I think social media has changed how we look at success. We see people sharing good news these days, if not buying a new car, it is opening a shop, and another person getting a new job. Seeing these things can make someone look at their own lives differently.
For example, you started a small business and you are still trying to get customers. Then you open Facebook and see someone who started a similar business showing how well things are going. You may begin to ask yourself why your own business is not moving at the same speed.
The truth is, we see the good part of people's lives online. We don't always know how long they worked, how much they struggled, or the help they received before getting to that point. A picture of a new car does not tell us the full story behind it.
I have also noticed that many people want quick results. Someone learns a new skill and expects to start making money from it almost immediately. A person might start posting contents on social media and gets discouraged when the likes and comments are few. Sometimes, they stop trying because things are taking longer than they expected.
Social media makes it easy to compare our lives with others, even when we have made some progress, seeing another person's achievement can make one's own feel small. You may have saved some money after months of trying, but then you see someone buying a house. Instead of being happy with what you have done, you start thinking about what you are yet to achieve.
I am not saying people should not change their plans when something is not working. Sometimes, a new direction is needed, but not everything will happen quickly, and not every slow start means failure.
People have different backgrounds, opportunities and responsibilities. We may be the same age, but our lives are not the same.
I wonder how many people have given up on something they wanted because they felt they were falling behind after watching others online. The truth is that some people may will get lucky early, while others may spend years trying to establish themselves.
Image is by Google Gemini.