It’s never really been about how much you earn, but clarity around your financial habits, discipline in auditing your lifestyle + alignment with long-term goals. A high quality of life doesn’t necessarily mean a luxurious one. We’re in a strange era where many young HENRYs (High Earners, Not Rich Yet) are earning more than ever, yet feel increasingly behind. The higher salary itself becomes a trap paired with rising expectations, social benchmarks (amplified by social media) that leads to persistent anxiety. Earning more often creates the illusion that you can afford more. That mindset feeds into consumption, upgrades & higher fixed-cost lifestyles. And it'll never be enough. Hit your first net worth milestone? There’s always the next. And before you realise it, you’re caught in a loop chasing targets without ever stepping back to ask why they matter. This is why the "Higher income → Higher financial anxiety" paradox exists, but the worse part is how it kills the meaning of life. Because in the process of 'optimising for numbers', it’s easy to neglect the things that don’t compound financially but matter far more. And for many, that realisation only comes much later. When they finally have the means but no longer the time/space/health to truly live.