What is your biggest fear while preparing for this exam?

The UPSC exam - A Journey from one fear to the next

Do you feel scared while preparing for this exam? I definitely do. At each point, it is probably a different fear. I have come to accept that I do feel scared. For a long while, I was putting on a mask of courage and hiding from even myself that I was scared.

This is not a post on how to overcome your fears. This is just a reflection of my thoughts about some of the fears that an Aspirant might have in their journey. This will be an unstructured format

Deep down every aspirant must be asking themselves the same sort of questions: Am I good enough? Will I clear this exam? Am I missing out on the Job opportunity? Am I making a wrong decision by not going abroad for higher studies? Did I make the right decision to quit my job? How do I manage the financial pressure?

It starts with the fear of deciding to go on this journey. Choosing this path means that you have let go of other probable choices. Once in the Journey, it can range from fear of writing answers, giving mock tests or even attending the final exam.

If you clear prelims, the fear is "Will I clear Mains?" After getting selected for the Interview, "Will I get a rank? Will it be good enough to get my preferred service? Will I have to write prelims again?

What do you fear the most? Have you figured out how to face your fears? I would love to hear about your journey?

Yours Fearfully :)

@Kaliedoscope