Am I a Disappointment?
Dedicated to all hardworking souls
There are times in life when we feel overwhelmed by self-doubt and question our worth.
I look around and notice the accomplishments of those my age, realizing how far behind I am in life and studies. These brilliant minds are out there competing in Olympiads and chess, and dominating arts, dance, and music competitions.
My chest swells with pride whenever I see them achieve the impossible. But the hushed voice in me longs for the day that I, too, could become someone others would look up to.
I do try. I try spending hours on chemical formulas that never seem to make sense. I try playing the piano until my fingers are numb. I try to practice badminton until I’m gasping for breath. But “You’re not doing enough!” keeps ringing in my head after each attempt. No matter how much I try, it never feels enough — I just can’t seem to keep up with these geniuses.
Is it really fair to compare myself to others when I don’t know their full story? Everyone has their struggles, hidden beneath their success. It feels unfair to judge myself based on other people’s success when I don’t know what they had to overcome to reach it.
Almost everyone experiences these feelings of disappointment and worthlessness. At some point in our lives, we experience the fear of not being good enough. As humans, it’s natural for us to feel lost and futile. But it’s crucial to know how to continue on our journey.
One of the reasons we feel dejected is because we often underestimate our worth. We get caught up in thinking about what we can’t do and forget to acknowledge what we can do. It’s easy to be hard on ourselves and undervalue our accomplishments, but without commemorating these victories, we won’t be propelled to continue trying.
Our worth is not solely defined by our triumphs, too. There is more to each of us than winning medals or achieving excellent grades. Our compassion and ability to support others, the effort we put into initiating profound relationships, and the way our presence delights those around us are also the triumphs we’ve achieved. We may think the impact we have on the world is invisible, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t valuable.
We’re all walking our own eccentric paths, shaped by our distinct dreams, challenges, and experiences. What might come easily to one person could be a huge struggle for another. No two journeys are the same, and that’s what makes each one so unique and significant.
Success is not a race, and it’s best to attain it at our own pace. Life is all about learning and enjoying the uncertainties ahead of us, and not running towards an imaginary finish line. The ability to keep going, even when things aren’t going our way, is a success itself.
It’s normal to feel disappointed when we focus on our shortcomings, but we must realize that we are not a finished product, but a work in progress. When we focus on embracing the journey, not just the destination, we allow ourselves to relish each moment and thrive from every experience. This mindset will ensure that, no matter the outcome, we won’t regret it because we’ve made the most of every step along the way.
To all those who doubt yourselves – You are not a disappointment, but a person still discovering your way in life, and that is something you should be proud of.
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