Two girls, Tina and Mishti studied together since their childhood. While Tina was an easy-going girl, who took everything very lightly; Mishti was good in everything. Be it academics or sports or any competition, she always stood first.
Earlier all these things never mattered to Tina, but as they were growing, she started feeling inferior to Mishti.
Tina wanted to become everyone’s favourite, just like Mishti.
Tina too started taking everything seriously, she started doing her home-work on time, paid attention to her school, classes, activities, competitions etc.
According to Tina, she was doing her best and was longing to be number one, but all in vain.
Mishti still took away all the trophies.
She was sad and didn’t know what to do.
One night, fairy godmother came into Tina’s dream.
She asked Tina, “What do you want my child?”
Very innocently, Tina said, “I want to know where I am lacking. Why always Mishti comes first. How she knows so many things which I don’t know. I am doing my work, paying attention to classes etc. But I am not getting the results. Why?”
Fairy godmother said,” My child, don’t be sad. Your hardwork will definitely pay you in future. What you see is just the tip of the iceberg.”
Seeing Tina still sad, fairy godmother said,” You have always seen her win and bag the prizes; but what you haven’t seen is the hardwork she puts in daily, for each information that she has, for each competition that she wins.”
Tina was still not satisfied, so fairy godmother said, “My child I will give you magical glasses to see her whole one day; what she does, and how she puts in efforts in learning so much.”
So next day, Tina had those magic glasses on and she could see what Mishti was doing.
Tina saw what extra Mishti does is reading newspaper, meditation, independently preparing for school, doing her homework on her own, learning the new concepts the same day as taught in school, reading books and magazines, and many other things which Tina had never even thought of. Mishti is perpetually learning irrespective of whether there was a competition or an examination.
Tina thought to herself that, “I have just started doing work, taking things seriously and that is what everyone else is doing.”
She understood that there is no extra effort in anything which she is putting in, which might give her an edge over any other child, let alone Mishti.
Again, fairy godmother came in her dream and said,” My dear child, I’m happy that you look calmer today. When we see someone win/ come first, what we can see is only the happy faces. Nobody knows how much he/ she had to work on it, how many sleepless nights went in to achieve that success. Hardwork is invisible, but the only path to success.”
She further explained Tina, “It’s only Mishti, who knows what all she goes through to achieve that success in everything she does. The one who works hard, never fails. It’s not just about one competition, but about life. Hardwork always pays, maybe not in present, but definitely in future.”
At last, fairy godmother said, “There are no shortcuts to success. Since you have understood this, I’m very sure you will win one day. And that winning is not only confined to winning against Misthi. Your success can never be measured by comparison with anyone. Stay happy and keep working hard.”
Tina was relaxed and happy, and now instead of focusing on Mishti, she started focusing on new learnings and how she can achieve her dreams.
