[BasDirks]

After reaching that percentile the grind begins. And that's when learning begins. And that's when you develop character. The dopamine doesn't flow as freely any more as obstacles to improvement become the rule rather than the exception. Braggadocious anecdote: on December 25th, 2021, I started solving Kattis problems. I set myself a goal to reach a top 1000 rank in 2022. This took me two weeks instead of an entire year. I adjusted the goal to top 100. This is significantly harder, and after two more weeks I was tempted to dismiss the goal through excuses like: "these are just puzzles with limited real-world application". This is obvious bullshit, and I just wanted to avoid doing the work. I caught myself in the act and doubled down on the goal. I bought some books and learned a lot. Currently sitting on #229, and I _will_ reach top 100 this year.