The Expectation to Succeed No Matter What

I Can’t Fail. I Just… Can’t.

It’s not just ambition.
It’s a responsibility.

You can’t fail.
Because you’re the first one to get this far.
Because your entire neighbourhood knows you live abroad.
Because your younger siblings are watching.
Because your family’s future might depend on your present.

So you push harder.
You study longer.
You overwork.
You say yes to everything, even when your body says no.

And on the days it gets too much?
You hide it.
You tell yourself:
"I have no right to complain."

Because this is the dream, right?

But pressure isn’t always pride.
Sometimes, it’s a quiet panic.

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You’re allowed to want to succeed,
but don’t forget, you’re also allowed to breathe.

The weight you’re carrying isn’t light.
It’s cultural.
It’s generational.
It’s invisible to most.

But you? You’re doing your best.
And that’s more than enough.

One day, you’ll look back and realise:

You didn’t succeed because you were unbreakable.
You succeeded because you refused to stay broken.

That is your real strength. And it is extraordinary.

- Akshet Patel