Track 17 · The Exit Was Always There

Plan B Became My Personality

Track 17 from The Exit Was Always There.

Play on Spotify View album

About Plan B Became My Personality

A deeper look at this song is coming soon.

Track 17 on The Exit Was Always There. Duration: 4:39.

Intro – spoken, low, reflective
I didn’t grow up running away.
I grew up making sure
I never got trapped.
Verse 1 – sung, calm
I learned to scan the exits early
Count the cost before the ask
I kept a smile, kept it light
So nothing ever had to crack
I said “it’s fine,” I said “no worries”
Had a backup for the truth
Every promise came with padding
Every door stayed halfway loose
Pre-Chorus
I wasn’t scared of leaving
I was scared of staying stuck
Chorus – steady, honest
Plan B became my personality
Safety stitched into my spine
I never burned a bridge completely
Just kept another road in mind
Plan B became my personality
I called it being smart
Didn’t see the distance growing
Between my head and heart
Verse 2 – sung, open
I avoided heavy conversations
Turned conflict into jokes
If things got real, I’d lower the stakes
Before anyone got close
I could read a room like weather
Feel a shift before it lands
So I’d change myself just enough
To keep the peace I planned
Pre-Chorus
They called it easygoing
I called it control
Chorus – repeat
Plan B became my personality
An exit dressed as calm
I learned to leave before the leaving
So nothing ever felt like loss
Plan B became my personality
But here’s the honest truth:
The safer I kept everything
The less I could hold you
Bridge – spoken, lifecoaching clarity
Here’s the cost:
When you always keep a way out,
you never fully step in.
Safety can protect you—
and still steal intimacy.
Bridge – sung
I didn’t need more options
I needed more nerve
To risk being misunderstood
And still stay put
Final Chorus – lifted, vulnerable
Plan B became my personality
But I’m learning how to choose
When to lower all the guardrails
And let someone see me lose
Plan B became my personality
Now I’m rewriting the part
Keeping wisdom, dropping fear
Making room inside my heart
Outro – spoken, warm
If closeness feels dangerous,
it’s not because you don’t want it.
It’s because you learned
how to survive.

What this song means

The message

The emotional core of "Plan B Became My Personality" is the tension between the desire for safety and the longing for true connection. It holds space for the feeling of being trapped in a cycle of self-protection, where the fear of vulnerability stifles intimacy and leaves one feeling isolated. If you've ever felt the weight of keeping your emotions at a safe distance, this song speaks to that quiet ache of wanting to be seen while fearing the exposure that comes with it.

What the artist wants to convey

William Cloudborn is navigating the complexities of emotional self-preservation and the impact it has on relationships. Through lines like "Plan B became my personality" and "the safer I kept everything, the less I could hold you," he communicates the bittersweet reality of choosing safety over connection. He wants listeners to recognize the cost of always having an exit strategy—acknowledging that while it provides a sense of control, it ultimately hinders the depth of human experience.

How this can help in everyday life

This song serves as a gentle companion during moments when you feel overwhelmed by the prospect of vulnerability, like after a difficult conversation or during a solitary drive where introspection is inevitable. It resonates in the quiet spaces of self-doubt or shame spirals, offering a soft reminder that the struggle for intimacy is a shared human experience. By listening, you might find clarity in your own fears and a comforting validation that you're not alone in your journey towards embracing deeper connections.