The Bittersweet Lie
- Sankriti Bhargava
- Jan 10
- 1 min read
Sanskriti Bhargava
HFSI, XI grade
Writing, EI Kids Conner Editor
The bittersweet lie is that effort is always noticed. People are expected to meet high standards, and for a while, this belief feels comforting.
Expectations are mistaken for faith, and hard work seems like a shield against judgment.
The sweetness fades when a mistake is made. One error is enough to change how someone is seen. The hours of effort are forgotten, and consistency is replaced by criticism.
What remains in people’s minds is not the journey, but the failure. Effort becomes invisible, while flaws are magnified. But as humans, without mistakes who are we?
This is where the lie turns bitter. Society often values perfection over persistence, outcomes over struggle.
Yet within this bitterness lies a quiet truth: effort does not lose its value just because it goes unnoticed. Growth continues, even when recognition does not. That is why the lie is bittersweet — it disappoints, but it also teaches resilience beyond approval.
Well said, Sanskriti.
I personally feel that we must play the long game.
The person who knows you best is you yourself.
So if your moral compass is aligned, your inner self is satisfied, and you acknowledge your own work—that is the greatest achievement.
Many great personalities remain unrecognized for most of their lives. So keep doing what you enjoy and keep moving forward.
I would like to end by saying—success comes only to people who maintain a positive attitude.
Success has failed more times than a failure has even tried.