[Nov 2025] About Self-Respect
Why staying true to yourself is the highest form of strength.
Hi Champ,
Every passing day I miss not only the kid who grew up in front of me, I also miss the kid I had imagined you would turn out to be. The strength that is needed for me to get over this pain, can’t be imagined but I have complete faith in the Supreme Power that is up there looking out for you. With every breath, I let out a prayer and a hope that this is all part of some design to ultimately make us stronger.
We don’t question fate when something doesn’t work in our favor, we simply put our head down and work harder—creating better opportunities for ourselves and getting rid of our weaknesses so that the next time when an opportunity emerges, we are prepared to handle it and come out as winners. Because ultimately, sooner or later, it is your truth, your honesty to yourself, and your hard work & faith that will determine how your life turns out to be.
In this letter, I want to share a few things about self-respect. You might hear quite often about people who sacrificed their entire world just to fight for their self-respect. It would make you wonder—why is self-respect so precious that people go to extreme lengths to protect it?
Because self-respect is not about ego — it’s about dignity.
Ego screams, but self-respect stands tall in silence. Ego wants to win, but self-respect only wants to stay true. When people compromise on self-respect, they start losing their voice, their courage, and eventually, their identity.
Self-respect is the quiet strength inside you that says, “I might fail, I might fall, but I will never betray myself.”
You see, the world will often test you—not always by asking you to do wrong things, but by tempting you with small compromises that “seem harmless.”
A lie to fit in.
A silence to please others.
A shortcut to reach faster.
In those moments, you won’t lose a job or a friend if you give in—but you might lose a little part of yourself.
That’s how self-respect fades—not in one big blow, but in small, silent surrenders.
Self-respect means knowing your worth even when no one else does.
There will be times when you’ll be underestimated. People might doubt your abilities, question your choices, or even make you feel “less.” Don’t try to prove them wrong just to win approval.
Instead, remember: You were never defined by others’ opinions in the first place.
When you walk away from something that doesn’t feel right, even if it means losing something valuable, that’s self-respect.
When you say “no” to something that goes against your values, even when it’s inconvenient, that’s self-respect.
And when you stand by your principles, even if you stand alone, that’s self-respect.
Self-respect builds invisible armor.
You can lose money, jobs, or even people—but if your self-respect stays intact, you’ll always have the strength to rebuild.
History is full of examples—great men and women who could be broken but not bent.
Think of Mahatma Gandhi—physically frail but unshakable in spirit.
Think of Bhishma Pitamah, who gave up everything but never wavered from his word.
They understood something powerful: Self-respect isn’t given by the world; it’s protected from the world.
Self-respect doesn’t mean arrogance.
It doesn’t mean you think you’re better than others. It simply means you don’t allow anyone—including yourself—to treat you with less than the dignity you deserve.
The secret is balance:
Be humble enough to learn from everyone, but confident enough to never be walked over.
Be kind, but never at the cost of your self-worth.
People will respect you when you respect yourself. But even if they don’t—it’s fine. Because respect that’s forced isn’t worth having.
Remember this, Champ:
There will be days when life won’t be fair. You might lose to people who cheat, or get hurt by those you trusted. In those moments, don’t let bitterness steal your integrity.
Because when the world looks away and you still choose what’s right, that’s when you grow taller in your own eyes.
You can rebuild a career, a reputation, even relationships — but rebuilding self-respect takes the longest. So protect it like a sacred treasure.
Be the boy who looks in the mirror and can say,
“I didn’t let the world change the good in me.”
That, my son, is what true victory looks like.
With love,
Papa ❤️