I was at a wedding yesterday just having a word with my cousins regarding personal finance and future planning.

One of them just straight up said:
“Vaibhav has been making money since he was 18, he will never understand our struggles.”

And what was his struggle? Prepping for govt. exams for the last 3 years and not clearing one + no active income.

And I was like, huh? Struggle?
Like somehow me figuring out what I need to do with my life is my fault?

This was not the first time, when I was 18 I was taunted the same way, you know how they say it with that weird smirk:

“Yeah, we are happy you are doing so and so”
“yeah how’s you little freelance thing going”
which usually is followed by a weird laugh.

I never used to feel bad because I knew I am clearly doing something better which used to piss them off even more (it’s fun to piss people who doubt you)

I am sure you have had such moments too. If they see you struggle they’re questioning, if you get successful then they have questions.

That’s the price you pay for success, now I am pretty sure you are making good money considering your age and line of work.

Most people around you be it your relatives, friends, family, you will be either at par or in a better position than them.

You are self made with no help so the odds of you getting jealous of anyone would be really really low, if you see someone making money you’d feel happy.

The Ugly Part

You brought yourself up in an entirely different condition as compared to everyone else around you. You are the odd one out.

People can’t withstand you. They will feel jealous. You intimidate them so what do they do?

They try to make you feel you are doing something wrong.

That makes you question your own sanity because you’ll be like Is it insane for me to have big goals for my life?

Everyone around you will tell you yes because it is in their best interest. These people demand success but refuse to work.

You are the result of your actions not aspirations. They on the other hand are the result of aspirations. You put in the work that these people aren't.

Remember, Your failure protects their ego.

When I heard that “ I won’t understand his struggle”, inside my head my alter ego was going like;

“Does this guy have any idea what dealing with people 2x-3x your age does to a young mind…

+ navigating everything on your own
+ the late night doubts of what am I even doing
+ failing 20 times to get up for the 21st and still pursue
+ there’s no one to talk to because no one gets it
+ everywhere I go I see job guys who are just meeting ends

+ how crazy it is to not let this success feed ego

Yet somehow if I did all this without complaining to anyone I got no one in my vicinity

And that’s when it hits you. You’re the highest earner in your circle.

Which means no one can benchmark you, pressure you upward, challenge your pricing, question your positioning or audit your decisions.

You’re ahead. But you’re alone and that’s the part that feels weird.

The Misalignment

When no one around you understands your business, you stop talking about your struggles.

I am very confident you don’t discuss:

The client who’s draining you or the pricing decision you’re unsure about or the international outreach you’re scared to attempt or the portfolio you know needs fixing.

You think, decide, act, fail, succeed, try all. ALONE.

And over time, thinking alone distorts your decisions. You protect current income instead of optimizing future income.

You avoid bold moves because there’s no second layer validating them. You experiment slowly. You plateau quietly.

And from the outside, it still looks like you’re “doing well.”

The weird feeling isn’t about money at all. It’s about misalignment.

You’ve outgrown your circle’s financial reality. But you haven’t yet stepped into a circle that stretches your next level. That gap creates psychological friction.

And you don’t even realize it’s happening.
You just feel… stuck.

If you’re currently the highest earner in your circle, ask yourself this:

- Who challenges your pricing decisions?
- Who pressure-tests your positioning?
- Who tells you that you’re playing too small?
- Who sees your blind spots before market punishes them?

If the answer is no one, you’re not weird.

You’re just thinking alone at a stage that requires sharper thinking. And the longer you stay there...

The more “comfortable” your ceiling becomes.

PS: Being the top earner in your circle is no doubt nice but being the smallest earner in the right room is better.