But the problem is this: even with your intelligence and knowledge, Beloved, you still cannot get to certain heights. You know within you that you have what it takes to get there, whether it is a certain job or a higher level than where you currently are. Judging by your qualifications and knowledge, you already have what it takes.
And the painful part is that people who do not even have your level of knowledge are getting there easily like it is nothing, even people who are not as intelligent as you are. But somehow, you just cannot seem to move forward because it feels like something somewhere is limiting and blocking you from getting to a certain level in life.
Another painful thing is this: you keep finding yourself in trouble even after trying your best to avoid it.
You also keep ending up around the kind of people you never wanted around you, even unknowingly, despite all your efforts to avoid such people.
Should I be honest with you? Intelligence, creativity, and physical knowledge alone are not enough to attain the height you are aiming for. Yes, those things are important and necessary, but there is still something missing. And not only is that missing piece the most important part, it is also the vehicle that will carry you to that level where your knowledge and creativity can be used properly without stressing and struggling endlessly.
If someone had told me this before my first year exam few years back, maybe I would've studied at ease not for grades.
I spent more time reading what was in the manual than understanding what was behind them.
And those exams changed the way I study till today.
Back then in my first year, I honestly believed that once you “cover the manual,” you were safe.
You know that secondary school exam system where the questions are direct ( what is a noun? )
That was exactly what I expected.
So I focused on covering pages and topics. Trying to finish everything.
I wasn’t really thinking deeply about understanding.
My mindset was simply:
“Once I can identify certain terms, I’m prepared.”
In one of the exams, I entered the exam hall and opened the question paper. The words in the questions looked so familiar but I was unable to process the right answers.
That was when reality hit me.
You can recognize a topic and still not know how to answer the question properly.
And honestly, I think that’s the trap many students fall into.
We focus so much on “covering” topics, that we forget to ask:
“Do I actually understand this thing?”
That experience changed my approach completely.
I stopped rushing topics just to feel productive.
Stopped studying only to “spot questions.”
And started paying more attention to:understanding concepts, thinking through explanations and asking myself deeper questions while reading.
Because in exams, questions may change.
Wording may change.
But real understanding is what helps you adapt.
Sometimes, the exam that shocks you the most, ends up teaching you the study lesson you needed badly.
That first year experience taught me that memorization can fail you quickly if real understanding is missing.
Waiting to feel completely ready can keep you stuck longer than necessary.
The truth is, many important moments in life begin before confidence fully arrives.
Some days, your emotions will cooperate. Other days, they won’t.
But growth often happens when you choose to move despite the hesitation.
Not because everything feels perfect, but because you understand that progress is built through action, not just feelings.
Sometimes, the courage you need only appears after you take the first step.
To conclude this writings, Have you ever entered an exam hall and suddenly didn't understand the course the way you thought you did?
Let's discuss on the comment section.
All images are mine
