Let me tell you something.
Not everyone claps when you win. Especially when they thought they had you figured out. And then, boom, you do something they didn’t see coming. You rise. High. Like stupid high. Suddenly, you’re “too much” or “too successful” or “too proud.”
And then it comes.
“What goes around, comes around.”
Said with a smirk, a shrug, maybe a sip of coffee they didn’t pay for.
Let’s unpack that, yeah?
That Phrase? Not Always Deep. Sometimes Just Shady.
You ever notice how people only say that when they think you’re getting too full of yourself? As if they were watching you. Rooting silently. Hoping you’d slip. Weird, right?
It’s a passive-aggressive Hallmark card wrapped in karma and sprinkled with resentment. It’s not wise counsel. It’s a warning. A thinly-veiled wish that your wins boomerang and slap you.
And that says more about them than it ever did about you.
“Stay Humble” – But Make It Manipulative
God. The fake humility crowd is exhausting.
You’re not allowed to post your achievements without someone commenting, “Stay humble.” Why? Because you celebrated a win? Nah. Because they felt small in your shine.
One time, back in 2022, I posted a photo of my office, after I upgraded it. Nothing fancy. Just hardwood floors and an ergonomic chair which broke after two weeks by the way. Someone DMs me:
“Hope you don’t forget where you came from.”
Bro. I’m literally still there. Just with better lumbar support.
Limiting Beliefs: The Emotional Inheritance You Never Asked For
Most of the limits placed on you? Not yours. They’re hand-me-downs. Old fears. Someone else’s regrets. Maybe even your parents. Unintentionally. Taught you to keep it small, safe, predictable.
But you? You weren’t built for that. You were born loud. Bold. With wild ideas and dreams so big they didn’t fit into their conversations. And that bothers people.
Because your evolution invalidates their stagnation.
Your Rise Will Trigger People. And That’s… Actually Fine.
Your growth? It’s like turning up the lights in a room full of people sleeping. Some will wake up grateful. Others? Mad as hell for disturbing their nap.
You didn’t ask to be a mirror. But you are. And mirrors don’t lie. They reflect.
So when people squint at your glow, remind yourself this isn’t about me. It’s about what I represent.
Spoiler Alert: You Didn’t Manifest This. You Built It.
Let’s kill the narrative. No, you didn’t just “get lucky.” You didn’t visualize a Tesla and poof it materialized in your driveway next to your grandma’s rusted Honda.
You put in the hours. The effort. You made sacrifices. Said no to parties, yes to solitude. You earned your flowers. And now that they’re blooming, suddenly everyone’s a botanist?
No.
Eagle Vision: The Art of Not Blinking
You know how eagles hunt? Focused. Unshaken. Meanwhile, pigeons just flap around in panic.
You don’t owe pigeons explanations. Keep your eyes locked on what feeds you. The noise is just air. Empty. Flimsy. Not worth descending for.
They Can’t Take Your Knowledge (Unless You Let Them)
Strip everything away. The titles, the followers, the brand deals. What do you have left?
Experience. Discipline. Time well spent.
It’s like crypto in your mind. Stored in a mental wallet only you can access. No market crash, no opinion, no betrayal can snatch that from you.
You Owe Them Nothing. Except Distance.
I used to think I had to explain myself. Especially to those who knew me before the shift.
“I promise I’m still the same.”
“I didn’t change, I just grew.”
“I’m not better than anyone.”
Lie.
You did change. You are different. And it’s okay. The old you? Grateful. The new you? Unapologetic.
The Unspoken Weight of Becoming ‘Unreachable’
Once you hit a certain point, you stop being relatable. You start becoming intimidating. Not because you flaunted it. But because you just evolved.
And now you’re “too busy,” “too self-absorbed,” “too good for us.”
They miss who you were. Not because you were better then, but because you were less intimidating.
It hurts. It does. But elevation demands isolation. Ask any astronaut.
Success Is the Mirror. Silence Is the Clapback.
What’s wild is that you don’t even have to argue anymore. You just post. Exist. Thrive. And that drives them wild.
You became a walking TED Talk and didn’t even try.
Teach. Don’t Tease. Unless… Nevermind.
When people come at you sideways, sometimes you want to flex. Show the receipts. The screenshots. The late nights. The bounced checks. The basement WiFi moments.
But also. Sometimes. Teach.
“Here’s what I did. You can do it too.”
And if they still hate? Slide back into flex mode. No shame.
Keep Learning. Or Start Sinking.
The internet’s changing. Instagram is basically a shopping mall now. AI is writing half the emails you read. Guilty. And TikTok? You blink, and it’s a new trend every 17 seconds.
So yeah. If you’re not learning? You’re dying. Slowly. Comfortably. But dying.
Be curious. Always.
Stay Hungry. Even When You’re Full.
You got the house. Cool. You got the speaking gig. Great. Now what?
Stay hungry. Hunger keeps you humble. Hunger keeps you curious. Hunger keeps you dangerous.
Just don’t let it make you hollow. There’s a difference.
You’re Not “Too Much” — You’re a Thunderstorm
Let them call you extra. Loud. Obsessive. Dramatic.
Thunderstorms don’t ask for permission. They show up. Shake things. Water the earth. Then leave.
You are weather. Not everyone’s forecast can handle that.
Consistency. The Unsexy Secret Weapon.
It’s not always fireworks. Sometimes, it’s just doing the damn thing again. And again. And again. Until one day, people ask, “How did you do it?”
Answer? “I just didn’t stop.”
Sometimes the Strongest Thing You Can Say is Nothing
People throw shade. Let them. They’re throwing it up at you, remember?
You’ve outgrown arguing. You’ve outgrown validation. Your silence is louder than their opinions.
You’re Not for Everyone. You Weren’t Designed That Way.
Trying to please everyone? Exhausting. And boring.
Be polarizing. Be loud in your lane. Let people unfollow. Let them roll their eyes. If you water yourself down for acceptance, you’ll drown in your own blandness.
When Proof is Pointless Just Keep Moving
You don’t need to explain the climb to people stuck on the ground floor.
Just wave on your way up.
It Gets Lonely. But it Also Gets Peaceful.
Real talk. The higher you go, the quieter it gets. The group chats fade. The parties stop. The calls slow down.
But so does the drama. The noise. The fakeness.
It’s lonely. Until you realize you’ve finally made room for people who get it.
Conclusion: They Can’t Handle What’s Coming And That’s Okay
So. How do you take people who say, “What goes around, comes around”?
You don’t. You leave them spinning in their own circles while you move forward.
They call it karma. You call it return on investment.
What you planted. Discipline. Effort. Risk. That’s what came back.
And if they can’t take that? That’s not your burden.
Keep going. They’ll catch up or disappear. Either way, you win.
FAQs
What if I feel guilty for evolving faster than my circle?
Then you’re probably a good human. But remember guilt isn’t growth. Keep evolving.
How do I respond to passive-aggressive “stay humble” comments?
You don’t. Or say, “I am. Just not silent.” Let them chew on that.
Should I explain my boundaries to old friends?
Nope. Boundaries aren’t invitations. They’re fences with no peepholes.
Can I be confident and kind?
Absolutely. Be velvet and steel. Be both.
Is it normal to feel lonely after success?
Yes. And also peaceful. Lean into it.
How do I stay motivated when everyone doubts me?
You don’t rely on them. You build a fire that lights itself.
Read on: Mel Robbins: The 5 Second Rule, this surely be a great help if you’re someone that is struggling in starting to do something.
