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By:

Asha Tripathi

14 April 2025 at 1:35:28 pm

Stop Comparing, Start Growing

Success does not grow in comparison; it grows in focus. Over the years, women have made significant strides in every sphere of life. From managing homes to leading organisations, from nurturing families to building successful careers, women have proved that strength and resilience are deeply rooted in their nature. Financial independence has become a significant milestone for many women today, bringing with it confidence, dignity, and the freedom to shape one’s own destiny. However, along...

Stop Comparing, Start Growing

Success does not grow in comparison; it grows in focus. Over the years, women have made significant strides in every sphere of life. From managing homes to leading organisations, from nurturing families to building successful careers, women have proved that strength and resilience are deeply rooted in their nature. Financial independence has become a significant milestone for many women today, bringing with it confidence, dignity, and the freedom to shape one’s own destiny. However, along with growth has come another silent challenge — the tendency to constantly observe, compare, and sometimes even compete with the journeys of others. But a crucial question arises: Is it necessary to track the growth of others in order to grow ourselves? From my personal experience of more than two decades as an entrepreneur, I have realised something very powerful — true growth begins the moment we stop looking sideways and start looking within. A Small Beginning I had a flourishing career of teaching abroad, but when I restarted my career after moving back to India, my beginning was extremely small. My very first assignment was a simple home tuition for a single student, and the amount I earned was meagre. There was nothing glamorous about it. No recognition, no large batches, no big earnings. Just one student and one opportunity. But instead of worrying about how others were doing, how many students they had, or how much they were earning, I made a conscious decision—my only focus would be on improving myself. I focused on teaching better, preparing better, and becoming more disciplined and consistent. And slowly, without even realising it, things began to grow. One student became two, two became a small group, and gradually, over the years, the work expanded beyond what I had initially imagined. Looking back today, I can confidently say that the growth did not happen because I competed with others. It happened because I competed with myself yesterday. Comparison Creates Noise When we keep watching others' journeys too closely, we unknowingly divert our own energy. Comparison creates unnecessary noise in our minds. It brings doubts, insecurities, and sometimes even negativity. Instead of walking our own path with clarity, we start questioning our speed, our direction, and our worth. True success grows through focus, not comparison. Every woman has her own story, her own pace, and her own struggles that others may never see. The path of one person can never be identical to another's. So comparing journeys is like comparing two different rivers flowing towards the same ocean — each with its own route, its own curves, and its own rhythm. As women, we already carry many responsibilities. We balance emotions, relationships, work, and society's expectations. In such a life, the last thing we need is the burden of comparison with one another. Instead, what we truly need is support for each other. When women encourage women, something extraordinary happens. Confidence grows. Opportunities multiply. Strength becomes collective rather than individual. There is enough space in the world for every woman to create her own identity. Each of us can build our own niche without stepping on someone else's path. Choose Encouragement Envy weakens us, but encouragement empowers us. Rather than questioning how someone else is progressing, we can ask a more meaningful question: "How can I grow a little better than I was yesterday?" Lift As You Rise Today, after twenty years of experience, the most valuable lesson I have learned is simple yet profound — focus on your own work with honesty and dedication, and success will quietly follow you. We, women, are capable, resilient, and creative. We do not need to pull each other down or compete in unhealthy ways. Instead, we can lift each other up while building our own dreams. Because when one woman rises, she does not rise alone. She inspires many others to believe that they can rise, too. And perhaps that is the most beautiful form of success. (The writer is a tutor based in Thane. Views personal.)

Rs. One-lakh-crore at stake

Bookies bet big on BJP in BMC polls

Mumbai: As the campaign curtains fell today for the high-stakes Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections scheduled on January 15, the underground bookie market threw up startling projections, hinting at a decisive verdict in India’s richest civic body on Friday.

 

According to illegal betting syndicates, wagers on the BMC polls have already crossed an eye-popping Rs.1 lakh crore, underscoring the intense interest of political operators, contractors and power brokers eager to capture control of the 227-ward civic giant.

 

With an annual budget of Rs. 74,000 crore, the BMC election has turned into far more than a routine municipal contest - it is a battle for political and financial supremacy in Maharashtra.

 

 

Advantage Mahayuti

Bookmakers say the ruling Mahayuti alliance appears firmly in the driver’s seat, with trends mirroring its strong performance in the November 2024 Maharashtra Assembly elections. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is tipped to emerge as the single largest party, bagging between 95 and 100 wards.

 

Its ally, the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, is projected to secure 45-50 wards, while the Ajit Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) may have to settle for a modest 5-7 wards. Together, the Mahayuti is expected to comfortably leap through the majority mark of 114 wards needed to control the BMC.

 

 

MVA luckless?

On the opposition side, bookies paint a sad and sorry picture. Shiv Sena (UBT), which once lorded over BMC for nearly three decades, may get deflated with only 20-25 wards, sharply undercutting its own expectations. After a two-decade separation, Raj Thackeray’s Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) is predicted to make modest gains in 7-9 wards.

 

However, politics remains unpredictable. The recent high-decibel speeches by Raj Thackeray and his nephew Aditya Thackeray at Shivaji Park - especially their aggressive attack on the Adani Group – ignited widespread debate and could arouse sections of lower-middle-class and Marathi voters.

  

Congress-VBA confusion

Following its exit from the MVA in October, the Congress tied up with Prakash Ambedkar’s Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA), but the alliance faces hurdles, claim bookies.

 

At best, the Congress-VBA could capture around 25-27 wards - a move many within political circles believe could erode the opposition’s collective ability to challenge Mahayuti.

 

Despite the multi-cornered nature of the contest and multiple parties espousing similar civic promises, bookmakers remain upbeat that the Mahayuti is stomping to a near-sweep, tightening its lasso over the country's financial centre.

 

 


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