost making it out of this town. Almost being happy.

It lingers. It stays in your head longer than a clean loss because it feels unfinished, like you left something on the table. If you fail completely, you can at least close the door and move on.

But almost? That door stays cracked open just enough to mess with you.

I’ve had my fair share of almosts. This website itself was an almost at one point. It almost became something bigger before everything got wiped.

I almost gave up on it. But I didn’t. Because sometimes, almost is just the middle of the story, not the end.

Almost Isn’t a Waste

It’s easy to look at the things we almost had and see them as wasted time. But I don’t think that’s true. Every almost is a lesson, even if it’s a painful one.

• The job you almost got taught you how to interview better.
• The relationship that almost worked showed you what you actually need.
• The dream you almost reached proved that you’re capable of more than you thought.

Almost isn’t failure. It’s proof that you were in the game to begin with.

The Choice After Almost

When you hit an almost, you have two choices: Let it define you, or let it push you forward.

Most people get stuck. They replay the moment over and over, analyzing every little thing they could have done differently. But obsessing over what’s gone doesn’t bring it back. It just keeps you from moving toward the next thing.

What if instead of seeing almost as a dead end, we saw it as a signpost? A marker that says, You’re close. Keep going.

Letting Go of the Bitterness

It’s hard not to be bitter about the things we almost had. Trust me, I know. You see other people getting what you wanted, and it stings. You start asking, Why them and not me? You start doubting yourself.

But bitterness doesn’t get you closer to what you want. It just keeps you stuck in the past. And the past is a place you don’t live anymore.

The only way forward is to take what you learned and use it. To let go of what didn’t happen and focus on what still can.

The Next Step

If you’re carrying the weight of an almost right now, here’s what I want you to do:

1. Acknowledge it. Yeah, it sucks. Yeah, it stings. But don’t pretend it didn’t happen.
2. Find the lesson. What did this almost teach you? What can you take from it?
3. Decide what’s next. You didn’t get that thing—so what’s the next move? What’s still possible?
4. Move forward. Even if it’s just a small step. Even if it’s just deciding to try again.

Because here’s the thing: Almost isn’t the end of the road. It’s just a bend in it.

And sometimes, what’s waiting around the bend is better than what you thought you wanted in the first place.