I’m in the planning week between rounds of my year-long challenge. I called Round 3 early. I’m supposed to be resting.
I wrote a song today anyway.
Some creative work feels like work. This one didn’t. It came out of me the way songs used to come out when I was younger and thought I had something to prove. The form is exactly the kind of motivational rock anthem I told someone earlier this week is my favorite kind of music — the kind that turns struggle into propulsion.
I think the song wrote itself because the truth underneath it is what I needed to hear today.
Not push harder. Not do more.
Just forward.
One direction, no specific pace. Forward through the rest week. Forward into Round 4. Forward through the parts of the year that haven’t gone the way I planned. Forward through the work that’s still ahead.
Here’s the lyric.
FORWARD
Words by David Willis. Music arranged with Suno.
When I found my voice, I gave it everything I had
Stepped on that stage, killed the set, they still said nah, not enough, kid
Rolled home with that sting in my chest, eyes wide, no sleep for a week straight
Then the voice in my head hit replay: you’ll never be enough, just quit, it’s too late
Been down here before, I know this floor
But something’s rising and I want it more
Forward — didn’t come this far to fall
Forward — bring it on, I’ll take it all
Forward — every scar on my chest
Forward — it’s just proof that I haven’t quit
Keep moving forward
They called me up, said sorry man, we gotta let you go
Held my head high, swallowed the pride, didn’t let the frustration show
Then the phone rang with a call I never saw coming through
Sometimes what we pray for is waiting on the other side of the wreck we just went through
Been down here before, I know this floor
But something’s rising and I want it more
Forward — didn’t come this far to fall
Forward — bring it on, I’ll take it all
Forward — every scar on my chest
Forward — it’s just proof that I haven’t quit
Keep moving forward
Too many voices screaming, too many hands dragging me down
The noise gets crushing, violent, I can barely stay above the sound
But I see their faces breaking through the storm — I know why I’m here
I’m fighting like hell for them, and I’m not done, not while I’m still here
Forward — didn’t come this far to fall
Forward — bring it on, we’ll take it all
Forward — every scar on our chest
Forward — it’s just proof that we haven’t quit
Keep moving forward
Forward… (forward…)
Forward… (one more time…)
Keep moving forward…
The pronoun shift in the last chorus isn’t a typo. My chest turned into our chest somewhere in the bridge, when I saw the people I’m doing all of this for. That shift is most of the reason the song exists.
Forward. One more time.
David Willis 