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Pune man with 5 years in corporate says comparing salaries is trap: ‘Someone earning more is not your competition’
A Pune man’s take on LinkedIn pressure and salary comparison in corporate life has struck a chord online.
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A Pune man’s candid take on salary comparison, career pressure and LinkedIn success stories has struck a chord with working professionals online. Taking to Instagram, Nihar Patil shared a video in which he spoke about how people often begin comparing their growth with others, especially in corporate life, where success is commonly judged by salary packages.
(Also read: Pune man says ‘3 LPA job is not that bad’, urges freshers to stop waiting for high packages)
In the video, Patil said, “Someone earning more than you is not your competition. After spending more than five years in corporate, I genuinely realized this. In the beginning of my career, I used to do exactly this. And I think it's because of where we are. In India, people are judged by their packages or how much they earn. That's just the reality.”
He added that platforms like LinkedIn often make it appear as if everyone is constantly succeeding. “Every post is a promotion, a package hike, and award. And seeing that constantly, how is a person not going to doubt himself? I did it, multiple times. Nobody talks about getting rejected, nobody shares the month they spent unemployed, nobody posts about self doubt,” he said.
Comparison with past self
Patil said his perspective changed with time as he realised that every professional has a different journey, struggle, responsibility and timing. “Their salary has zero correlation to my growth. The only comparison that actually changed my life, 'Am I better than I was a year ago? Did I learn a new skill? Did I improve my communication? Did I become more valuable than last year?'” he said.
(Also read: Bengaluru software developer drives Rapido on weekends despite MNC job with 6-figure salary)
He further added, “Because it's actually a pressure when you compare yourself to others. So, comparing yourself to your past self creates progress. And honestly, that's the only competition that has ever helped me grow.”
In the caption of his post, Patil wrote that comparison with others creates pressure, while comparison with one’s past self creates progress.
Take a look here at the clip:
Internet reacts
The post has garnered limited reactions, but several users agreed with his views. Reacting to the video, one user wrote, “Yes, I agree with you,” while another said, “This is so true.” A third user commented, “I completely relate with you,” and another added, “100% right.”
(Disclaimer: This report is based on user-generated content from social media. HT.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.)
