When Hard Work Isn’t Enough.
The Battle Between Pressure and Belief
We glorify hard work. But what if effort alone isn’t enough?
What if intelligence, strategy, and sheer hours still leave you behind?
Like any other day… I’m confused.
Not about my board exams — I know where I stand there.
I’ve practiced enough to aim for 90%+.
That part is clear.
But what isn’t clear is how much pressure is too much.
The Weight of Expectations
The problem isn’t intelligence or ability. The problem is the weight of expectations — from parents, from society, from ourselves.
There’s a pattern I keep seeing. Students push themselves to the brink, overloading with more books, more practice questions, more everything… thinking it will help. But sometimes, the real issue isn’t the lack of effort. It’s the lack of belief in their own potential.
JEE, NEET, boards — each exam is a game of strategy. You don’t just need hard work. You need smart work. A priority system, a plan that ensures maximum efficiency.
A student doing 200 random MCQs a day isn’t necessarily improving. But someone who analyzes mistakes, revises weak topics, and understands patterns? They’ll improve faster — even with fewer hours.
And secret tip… the more relevant practice you do the better!
The best swords are made by improving & putting them in the fire again and again… You have to give tests and improve where you lack in order to be the best.
But what happens when someone is too overwhelmed to follow through?
What happens when self-doubt takes over?
I remember when I sat for my first ever board exams in Class 10…
And the pressure was like immense. I didn’t take it seriously.
I regret it a little because ranking within the TOP 10 would have been a great thing in my abroad applications. I got 97.2% (that’s like AIR 14).
4 days to go…
And I would face off with Physics.
The subject I would perhaps major in.
But I feel the pressure too. It’s coming. It’s coming hard.
And the worst part… for those who are staying in India and are only looking for reputed govt colleges perhaps… for them boards won’t matter.
Because admissions only happen to NITs, IITs via JEE MAINS & Adv. respectively. There is the NEET exam for the AIIMS. And then finally there’s IAT for the IISERs. But the thing is it’s tough.
Tougher even to get a choice of your selection.
That’s why the earlier you start the better.
But that doesn’t mean that you must need 4 years to get to that position.
I’ve seen students freeze before an exam, hands shaking, blanking out on things they knew by heart. I’ve seen people break down after seeing a rank that wasn’t high enough. In this system, pressure doesn’t push you forward — it suffocates.
Even I gave the NSEA twice. Neither times I had a good enough score to qualify for the second round. I didn't prep. But at the same time, my friend Samyajyoti qualified in all four RMO, INPhO, INCHO & INAO.
This guy is built different (or did he built himself different?)…
He got 99.97%tile in MAINS and yet he is unsatisfied :)
The Fear of Failure Is Stronger Than the Will to Win
I see this often — people who are capable of achieving their goals but hold themselves back just because they don’t see others succeeding.
“If coaching students who spent years at FITJEE can’t crack it, how can I?”
“If so many people struggle, doesn’t that mean I will too?”
This mindset kills more dreams than failure itself.
Because talent means nothing without action. And sometimes, all it takes is trusting a system instead of overthinking every step.
I know friends who spent 4 years in FITJEE and yet, they couldn’t get my percentile (96.297%tile). I spent 7 days prepping up for it. I had 0 prep previously. That night before my MAINS, I couldn’t sleep.
When I say the result, I was shocked as well… I got 99.4%tile in Maths. Got 14 out of the 15 questions correct. Attempted only 160 marks and yup got it.
Most students don’t have perfect prep. Most don’t get 4 years in coaching. Some figure it out late, some never figure it out at all. And the truth is — there’s no ‘right’ way, only the way that works for you.
So yeah, that’s the exception. But you can do it as well.
I was smart. I prepped smartly for it.
The Harsh Reality
Opportunities don’t come easy.
In competitive exams, if you stop now, you don’t just pause — you fall behind. But that’s not entirely true also.
The Indian education system is brutal.
There are no second chances if you decide too late. IAT, IISERs, NITs — each has limited seats, unforgiving cutoffs, and no room for hesitation.
If you have quota, you are saved. Else for the general, it’s a tough thing tbh.
And yet, some believe that things will work out on their own.
That somehow, effort isn’t necessary, and things will fall into place.
But that’s not how reality works.
God (or fate, or luck — whatever you believe in) doesn’t reward inaction. Hard work isn’t just necessary, it’s non-negotiable.
The Final Thought
There’s a fine line between pushing too hard and giving up too soon.
The balance between persistence and burnout is where success lies.
And sometimes, all it takes is shutting out the noise — the doubts, the fear, the comparisons — and just doing the work.
Because settling for less isn’t an option.
The next four years won’t just shape your career. They’ll shape you. So make the choice that won’t leave you wondering — what if I had tried harder?
And finally… this is hard but a lot of you would relate to this…
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1fYZP1ZN8Ef40247u8n1KCwzEhfCnMxGV/view?usp=sharing
The Bengali means… you can’t do it, so why study? LOL!