The truth behind the interviews, the 12-hour myths, and why you don’t need to be perfect to pass.
The “Perfect” Interview
Let’s be real for a second. We have all watched those interviews.
The topper sits there, smiling, and says: “I studied 12 hours every day.” “I deleted all my social media accounts.” “I never felt stressed, I just enjoyed the process.”
While listening, a voice inside your head whispers: “Liar.”
Because when you sit down to study, you feel sleepy. You get distracted by your phone. You have days where you just want to give up.
So, are they lying? Technically, no. But are they telling you the whole truth? Absolutely not.
Here is the reality check that will stop you from feeling guilty and help you start studying the right way.
01. The “Success Amnesia”
This is the main reason why toppers sound fake. It is a psychological fact. Once you achieve a big goal, your brain “deletes” the memories of pain and struggle.
When a topper looks back, they remember the result. They forget the nights they cried, the mock tests they failed, and the days they wasted watching movies.
The Reality: They aren’t hiding their struggle intentionally; they have genuinely moved on.
Your Takeaway: If you are struggling today, it doesn’t mean you are failing. It just means you are in the middle of the journey.
02. The “I Only Read This One Book” Myth
In interviews, toppers often say, “I just stuck to the basic syllabus.” What they don’t tell you is that they bought 10 different books, got confused, realized they were useless, and then went back to the basic book.
They share their Final Conclusion, not their Messy Experiments.
The Reality: Their strategy looks clean and perfect now, but it was messy while they were doing it.
Your Takeaway: Don’t be afraid to make mistakes. You have to figure out what works for you.
03. The 12-Hour Trap
Let’s decode the “10-12 hours study” statement. Humans are not robots. No one can study with 100% focus for 12 hours straight for a whole year.
When toppers say “12 hours,” they usually count:
- Sitting at the desk (even if they were daydreaming).
- Reading the news.
- Discussing topics with friends.
- Organizing their notes.
The Reality: Effective study time is usually just 6–7 hours. The rest is just “being busy.”
Your Takeaway: Stop counting hours. Start counting targets. If you finish your work in 5 hours, you won.
04. The “I Was Never Stressed” Lie
This is the biggest one. Toppers often act like they were calm monks throughout the year. The truth? They were just as scared as you are. They also thought, “What if I fail?” or “What will my parents say?
The only difference is that they studied despite the fear.
The Reality: Fear is normal. Anxiety is normal.
Your Takeaway: You don’t need to be confident every day. You just need to show up and study, even on the bad days.
Conclusion: Don’t Copy, Create.
Toppers are not liars; they are just “Survivors.” And survivors always tell the story of how they won, not how close they came to losing.
Stop trying to copy their finish line. Stop feeling bad because your journey is messy. Stop looking for a “Perfect Plan.”
Your mess, your confusion, and your struggle are all part of your own success story.
Write your own strategy. You got this.