I had a dream, a beautiful, ambitious dream, and I gave everything I had to try and achieve it. It felt like an uphill battle from the start, but I refused to give up. I poured my heart and soul into making it a reality, sacrificing so much along the way. I lost precious time with my loved ones, missing out on the moments that I can never get back. I lost the sense of security that came with a stable job as I pursued this dream with relentless determination.

There were days when I questioned whether it was all worth it, but I couldn't abandon this dream that had become so ingrained in my identity. I pushed through the doubts and the setbacks – I invested my hopes, my energy,...