The Big Illusion About Competition (JEE Edition)

// JEE: Just an Engineered Expectation

So the other day, I was talking to a [ friend ∩ JEE aspirant ]. He looked super stressed and went:

“Yaar, competition is just crazy. Lakhs of students, I don’t think I have a shot.”

And hey, that feeling? Totally normal.
You look at the numbers — 10 lakh+ students for JEE Main, sky-high cutoffs, endless mock tests — and it’s enough to make anyone panic.

But here’s what nobody tells you:
That number is a big, fat illusion.

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Everyone applies. Very few actually compete.

Let’s break it down like humans (not toppers):

Out of those 10+ lakh students:

• A lot are just appearing because their parents told them to. (You know)

• Many don’t have a proper plan or consistent routine.

• Tons of them quit halfway.

• And a scary number just cram last minute or hop from one resource to another like a Netflix series.

So… how many are actually in it to win it?
Not that many.

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The real competition is tiny.

Your real competition? It’s just the handful who:

• Study a little every day.

• Stay consistent even when they feel like quitting.

• Fix mistakes instead of running from them.

• Don’t let one bad test break their spirit.

No magic. Just slow, steady progress.

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Who are you actually up against?

Not the 10 lakh.
Not even the 1 lakh.
Maybe a few thousand students who are putting in the reps — day in, day out.

That’s it. That’s your crowd.

And guess what? You can absolutely be in that crowd.

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It’s not about perfection.

It’s about:

• Being a little better than yesterday.

• Choosing one book and sticking with it.

• Showing up — even when it’s boring.

As Charlie Munger once said: “Take a simple idea, and take it seriously.”

Your idea?
Crack JEE. Get into that dream IIT.
Now take it seriously — like, "Netflix-series-you-can’t-stop-watching" seriously.

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TL;DR?

Most people are just noise.
You’re not fighting them.
You’re just racing against your own consistency.

So yeah — competition looks massive.

But when you zoom in, it’s just a quiet room with a few folks grinding.
Join them.

“You reached the end. Or maybe the start?”