the race
You like the cute pics at a wedding, not the marriage that comes after it.
You like the image of studying in a foreign country, not the homesickness, the discrimination, or the academic stress that comes after it.
You like the status of having the top consulting firm/marketing agency/bank in your profile, not the 70-hour workweek that comes after it.
Getting up there requires us to overcome many obstacles - we know about those. But we often forget to ask what's on the other side.
What's on the other side is the real race you're fighting to get in, not the little obstacles at the registration.
In perspective, Getting married is easy. Staying in a marriage is hard.
Studying abroad is easy. Excelling there is hard.
Getting into a top firm is easy. Surviving is hard.
Don't confuse the start with the finish line. Know the race you are signing up for. Then ask yourself if you are in the right race.