Tears welled in her eyes as she spoke about her struggle, and in that moment, it hit me: this could be my reality too.

That was my wake-up call. It made me realize that talent, intelligence, and qualifications, while important don’t guarantee success. What truly opens doors is putting yourself out there.

Why Some People Get Ahead (Even Without the Qualifications)

We’ve all seen it happen before; someone less qualified lands an opportunity you would have been perfect for. The reason? They were visible! They networked! They took up space!

The job market isn’t just about meritocracy, it’s about access and access comes from relationships, reputation, and positioning.

Many of us are taught to believe that being exceptional will set us apart. But let’s be honest:

• Being exceptional on paper doesn’t always translate to opportunity.

• Being exceptional in the wrong field can leave you struggling for relevance.

• Being exceptional in silence means no one even knows you exist.

In reality, being “exceptional” today means being adaptable, connected, and resourceful. It means understanding that your degree is just a foot in the door, but who you know and how you position yourself will determine how far you go.

In some ways, success follows the ‘friends of friends’ ideology—your network is your net worth.

Degrees Don’t Guarantee Success—Skills and Networks Do

The traditional belief that a degree guarantees a job is outdated. Skills are the real currency. But even skills alone aren’t enough if no one knows what you can do. Access to people is access to opportunities.

So what’s the way forward? If the opportunities aren’t coming to you, create them! If you’re constantly being rejected, reposition yourself. Instead of waiting for the world to recognize your worth, build something so undeniable that they have no choice but to take notice.

How to Stand Out Without Burnout

To be honest, trying to stand out would burn you out but you don’t need to kill yourself trying to be "the best" in a system that doesn’t even notice you. Instead, focus on being visible, valuable and connected:

1. Build a Personal Brand – Showcase your work online. Whether it's LinkedIn, Mirror.xyz, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram or a personal website, let the world see what you bring to the table.

2. Learn to Sell Yourself – Develop a strong elevator pitch. Make sure people remember you not just for what you’ve studied, but for what you can do.

3. Find Your Tribe – Surround yourself with ambitious, forward-thinking people. A strong network increases your chances of hearing about new opportunities before they even become public. A friend once told me 'A forward-thinking person is a cruelty-free person.' They believe that if you win, they win, true success isn’t about stepping on others, but about rising together.

4. Create Opportunities Instead of Waiting for Them – Start a project, collaborate, or leverage your skills in spaces where they are valued.

You Are a World Standard Waiting to Happen

Sometimes, applying yourself to the so-called “world standard” results in rejection, not because you’re not good enough, but because you’re meant to set a new standard.

Don’t wait for permission to step into the room. Build your own table, bring your own chair, and make yourself impossible to ignore.

The world isn’t just looking for qualifications—it’s looking for people who know how to take up space. Be that person!

This article came together while “I want you to know me by Sea Girls” played in the background, it resonates with everything I wrote.

This is the story of James a hustling middle aged man in the heart of Lagos caught in the wave of “9-5’s aren’t it!” “Airdrops are the next big thing!”.

Telegram premium? he’s on it!

Ton Transactions? he’s on it!

He dedicated so much time to hunting airdrops and never really checked if they were legit, just put in his energy and hoped for the best as he would fondly say “it’s on God” he experienced some scam projects but that never discouraged him he still pressed on after all if he doesn’t hop on the grind poverty would make jest of him on a hot Saturday morning, the economy was hard and he didn’t want to miss out on the next bitcoin.

His desperation was on an all-time high, so he’d just collect the tokens and store them in a hard drive hoping that they would add value over time like the bitcoin.

But slowly his reality started creeping in;

his bills were not reducing,

his hunger would not go away,

the airdrop projects? dust!

he soon realized that getting rich quick was harder than he imagined, by now he had imagined that he would have used the airdrop money to buy a house, a Lambo and invest in business but here he was sweating to pay his rent!

From LAPO to sporty bet from sporty bet to Airdrop hunter. He had grown tired of waiting for his airdrops to materialize into fortune, he had even been mocked by his friends, “Airdrop warrior” “hamster CEO” “farmer” his patience was running thin.

Then came the final straw.

One day, after months of waiting, $HMSTR finally listed. James had farmed it like crazy, expecting at least a five-figure payout. Instead? he got $50. FIFTY DOLLARS??!!! After all that grind, effort, and hope.

James snapped.

He grabbed his hard drive, walked outside, and flung it into the streets.

A madman passing by picked it up.

James didn’t care. In fact, he felt relieved. No more airdrop stress. No more hopes getting crushed. It was time to move on.

Months passed and James started avoiding anything crypto, he didn’t even want to think about it.

Until one day…

Crypto Community was buzzing on X.

“BREAKING: Forgotten Meme Coin Hits $1M Market Cap!”

At first, he ignored it.

But something felt familiar.

Then he saw the token name.

His heart stopped.

It was one of his airdrops. He had mined 3 billion coins, it was now worth over $30 MILLION.

James couldn’t breathe.

He scrambled to his old laptop, checking every wallet. Nothing.

Then it hit him.

The hard drive.

The one he flung into the streets.

30 million dollars gone in the hands of a madman who had disappeared.

His village people were probably laughing at him.

Hard truths

James’ story is every trader’s nightmare. Some lose money to rug pulls, some lose money to bad entries some lose money to FOMO. But the worst losses are the ones caused by our own emotions.

Crypto isn’t just about price action, entries, and exits. It’s about patience, self-control, and not letting frustration wreck your future.

So before you rage, quit… before you panic sell… before you delete your old wallets…

Take a deep breath.

Because your biggest win might be sitting right under your nose and you wouldn’t want a madman cashing out your millions.

Moral of the Story

Check your damn hard drives. Don’t let emotions cost you millions. Sometimes, the real loss isn’t FOMO—it’s the human emotion.