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Being in 12th Grade gives me the chills.
In just a year, my friends and I will be heading off to college, thinking about internships, careers, salaries, and everything that comes after school. And honestly? It scares me.
Sometimes I wonder how we got here so quickly. Weren't we just eleven-year-olds playing badminton every evening or rushing off to dance, swimming, or music classes? Life felt so much simpler then.
Growing up, I was never the class topper. I usually scored between 85 and 90 percent, comfortably somewhere in the middle. My older brother scored 98 percent in his Grade 10 board exams, while I scored 89 percent and we were in the ICSE board. Yet, my parents never compared us, and I'm incredibly grateful for that.
We were simply different. My brother loved academics and chess, while I enjoyed dancing, debating, theatre, art, and almost every extracurricular activity my school offered. I wasn't buried in textbooks all the time, but I still did well enough.
Looking back, I realised something important. My journey was never meant to look like my brother's or anyone else's.
So why do we compare ourselves so often?
If careers came with movie trailers, choosing one would probably be much easier.
We often look at someone's life and think, They've got everything figured out. We admire the university they attend, the internship they landed, or the job they've just announced on LinkedIn. But we rarely see the late nights, the sacrifices, the failures, and the uncertainty behind those achievements.
If you've ever wondered, "Why haven't I figured my life out yet?" trust me, you're not alone.
Psychologist Leon Festinger's Social Comparison Theory explains that people naturally evaluate themselves by comparing themselves to others. While comparison can sometimes motivate us, it often creates unnecessary pressure because we're comparing our struggles with someone else's highlights.
The truth is, everyone has different opportunities, challenges, interests, financial circumstances, and support systems. Comparing your Chapter 2 with someone else's Chapter 20 is never fair.
Instead of asking whether you're ahead or behind, ask yourself whether you're moving forward.
Before asking, "Am I successful yet?" Ask yourself a different question.
"What does success mean to me?"
For me, success isn't about becoming the richest person in the room. I want to pursue a dual degree in Economics and Business Administration, achieve financial independence, maintain a healthy work-life balance, and build a life filled with meaningful relationships and new experiences.
Someone else may define success completely differently, and that's perfectly okay.
History reminds us that success doesn't follow a single timeline. Mark Zuckerberg co-founded Facebook at 19, while Falguni Nayar founded Nykaa at 50. Their journeys prove there's no "right age" to succeed.
One story that particularly inspires me is Indra Nooyi. After decades of learning and leadership, she became the CEO of PepsiCo at 50. Her journey reminds us that success isn't determined by age but by perseverance, continuous learning, and resilience.
No matter where you are today, your timeline is valid.
Each of us grows up with different strengths, challenges, dreams, and opportunities. So why should our careers look identical?
Instead of asking, "Why am I not where they are?" ask yourself, "Where do I want to go, and why does it matter to me?"
When your goals are rooted in your own values rather than someone else's achievements, you're much more likely to stay motivated.
I like to think of it as a crayon and a pencil. The crayon might wish it were sharper, while the pencil wishes it were more colourful. But both are designed for different purposes, and both create something valuable.
People are no different.
Comparison makes us focus on what we lack instead of appreciating what makes us unique. The world doesn't need another copy of someone else. It needs what only you can bring.
Society loves comparisons. We compare marks, colleges, salaries, job titles, and even the gadgets people own. Somewhere along the way, success starts looking like a checklist.
But is that really success?
For some people, success means financial security. For others, it's pursuing meaningful work, maintaining work-life balance, or creating a positive impact.
As students, we're still discovering who we are and what truly matters to us. That's why comparing ourselves to others can be misleading. Two people can choose completely different careers and still lead equally fulfilling lives.
The moment we start chasing someone else's definition of success, we risk losing sight of our own.
One reason comparison feels so convincing is because we only see the finished product.
Social media celebrates admission letters, internships, promotions, and awards. What it rarely shows are rejection emails, failed interviews, self-doubt, and years of hard work.
We're comparing our everyday reality with someone else's highlight reel.
Take J.K. Rowling, for example. Before Harry Potter became one of the world's best-selling book series, she faced multiple rejections while navigating financial hardship. Stories like hers remind us that success is rarely a straight line.
The next time someone else's achievement appears on your screen, remember that you're only seeing one chapter of their story, not the entire book.
Instead of comparing yourself with someone else, compare yourself with the person you were a year ago.
Ask yourself:
Learning from successful people is valuable, but their journey shouldn't become the benchmark for your own. Small improvements in your skills, confidence, and knowledge often matter more than matching someone else's timeline.
Career success isn't about keeping pace with everyone else. It's about building a future that feels meaningful to you.
As I prepare to step into college, I still have moments when I compare myself to others. I still wonder whether I'm making the right choices or moving fast enough.
But I'm slowly learning that life isn't a race with a common finish line.
Each of us is writing a different story.
The next time you compare your journey with someone else's, pause and ask yourself whether you're chasing what truly matters to you or simply trying to keep up with someone else's timeline.
Your career is one of the longest journeys you'll ever take. There will be detours, setbacks, and unexpected opportunities along the way.
So invest your energy in learning, growing, and becoming the best version of yourself, not a copy of someone else.
Because the only career journey you'll experience from beginning to end is your own.
And that's the one truly worth believing in.