When I Grow Up – NF

There’s no pretending with this one.

When I Grow Up by NF is full of rage, hunger, and an almost painful sense of refusal —
refusal to be ignored, belittled, or forgotten.

It taps into the energy that rises when the world writes you off —
and you decide to prove them wrong, no matter what it takes.

When I was coming up in poker, this song hit different.
No one really understood how difficult it was —
or how well I was actually doing.
It wasn’t just about cards or money — it was about building something out of nothing.
It was about discipline, strategy, grit — and yet I wasn’t taken seriously.

This song gave me that defiance.
That quiet “Watch me.”
It was maybe the first time I felt like I had power in myself —
real power, backed by real results.
And I didn’t need anyone else’s validation to prove it.

But underneath all the sharp lyrics and hard beats,
there’s something even more vulnerable:
a younger version of yourself who just wanted to be seen.

This isn’t just about making it big.
It’s about reclaiming something.
The power to define yourself — not by what others expect, but by what you know you’re capable of.

There’s a line between defiance and desperation in this track.
And I think that’s why it lands so hard.
You can hear the wounds behind the bars.
And that makes the fight real.

Because it’s not just a song.
It’s a declaration:
I’m not done.
I never was.

Reflection Prompt:
What part of your past self still wants to be seen — and if you could hand them a mic for three minutes, what would they say?