Just a middle class story

Hey everyone, I've been thinking about writing this for a while now. Recently, I've been reflecting on how average/mediocre/middle class my life has been. I'm guessing there are others out there who can relate to this feeling. We strive to do our best, whether it's in exams or job opportunities, but our results are always somewhere in the middle - not exceptional, but not failing either. As a result, we often get overlooked. Throughout school and college, I was a good student, consistently scoring above 80%. I was also a friendly and likable person, getting along with everyone. However, I was never outstanding enough to be remembered or recognized by my peers or professors. At a college reunion, I felt this acutely when professors were able to identify many of my classmates, but I was only recognized as a friend of a close friend. It seems that only those at the extremes - the high achievers and those who struggle - get noticed. I come from a middle-class family, and while I'm grateful for what I have, I often wonder why I need to work so hard just to get by. I'm not doing anything wrong, and I'm not jealous of others. I just wish that sometimes, our hard work would yield more than just mediocre results. I passed with flying colors in school and college, landed a job, but I see others joining the same company in better roles, which puts them on a faster career track. Meanwhile, I'm stuck in a mediocre job, feeling like I need to hustle extra hard to get ahead (which I will). Why does this luck factor seem to play such a small role in our lives?

This is just a venting of my feelings right now. I know there are many people who have worked hard and succeeded, so this might sound like a rant. I want to clarify that I'm not arguing with anyone; I just wanted to share my feelings with you all.

Thanks for reading.