Startup founder and venture capitalist Jessica Mah has appeared on magazine covers, dated celebrities, drives exotic cars and flies her private jet for fun – but insists her life is not the fairy tale it appears to be. Her latest LinkedIn post on the topic has divided opinion on social media.
Mah has been described by Forbes as a “wildly successful serial entrepreneur” who built her first six-figure business while she was in middle school. She has since grown her portfolio to over $500 million in value – but the 32-year-old still sees herself as a struggling entrepreneur.
“Does my life sound like a fairy tale? When I hang out with aspiring entrepreneurs in college, they say they want my life. But my best friends who know me best almost always say they would HATE my life,” she wrote.
In her post shared earlier this week, Mah, a serial entrepreneur, said that she works 60 hours a week at the minimum but suffers from ‘accomplishment dysmorphia’. “I do not see my accomplishments in the esteemed way that many do,” she said.
At the same time, she is also struggling to come to terms with the death of her ex-boyfriend, who died by suicide. “I am having trouble bringing myself to date again for obvious reasons,” she wrote.
Mah acknowledged that one of her biggest problems is comparing herself to others. By her own admission, she surrounds herself with highly successful people who have accomplished far more than she has, and whose net worth is higher than hers.
“Comparison is the thief of joy. I’ve learned that the hard way. But with a little trick I picked up in therapy, I find that I am comparing myself to others less and less,” she revealed.
The trick, according to her, is to “think about the bigger picture.” When you see someone who has more than you, think about whether you would like to trade places with them. She reminded her readers that few people would put all their struggles and insecurities on social media. “If you compare yourself to someone else, you have to compare yourself to ALL of their struggles, too. And nobody is posting their insecurities and private challenges in the open, which is why I am!” she said.
Her post has divided opinion on social media. While some applauded the Forbes 30 under 30 ‘superstar’ for writing about her struggles, others said she had failed to acknowledge her own privilege in her post.
“I really appreciate these posts and reminders. Especially the issue around comparison, which is such a big deal for entrepreneurs,” wrote Alex Raymond, CEO of Kapta. “I 100% agree, I think it takes a long time to be able to understand what makes you happy and enjoy the journey we are on,” another LinkedIn user wrote.
On Twitter, where a screenshot of the post was shared by the popular account ‘VCs Congratulating Themselves’, comments were less flattering.
“Attempt at humble bragging just ends up being victimhood narcissism,” wrote one commenter. “Unhappy person still unhappy after wasting their life to become rich. What’s new?” another asked.
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