Ajith Kumar once shared his views on success, fame, navigating bad times: ‘That’s when we make all mistakes’

Taking a cue from this line of thought, we reached out to Dr Chandni Tugnait, MD (A.M) Psychotherapist, coach and founder and director, Gateway of Healing, to get some more insight in to human mind. Emphasising that the words felt “honest and different” because he did not say them out of bitterness or regret but a sense of “awareness”, Dr Tugnait said that in a world that constantly glorifies achievement, “his words felt like a pause, almost a warning, about what happens internally when external validation becomes too loud”. “Success has a strange way of changing people, often without them realising it. When things start going well, when appreciation becomes frequent, and doors open easily, self-doubt temporarily disappears. That can feel empowering, but it can also be misleading. Many mistakes made during success come from the belief that one can no longer be wrong. Feedback begins to feel unnecessary. Over time, judgment softens, not because people become careless, but because they stop being questioned,” said Dr Tugnait. Fame adds another layer. It does not just bring recognition, it brings constant visibility. “Every action you take feels watched, discussed, and interpreted, and this can quietly disconnect people from themselves. Some start to act for the approval of the public, rather than their own inner alignment. Others become overly protective, reacting very defensively instead of thoughtfully. Mistakes that one makes in fame are often emotional ones, decisions driven by fear of losing the image people have built,” continued Dr Tugnait.  What does success look like for you? (Photo: Freepik) There is also the loneliness that success brings, which is rarely talked about. As people rise, fewer conversations remain honest. “Not everyone around you is comfortable disagreeing anymore. Advice becomes filtered. Over time, reality starts to bend. Another quiet trap of success is identity confusion. When achievement becomes the centre of a person’s self-worth, they start living in maintenance mode all the time. They protect their status at the cost of their peace, and boundaries start blur in their life. Many mistakes made at the peak are not sudden failures, but small decisions made repeatedly without grounding,” remarked Dr Tugnait. What makes Ajith Kumar’s statement “resonate” is that it does not reject success. “It simply questions our preparedness for it. Struggle teaches resilience, but success demands self-restraint. It asks for humility, self-awareness, and the ability to stay rooted even when the world celebrates you,” said Dr Tugnait.