Are You A "Topper" or "Just Average?"

In every Indian classroom, there’s always an invisible rhythm.

Some students race ahead, always the ones with their hands up, the answers ready. The ones teachers call “gifted.”

And then there are others, neither behind, nor at the front. Just finding their place, trying not to get lost in the noise.

But here’s the truth no one in school really talks about:

It’s not about where you sit in the classroom. It’s about what you got used to.

Whether you were the one everyone admired, or the one who stayed under the radar, at some point, life puts all of us in the same position.

We find ourselves holding onto roles we’ve mastered.

• The one who’s always right.

• The one who’s always quiet.

• The one who doesn’t try too hard.

• The one who never has to ask for help.

We stick to what feels familiar because we know how to survive there. But the thing is, staying there too long? It slowly starts holding you back.

Because growth, real growth, starts when you step outside the spaces where you’ve figured it all out, and walk into places where you haven’t.

So, in this edition, let’s talk about what I call:

The Comfortable Classroom Syndrome.

But, before that, let’s first figure out,

🧠 Why You’ve Stopped Growing Without Realizing It

Now, this idea is rooted in our mind with a very real psychological truth:

We don’t measure ourselves by how much we’re improving.

We measure ourselves by how we perform compared to those around us.

And when we’re in a space where we’ve outgrown the level and still choose to stay because it feels like safety.

In reality, it’s actually starts to become stagnation.

For toppers, it comes from always knowing the answers.

For others, it might come from blending in or not trying too hard to avoid failure.

But no matter how you findto comfort; being seen as the best, or staying safely unnoticed, you still get stuck when life demands more from you.

And when that happens, growth doesn’t care about your past label. It only asks:

“Are you willing to leave this safe room and start again?”

What It Actually Takes to Grow

The true growth doesn’t happen when you’re the best in the room.

It happens when you choose to walk into a space where you might be the least experienced person but still show up anyway.

That’s the real cost of leveling up:

• It’s the awkwardness of not knowing the lingo in a new industry

• It’s the discomfort of learning from people younger or more skilled

• It’s the ego bruising of not being the expert for once

• It’s the identity shake-up of starting from scratch

I remember when I first stepped out of what felt like “my room.”

I was used to being the best at what I did. But suddenly, I was surrounded by people who were sharper, faster, and more experienced. I questioned myself daily, wondering if I even belonged there. But that’s when I grew the most. Because every uncomfortable moment stretched me into someone I didn’t know I could be.

But, How To Move Beyond?

Now, I am not asking you to leave your comfort zone by doing something wild or dramatic overnight.

I am asking you to start making intentional shifts that challenge your comfort but nourish your growth.

And here’s how you can do that:

➡️ Choose rooms that humble you, not flatter you

It’s easy to stay in spaces where you feel like the smartest, most capable person in the room. It might feed your ego, but it will also starve your soul.

And for growth to begin; you need to enter rooms where you’re not the expert, but the student.

Maybe you're used to your friend group always agreeing with you, but now, engage in a circle where people challenge your ideas, and push your beliefs. It might feel uncomfortable but it will open you up to growth you never expected.

Flattery will take you nowhere. But humility will make you evolve.

➡️ Expect to feel like a beginner

Being a beginner is messy. You fumble with words, you feel lost in group conversations, and it’s tempting to step back into what you already know. But being a beginner isn’t a downgrade, it’s an actual proof that you’re expanding.

Think of it like joining a gym after years of inactivity. You’ll feel weak at first, watching others lift with ease. But with every session, you get a bit stronger. The same goes for learning public speaking, switching industries, or entering a new city. The discomfort is temporary but what it unlocks is permanent.

Being a beginner doesn’t mean you’re behind. It means you’re brave.

➡️ Redefine “being behind” as “being in training”

One of the biggest emotional blocks we face is the fear of lagging behind.

But pause for a moment and think about it. “ Exactly who is ahead of you? And in what race?”

This will help you shift the narrative game.

For example, say you’re switching careers at 30 when your peers are already 6 promotions deep. It’s easy to feel inadequate. But if you reframe it as training not comparison, you realize you’re building brand new muscles. You’re learning a language your old world never spoke. And that takes time, effort, and self-kindness.

So, stop measuring your pace by someone else’s finish line. You’re not late. You’re just preparing differently.

➡️ Remind yourself: If you’re always ahead, you’re probably in the wrong race

If everything feels super easy in your life, it’s generally not because you’ve mastered life. It might be because you’ve stopped pushing. And deep down, you know it.

A friend of mine once said, “If I never feel nervous about what I’m doing, I’m not doing anything worth growing.”

And, that stayed with me.

So the next time you feel unsure, shaky, or intimidated; don’t back down. That’s your indicator that you’re finally moving. That’s your internal compass whispering: “This is what expansion feels like.”

The real flex isn’t staying as your best self It’s having the courage to walk into a new room where you might fumble, fall, and feel unseen for a while.

Because on the other side of that discomfort?

Is evolution. Expansion. Breakthrough.

So the question is: Are you still choosing the classroom that claps for you? Or are you ready to walk into the one that builds you?

And whenever you’re ready to switch classrooms, you will find me right here, cheering for your growth.