I struggle soo much in team selection exams, let alone the olympiads themselves. I don't think i'm capable of winning international medal. I'm just gonna win the national olympiad and move on. I am open to advices from International Olympiad winners or competitors because I can't even imagine how hard it is to compete at an olympiad at international level. Is it even possible to win IOI medal??? (don't downvote plz)
what's the point of problems in general if they weren't challenging, practice makes perfect!
In many countries, qualifying for international Olympiads is harder than obtaining medals in them. This is why the asian 5-year-olds who are LGM have never been to international olympiads.
1 : Every struggle makes you stronger, shaping you into a better competitor over time. OI-style problems are really fun. Even if you can't solve the whole problem, you can work on subtasks and keep trying until the end. This time, I participated in the nationals for the first time but couldn't perform well. However, the way I approach and think about problems has changed in a way you can't fully understand until it happens to you. Don't miss the fun.
2 : Maybe you'll start to feel like it's possible after totally sucking at it in your first year of participation or asking a Chinese LGM. Just a thought.