Scary thoughts

the friend of mine who egged me, motivated me and counselled me throughout the GMAT and application process has now put me in an interesting quandry!
He asked about all the schools that I am applying to. Promptly, I replied with the 5 names... he was probably in his sleep. He asked me which my lowest and bare minimum one was amongst them! I told him!

He was shocked! He was shocked that my bare minimum way above what most people aim for. He was sceptical that if things dont go as hoped and planned (god! oh god! please let me go as per hope and plan this one time! please!), I stood to lose one year.

He already knows that I have my eyes set on only the best of the best and only those that help me get closer to my dream!
Some consider that stupid! Some consider that dumb! Some consider that daredevil!
No one that I can think of actually believes that it is a sensible idea. Deep down they all think that I am plain dumb and living in an utopian world and dreaming only about the best without any sense of reality.

I do not blame them for considering me to be dumb or stupid. May be I am. I am in search of my dream! And I am not ready to compromise. I am not ready to have the second best. I am not ready to settle for anything less than what I consider to be the bare minimum possible.

I know that the road is tough ahead and there are likely to be pot-holes, blind turns, dark alleys and U-turns. But I am ready to tackle all of that!

The one thing that I am NOT ready to tackle is the inner voice which will never let me live in peace. It will question why I decided to cave in and swim with the tide! And I will have no answer for that question. For deep within, even I would know that I would be taking the wrong decision by giving in.

I have waited for a long time for this!
And as much as I want it right away, I am not ready to settle for the consolation prize.
It is a classic gamble strategy! Double or nothing!

And while the downside is that I have to wait another year!
The upside is that I am not lying to myself!

I like the upside! I will take it!