bhaskar saikia

Paulo Coelho once wrote: “Winners focus on winning. Losers focus on winners.”
A simple line, but it carries the weight of how we respond to success—ours and others’.

The Nature of Envy

Envy often disguises itself as criticism. When someone achieves something, instead of celebrating them, people sometimes question, dismiss, or undermine their effort. It’s easier to point fingers at others than to look inward. Envy is not really about the other person’s victory; it is about our own sense of lack.

The Role of Critics

Critics—whether strangers, colleagues, or even friends—tend to fixate on the people who are moving forward. Instead of putting energy into their own goals, they spend it on observing, dissecting, and sometimes trying to pull others down. In a way, it’s a confession: “I’m not focusing on my path; I’m stuck watching yours.”

The Winner’s Focus

Winners, on the other hand, know where their attention belongs—on the work, the discipline, the practice, and the long road ahead. They don’t have time to be distracted by comparisons. Their energy is invested in progress, not in proving others wrong. Success is not about being louder than your critics—it’s about being consistent with your craft.

What We Can Learn

The lesson here is simple: if you find yourself watching others too much, pause and ask—what can I do to bring my own vision to life? Success doesn’t come by chasing shadows of others. It comes by focusing on your own steps, no matter how small.

Let critics watch. Let envy speak. In the end, the true measure is not who’s watching you, but what you’re building.