There Are Chinks in Everyone’s Armour

Maybe a late realization, but increasingly I am beginning to feel that nobody's life is as perfect as it appears from a distance.

There are people I have looked at and thought, what a wonderful life they must be having. They seem to have everything - success, happiness, means & resources. But when you get a little closer, you often realize that the reality is somewhat different. Everyone has their own issues, their own struggles, something that is not working out, something they are unhappy about. Things that they have completely faked or lied about. Things that are not visible from the outside.

The same is true of people we admire for their abilities. I have come across people whom I thought were exceptionally confident, talented, skilled and good at what they do. But after getting to know some of them better, I realized that they too have their limitations. Some are remarkably good at certain things and surprisingly poor at others. And I am sure the same is true of me. Perhaps we all carry a certain facade, knowingly or unknowingly. And in this world of Instagram and LinkedIn, where everyone puts forward their best side, that facade becomes even more convincing.

I don't mean to take anything away from anyone. Some people are undoubtedly more successful, more talented and more accomplished than others and kudos to them for that. But perhaps the mistake is in assuming that because someone has got a few things wonderfully right, they must have got everything right. The more I see, the more I realize that there are chinks in everyone's armour. We just don't see them until we get a little closer.