Parallel Lives: The Untold Struggles Behind Every Success

Some people succeed because they are destined to, but most succeed because they are determined to.

The Silent Struggle of a Project Manager

Puneet, an aspiring Project Manager, earned his PMP certification last year, believing it would open doors to better opportunities. But reality hit differently. While he noticed intangible benefits—a sharper mindset, better decision-making, and improved leadership—the tangible rewards were missing. Weeks turned into months, yet nothing changed.

Every morning, he checked his inbox—no interview calls, no job offers, just silence. At first, he stayed optimistic, but as time passed, self-doubt crept in. “Am I not good enough? Did I overestimate the impact of PMP? Should I just settle?”

Meanwhile, LinkedIn was flooded with success stories—former colleagues celebrating promotions, and dream jobs. It felt like everyone was moving ahead while he was stuck in place. Eventually, he stopped applying for jobs, disconnected from his network, and remained silent.

What Puneet didn’t realize was this: he wasn’t alone. Many professionals were silently battling the same struggle, but no one talked about it.

The Two Parallel Lives

During difficult times, people often take one of two paths:

1. The Resilient Fighter

• They stumble but refuse to stay down.
• They keep applying, learning, networking, and adapting.
• They push through rejection, and one day, they break through.

2. The Lost Momentum

• They try a few times, get exhausted, and stop.
• Rejections drain their confidence.
• Depression and self-doubt take over, making it harder to restart.

Puneet was on the verge of becoming the second. He started isolating himself, avoiding discussions about work, and considering a career change just to escape the disappointment.

Why We Only See One Side of the Story

Social media has created an illusion—we see success stories, not struggles.

• People post promotions, not their rejections.
• They share achievements, not sleepless nights of self-doubt.
• We see the finish line, not the marathon they ran.

This creates a dangerous mindset—when we struggle, we think we are alone, while everyone else is thriving. But the reality is different.

Puneet wasn’t alone. The problem wasn’t that he was failing—the problem was that he only saw one side of success stories.

The Hardest Part – Keeping the Fire Alive

By this time, Puneet had lost his energy to fight. He told himself:

"I’ve tried enough. Maybe success isn’t for me."

Then, one evening, he met an old friend, Amit, over coffee. Amit had gone through a similar struggle—laid off from a senior role, rejected from dozens of jobs, and almost gave up.

But Amit did something different.

• He stopped looking for the “perfect” job and started targeting roles that valued his unique experience.
• He used his network instead of relying only on job portals.
• He focused on small wins—learning a new skill, mentoring juniors, and sharing his journey.

Eventually, he landed his dream role—not because he was luckier, but because he didn’t stop when it felt impossible.

That conversation changed Puneet’s perspective.

He realized that:

? Success is not about never failing but about never stopping.

?Struggles are temporary, but giving up makes failure permanent.

? The difference between winners and others is that winners don’t quit.

The Turning Point: From Setbacks to Success

Puneet rebranded himself, started reaching out to the right people, and kept going despite setbacks.

• He refined his job search strategy.
• He stopped comparing himself to others and focused on his own journey.
• He embraced small victories to rebuild his confidence.

Months later, he finally got the offer he had been waiting for—a leadership role that valued his experience, paid well, and offered meaningful work.

If he had given up earlier, he would have never known how close he was to success.

Your Story Is Still Being Written

If you’re going through a tough phase, remember:

• You are not alone. Many others are struggling too—they just don’t talk about it.
• Success is not always instant. Some paths take longer, but they are worth the wait.
• Your journey is unique. Stop comparing your behind-the-scenes to someone else’s highlight reel.

Instead of asking “Why me?”, ask “What’s next?”. Keep moving forward, even if it’s slow.

Final Thought

You can either give up or level up. The struggle is real, but so is the breakthrough.

If you’re at a low point today, just remember—this is not your final chapter. Keep writing. ??