Scene Setting: A Lonely Hustle
Adult Inse sat in his dimly lit apartment, staring at his computer screen. His latest freelance project, a sleek logo design for a startup, was nearly finished. He had been working on it for hours, lost in the intricate details of typography and color palettes.
As he leaned back and stretched, he glanced at his phone. No new messages. No missed calls. Just a few social media notifications, mostly people flaunting their glamorous lifestyles.
Luxury vacations. Dream houses. Fancy dinners.
“Look at them,” the voice of insecurity whispered. “They’ve made it. And here you are, designing logos in a tiny apartment, barely scraping by. You should be a millionaire by now. You should be living in a penthouse, driving a sports car. But instead, you’re just… average.”
Inse exhaled sharply, rubbing his face.
It wasn’t that he hated his work. He loved designing. But he couldn’t shake the feeling that he wasn’t successful enough. That he was stuck in a never-ending cycle of barely making it.
Just then, a call popped up on his screen.
Curity.
With a sigh, he answered. “Hey, sis.”
“Inse,” her warm voice rang through. “Busy?”
“Always.”
“Well, take a break. I’m in town, and I’m taking you out to dinner. No arguments.”
He hesitated.
“Oh, come on,” she added playfully. “Unless you’d rather keep comparing yourself to strangers on the internet?”
He frowned. “How did you, ?”
“I know you, Inse. Now, get dressed. We’re going somewhere fancy.”
A Lesson Over Dinner
An hour later, they sat in a high-end restaurant, the kind of place where waiters carried trays like works of art and soft music filled the air.
Inse felt out of place. He glanced around at the wealthy patrons, their designer clothes, their effortless confidence.
“They belong here. You don’t.” the voice of insecurity whispered.
Curity noticed his discomfort and smirked. “Let me guess. You feel like you don’t fit in?”
He scoffed. “What gave it away?”
She took a sip of wine. “The fact that you’re fidgeting like someone’s about to kick you out for not being rich enough.”
Inse sighed. “It’s just… I work so hard, but I feel like I have nothing to show for it. I look at guys who’ve made millions by my age, and I wonder what I’m doing wrong.”
Curity leaned forward. “Ah, the ‘if I’m not a billionaire, I’ve failed’ syndrome.”
“Don’t act like you don’t get it,” he muttered. “You’re a self-made billionaire. You could buy this whole restaurant if you wanted to.”
Curity laughed. “Sure, but do you think that’s what makes me happy?”
Inse hesitated. “Isn’t it?”
She shook her head. “No. You know what does? The fact that I love what I do. The relationships I’ve built. The impact I make. Money is just a tool, it’s not the goal.”
He frowned. “That’s easy for you to say when you have it.”
Curity smiled knowingly. “Okay. Let’s play a game. What’s your inner voice saying about money right now?”
Inse sighed. “That I should be making more. That I’m not successful because I don’t have a seven-figure bank account. That I’ll never be financially free at this rate.”
She nodded. “Now, let’s use the second transformation, turn that voice into something ridiculous. What would it look like?”
Inse smirked. “A greedy, snobby tycoon with a monocle, sipping champagne and laughing at poor people.”
Curity grinned. “Perfect. And what does he sound like?”
Inse leaned back, putting on an exaggerated voice. “Ah, yes, young man! You are but a mere peasant! If your net worth is not in the millions, why even bother existing?!”
Curity burst out laughing, and to his surprise, Inse chuckled too.
“You hear how ridiculous that sounds?” she said. “That’s your insecurity talking. And now, we flip it into inspiration. What do you actually want?”
Inse exhaled. “I don’t need to be a billionaire. I just want to be financially comfortable. To not stress about rent. To take trips without guilt. To enjoy my work and my life.”
Curity nodded. “That’s a real goal. And now that you’re thinking clearly, what’s one step you can take toward it?”
Inse thought for a moment. “I guess I could be more strategic with my freelance business. Maybe set higher rates, look for long-term clients instead of one-off gigs.”
Curity smiled. “Now that is using your voice of insecurity for inspiration.”
A Shift in Focus
That night, Inse went home and opened his laptop, not to work, but to plan.
He researched pricing strategies for freelancers. Looked into agencies that hired designers for steady projects. Drafted a plan to shift from surviving to thriving.
For the first time in a long time, he felt in control.
The voice of insecurity still lingered, whispering doubts. But now, instead of letting it weigh him down, he smirked.
“Relax, old man with the monocle. I’ve got this.”
Key Takeaways
- Your inner voice of insecurity isn’t always right, it’s often dramatic and exaggerated. Give it a silly persona to take away its power.
- Use insecurity as inspiration. If it’s telling you you’re not making enough money, let it push you to find smarter ways to build financial stability.
- Success isn’t about having millions, it’s about aligning your finances with your ideal lifestyle. Wealth isn’t just money; it’s freedom, security, and peace of mind.
Inse didn’t need to be a billionaire like Curity. He just needed to take control of his path, one smart step at a time.
