Many of my my friends have trust funds, zero debt, parents pay their rent, even 6-figure settlements from their childhood. I don’t know how I am ever supposed to catch up to them financially; it feels like I am destined to always be 10 steps behind

One of the best sayings I’ve heard when growing up was, “never look above you in wealth, always look below”. What it means is everything that comes across your way you take as a blessing. That student loan was an opportunity towards education that millions wished they could have. A car, new or used, is a car you’re comfortable in. Someone who can afford a bike wished they had. A house, rented or owned, is a roof over your head without the stress of knowing where you will sleep tonight. I grew up not too well off. But I was blessed to have the basics in life...the basics that some consider luxury. Today you’re wondering “how do I catch up?” To many... you already have and you just don’t know it yet. You got this homie :)

Comparison is a thief of joy my friend. Trust me because I used to be in your shoes feeling all the anger and jealousy toward the privileged people. Believe it or not, you may never catch up because of the head start those people have been given. You can continue chasing and be endlessly worn out. When I crossed my 100K net work last year, I felt so proud ... until my “friend” said his new company went public and he essentially made like maybe half a million on top of another half million from his previous company just a few years prior. The system is designed to benefit those with a head start and help in life. Unless you play it your own way by focusing on what you have and reminding yourself of how far you’ve come, you will always lose.

You have no idea how successful you are and how many people would want your wealth (and privileges) but NOT your level of happiness. Take some trips to some unique places. Homeless shelters, North Korea, shanty towns in South Africa, poorer sections in India. You’ll see how spoiled you are. My recommendation - take some of your money and help others. Give back to society to make it better - then you’ll see real happiness. Giving is far better than receiving and be happy you can give.

You learn to play them at their own game. Invest with proper research. My buddy went from 10k to 100k to 2 million. But the most important part is understanding money isn’t always happiness but you need to be happy with yourself.

Stop whining.

As consultants we love to forget this but here for anyone who needs it: Money👏🏻is👏🏻not👏🏻happiness

My parents are 60 and have 200k in savings , life is not fair, we can only make the best of what we get. You’ll be fine, have faith

Hang around poorer friends

What I’m hearing is that a lot of your friends never had to learn to be proper adults who are independent and self-sufficient. You should take pride in making it on your own, even if your friends started out majorly advantaged and continue to suckle at the family teat well into adulthood.

Find friends who won’t throw money in your face. I realized that sometimes ignorance is bliss and makes it easier to appreciate what I already have. Good friends do not require much money to have a good time Many people on Instagram are posting for attention because they are desperate to make money and don’t know how to do it in other ways. They’re taking a gamble but it won’t pay off for the vast majority You already make decent money, it’s just a matter of continuing to build on top without getting burnt out along the way. Try and find a job where you enjoy the job for the journey, even if it means a bit less money. Consistent doubles > inconsistent home runs

Focus on your own lane. Everyone’s path is different. Set your kids up for what you listed above. I’m in the same boat but I will start generational wealth for my family.

Marry a rich girl

I’m 26 with a net worth of $-20K, it’s all a matter of perspective. Some friends I acknowledge I’ll never catch up to

It doesn't matter where you are financially relative to them. No matter how wealthy you are, there's always someone a step ahead of you. Stop making that the race by which you benchmark yourself.

Don’t compare yourself to others. You will never win that game. Instead, compare yourself today to yourself yesterday. And you don’t need to catch up with anybody. All you need to do is achieve your own, reasonably defined goals.

Run your own race with that one mate. If you’re too busy looking around you you’ll need get as far as you personally can. Personally. I’ve had no help, nor went to college due to my late father passing... but run my own race, not leading the pack but more than comfortable socially and financially. Got to be confident in your own skin and not compare. Be proud.

Focus on how you’re learning proper money management skills you’ll be able to take with you moving forward. I’ve been funneling money into loans for the last few years and learned how to live well below my means. Now that I finished paying them off, I can start saving a high percentage of money

ZS1: My POV. Change your friends circle. You’ll be happy NOW & won’t worry about catching up to be Happy

Gme

"Six figure settlements from their childhood?" What does that even mean? Buck up, buttercup. Short answer is this: don't play that game. Who cares what other people have? Your life is your own. Your circumstances are your own. Spend time (real time) digging deep to decide what's really important to you in life, figure out what it will take from you to achieve that (life hint...it may be less, or very different, from what you think it is), and go forward acting accordingly. Stop measuring your life happiness against someone else's measuring stick. It's a no-win scenario. Someone always has more, or better, or whatever. Figure out YOU, and the you do you.

Why are you trying to? Live your life don’t measure yourself against what others have, This is such a bad idea it’s even one of the commandments.