Though there are many success stories, few people share the hardships they faced before achieving success. Getting into IIT was one of Harini Reddy's greatest achievements. However, it was her experience of attempting the UPSC examination that changed her perspective on failure and life.
In a heartfelt post on X, Harini spoke candidly about how repeated UPSC failures affected her confidence, striking a chord with many aspirants and professionals.
Dream of a village girl
Harini revealed that she comes from a family of farmers. She studied in a Telugu-medium school until Class 4. Her father had always dreamed of seeing his daughter become an IAS officer.
Eventually, she cracked IIT. Naturally, she believed the same approach would help her clear the UPSC examination as well.
When UPSC changed everything
Harini revealed that her first UPSC attempt ended at the Preliminary stage.
During her second attempt, she reached the Mains examination and believed it was her strongest chance. However, she could not make it through.
Her preparation was disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic, and eventually, she felt she was losing her momentum.
'I began to question everything'
What resonated most with readers was her honest account of the emotional toll of failure.
"Most of my life I had believed that if I really wanted something and worked hard enough at it, I would eventually get it. UPSC challenged that belief. It shook my confidence so much that, for a while, I felt I couldn't accomplish even the smallest things," she wrote.
She admitted that moving on was far from easy.
"Anybody who put a few years into UPSC will know that it's a toxic relationship. You can't continue or leave it fully," she added.
Finding a new direction
Eventually, Harini began rebuilding her life with the support of her husband.
She worked with an NGO focused on farmers' rights, later took up a contractual role with the Government of Andhra Pradesh and eventually returned to the corporate sector. Today, she says her life revolves around her work and raising her toddler.
A different definition of success
Looking back, Harini says she no longer feels the need to constantly chase the next milestone.
"For most of my life, I was always chasing the next big goal. Today, I'm not. Life taught me that not every phase needs a destination. Sometimes, it's enough to simply live it. I'm grateful for everything I have right now," she wrote.
