Bhagavad Gita · Chapter 3: The Path of Action

Bhagavad Gita 3.35

śreyānsvadharmo viguṇaḥ paradharmātsvanuṣṭhitāt | svadharme nidhanaṃ śreyaḥ paradharmo bhayāvahaḥ ||

Better one's own duty, though imperfectly done, than another's duty done well. Better to die doing one's own duty; another's duty is full of danger.

Modern context

It is better to do your own work imperfectly than someone else's work well. Svadharma here is the duty that follows from one's own nature and place in life. A borrowed life can look impressive from outside, but it has no roots, and the person living it is always performing. Your own path will show your faults, and they are faults you can work on. The verse is not a ban on change or growth. It warns against running from what is yours to do because another role looks easier or more admired.