It's okay to be normal and ordinary

Disclaimer: I have nothing against high earners in this group who are doing exceptionally well and earning big bucks at young age. You have my admiration.

Target audience of this post: Everyone else who is doing okay in their job, earning an average salary for their age.

Why have I posted it?: To not feel I am the only one who is a normal regular person doing just average in his life in this hyper competitive rat race.

My thoughts: I clearly remember the moment, it was April 2007, I had barely completed the board exams of class 10th and joined class 11th. It was my first week into class 11th when a fine looking gentleman walked into our class to make us think of our future career path. He was from a coaching institute for IIT JEE and AIEEE. He told us about all the high salary packages at these premier institutes. I excitedly told my parents about it.

Like any middle class parents, they dreamt of their son cracking the exam and securing good placements from IITs/NITs. They enrolled me in coaching. I worked hard for those 2 years, 11th and 12th. But what was harder was the constant stress and pressure I was put in, both intentionally and unintentionally. These ideas that 'I must crack JEE to have a good future', 'if you don't get through JEE then you are a waste' etc, were hammered into my mind day in and day out.

I didn't crack JEE but got into a well reputed private engineering college of India.. Fast forward 4 years, did my MBA from tier 2 college only to join a service company at salary that would be considered too low for most of the folks here who compare salary like a plague. Recently joined a product company with good jump. Realised all that pressure I was put under in high school wasn't necessary. I am doing ok in life.

I think it's okay to be earning an average salary, everyone of us is on his own journey of growth and comparing ourselves on basis of packages seems myopic

Too much gyaan? Getting a perspective on late Saturday night!!!