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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.)

Strength, resilience in a volatile world

Mumbai: India is set to enter 2026 as one of the most resilient and opportunity-rich real estate markets in the Asia-Pacific region, according to Knight Frank’s Asia-Pacific Outlook 2026. At a time when global economic uncertainty, shifting trade policies and geopolitical volatility are forcing markets to recalibrate, India stands out for its robust domestic fundamentals, deep talent pool and a steadily maturing real estate ecosystem.


While Asia-Pacific’s overall economic growth is expected to moderate in 2026, the report highlights India’s relative insulation from global headwinds. Strong internal consumption, policy stability and sustained corporate expansion continue to underpin demand across office and logistics segments, positioning the country as a strategic growth hub rather than a cyclical recovery story.


Office Market

India enters 2026 with one of the strongest office market outlooks in the region. GCC-led expansion, continued technology sector hiring and access to skilled talent enabled the country to record among the highest leasing volumes in Asia-Pacific during 2025. Gross office leasing is expected to cross 80 million sq ft, marking a historic peak.


Bengaluru, Mumbai and the National Capital Region remain the standout performers, with rental growth projected in the range of 7.5–9% year-on-year in 2026. India also crossed a significant structural milestone in 2025, with Grade A-led office stock surpassing one billion sq ft across the top eight cities, reinforcing its scale and institutional depth.


Shishir Baijal, International Partner, Chairman and Managing Director of Knight Frank India, said India’s affordability, regulatory stability and maturing workplace ecosystem continue to enhance its appeal compared to other global hubs. He noted that occupier sentiment remains resilient, supported by a comparatively strong domestic business environment.


A defining theme for 2026 will be the growing emphasis on retrofitting and asset repositioning. Early-2000s office buildings are increasingly facing functional obsolescence, prompting landlords to invest in HVAC upgrades, improved natural light, workplace experience technologies and ESG-led enhancements. Occupiers, the report notes, are now willing to pay a premium for performance, sustainability and employee well-being rather than for space alone.


Flexibility is also expected to gain further importance. In an environment marked by cautious capital deployment and global trade uncertainty, enterprises are prioritising shorter leases, expansion-ready floors, managed office formats and hybrid-fit solutions. India’s cost competitiveness, with rentals in several major markets still below USD 1 per sq ft per month, strengthens its position as a consolidation hub for multinational firms.


However, the divide between high-quality, future-ready assets and older stock is set to widen. As Grade A space now accounts for more than half of total supply and vacancies tighten, occupiers are consolidating into ESG-aligned, digitally enabled campuses. Assets that fail to undergo substantive upgrades risk being priced out of consideration.


India Vs Asia-Pacific

India’s relative strength becomes more pronounced when viewed against conditions in other Asia-Pacific markets. Greater China continues to grapple with elevated vacancies and rental pressure, while Singapore and parts of Southeast Asia are experiencing rental moderation amid cost controls and a substantial development pipeline. Australia’s office markets remain tenant-favourable due to high occupancy costs and cautious corporate expansion.


In contrast, India benefits from limited oversupply in core hubs, steady rental growth and sustained absorption of Grade A space, resulting in a healthier supply-demand balance.


Logistics & Industrial

India also remains the standout performer in logistics and industrial real estate. While rental growth across much of Asia-Pacific flattened in 2025, India recorded sustained occupier expansion driven by manufacturing growth, resilient exports and the accelerating adoption of China+1 strategies. Bengaluru, Mumbai and NCR are projected to see around 5% rental growth in 2026, again outpacing regional peers.


Government incentives, infrastructure upgrades and rising investment across electronics, automotive and other industrial sectors continue to strengthen India’s role in global supply chains.


Structural Strength

Knight Frank concludes that 2026 will be a year of recalibration rather than retreat for Asia-Pacific real estate. Against this backdrop, India’s trajectory is anchored in structural strength — domestic demand, institutional maturity and policy clarity.

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