The Rejection That Launched Everything
Sometimes the closed door is the very thing that clears the path.
A few weeks ago, I made it all the way to the final round of interviews for a position at Amazon. And then… I didn’t get it.
Just to give you some context on how the final round went: I had five one-hour interviews with five different people over the course of two days!
I was disappointed. It stung a little, of course — who doesn’t want the validation of a win, especially after getting that far? But what I wasn’t expecting was what happened next.
Instead of spiraling, I felt a strange clarity.
It was like something inside me quietly said, “Okay, now we can really begin.”
And we did.
That rejection sparked something serious. I’ve been pouring myself into my tutoring business like never before. Creating more. Showing up for my people. Leaning hard into the creative side of the house — not just making music, but sharing the process, building community, and having more fun doing it than I’ve had in years.
I recorded a quick YouTube video shortly after getting the news — raw, honest, reflective. Not to vent, but to mark the moment. A pivot point.
Then this prompt came into my life. (Shoutout to a random but brilliant Reddit post in a prompt engineering space.) It was long. Deep. A kind of inner excavation. The question at its core?
“What’s the biggest flaw holding you back from being great?”
Whew.
I’m not exaggerating when I say it flipped a switch in me. Not because it was dramatic or flashy — but because it made me sit still and look directly at some things I’d been dodging.
And just to be clear — if and when a new opportunity aligns beautifully with my interests, skills, and the life I’m building, I’ll be ready.
But in the meantime? We’re good. More than good.
Sometimes rejection is a catalyst.
Sometimes not getting the thing is what makes room for building your thing.
And if you’re in a place where something didn’t go the way you wanted — I see you. You’re not behind. You’re just being rerouted.
If this resonated with you, I’d love to hear your thoughts or experiences in the comments. And if you’d like the prompt I used, just let me know—I’m happy to share it! (It was a long one, so I figured it made more sense to offer it separately.)
Until next time — keep progressing.
— Kevin (Khordmaster)
🎹 Chord Progression of the Week
This week’s progression is inspired by acceptance, tension, and clarity:
Cmaj7 → D7 → G7sus4 → G7
Play it slow. Let it breathe. That second chord creates a kind of unexpected invitation — tension with purpose. A reminder that things resolve, even when they start off feeling uncertain.
🎥 This Week’s Chord Tutorial: “Take Five”
Learn the legendary jazz chords from Dave Brubeck’s Take Five — it’s one of the coolest progressions in 5/4 time, and surprisingly playable once you get the feel.
Kevin a.k.a. Khordmaster is a pianist, content creator, and educator exploring music, creativity, and fatherhood one chord at a time. Subscribe for weekly stories and insights.
🎶 Explore more: khordmaster.com/links