THE ALSO RAN

You've mastered the art of the "almost." Almost got the perfect grade, almost finished the big project, almost let yourself feel truly happy about an achievement. But then that familiar voice whispers: "Don't get too comfortable, don't stand out too much, what might your family say?" 😟 Growing up, your victories were overshadowed by someone else's crisis or their worry about what's going to happen next. Your good news got swallowed, your achievements somehow made things worse, your moments of pride got weaponized against you. You learned that being very successful was dangerous—that your shine got immediately turned against you once you dared to do your best. Now you circumscribe your ambitions with surgical precision ✂️. You keep your dreams, demeanor and even clothes deliberately modest so as not to stick out too much. It's not that you don't want real success—but there's a part of you that's terrified of what it might cost you or your family. Your brain is trying to keep you safe, and safety now means staying within your lane 🚦 and not going over the speed limit.