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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.)

Strong Outside, Gentle Within

Pawar was both trusted and deeply connected with the masses

Pune: It was almost heartbreaking for me to hear about the plane crash in Baramati. The sudden and shocking death of Ajitdada Pawar, along with his staff, has left me deeply shaken.


My mind went back to the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. That was when I had the chance to work with him during Sunetra Pawar’s campaign against Supriya Sule in the Baramati constituency.


During those days, I was deeply touched by the personal warmth of Ajitdada. His fatherly affection toward all his family members, including Parth, Jay, and Sunetra Tai, as well as his personal staff at his Pune residence, Jijai Bungalow, left a lasting impression on me.


Ajitdada was always caring and practical in his approach to work. You would always feel a sense of positivity the moment you entered his “Jijai”. Even a few minutes of conversation with Ajitdada made you feel grounded and practical. I always met him early in the morning, between 6:30 am and 7:30 am, when he was fresh, calm, and attentive.


At Jijai, you were always offered poha and tea, a simple gesture that reflected his care and respect for his karykartas.


I never once heard Ajitdada express personal anguish, even during his political fight with his cousin sister Supriya during the Lok Sabha elections. He always insisted that rivalry should remain political and never become personal, which I believe is rare among today’s politicians. That is what made him a rare combination of a mass leader and a deeply trustworthy figure in Maharashtra politics.


Ajitdada was like a coconut—strong on the outside, yet gentle, warm, and caring within. Very often, his honesty did not bring him favourable political returns, but he never regretted it. He always stood firmly by his words and actions. I never saw him make gestures just for show, to pass the time, or merely to please people without expecting sincere work in return.


Whether at his residence in Pune or in Baramati, Ajitdada was always surrounded by hundreds of karykartas and people. This itself reflected his strong grassroots connection with the masses.


Even after his party’s recent setback in the Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad municipal elections, he openly admitted that Punekars had not voted for him. He said he would work harder, with an open mind, to win back their mandate.


Will Ajitdada’s next generation carry forward his political legacy, or will this mark the end of the Ajit Pawar family’s political journey? But one truth is already clear today. There will not be another “Dada” in Maharashtra politics who is both so trusted and so deeply connected with the masses. Jijai will always remember him as their own “Dada”.

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