Inferiority complex is a deep feeling of inadequacy or low self-worth that makes a person believe they are not as good as others. It often stems from childhood experiences, societal pressure, or repeated comparisons. People with this mindset may constantly doubt themselves and seek validation. It can affect how they think, speak, act, and relate to others. If not addressed, it can lead to anxiety, isolation, or harmful life choices.

I hope you know, the world we are living in is a very crazy world, and we need to start talking to ourselves about it. People are born in different ways, into different levels, and different backgrounds. We cannot just see someone and compare them to ourselves. It’s not fair—to us, or to our journey.

One time, I was in a bus, and I was privileged to hear a girl talking on the phone. She looked like someone who had finished school, maybe a year or two ago, but she also looked lost—like someone who didn’t know where she was going in life. And I strongly believe what I saw in her was caused by inferiority complex.

This thing—this mindset—makes you look like someone who doesn’t have any plan for themselves. It strips away your confidence. It makes you look less than who you truly are. It turns you into a shadow of yourself.

This same girl was on a call with her friend—on loudspeaker—and she kept talking and talking. But the truth is, she wasn’t just talking. She was trying to be like the other girl on the phone. I could feel it in her tone, in her words. She was trying to adjust, to impress, to match up. And that’s what inferiority complex does—it makes you lose your own voice just to sound like someone else.

When you give birth to a child, that child begins to learn from their environment. But the environment we are growing up in—or even raised in—is not exactly friendly. Society measures worth with material things. Now, it’s almost like we only have two real phones in the world: iPhone and Samsung. Every other phone? It’s like you’re just carrying the pouch—just a cover, not the real thing.

So imagine a child growing up in a family that is not wealthy. The parents are not buoyant. This child sees their classmates with iPhones, nice shoes, designer bags, expensive food. Meanwhile, the parents can’t even afford a small torchlight phone for their child. That’s where it starts. The child begins to wonder, “Why am I different? Why can’t I have these things? Where were my parents when others were moving ahead?”

Now, it’s not about the phone or the turkey you can’t afford during Christmas. It’s the feeling that comes with it. You give your child egg or meat, and they look at their classmate’s lunch filled with fancy snacks and protein. And they start thinking, “Why not me?” That’s inferiority complex growing.

And if we don’t stop it early, it grows. Some children will go as far as doing drugs because of it. Others follow the wrong crowd, live fake lives online, and do things they don’t believe in—all to fit in. They forget that they can be the trendsetter. You don’t have to follow the crowd. You can create your own lane, your own identity. You don’t have to impress anyone.

But here's what many people don’t realize: when you cling to those you're trying to imitate, you end up becoming their servant. You’ll never be able to lead or rise above them because their path was carved a long time ago—maybe even 150 years before you were born. Their great-grandfathers already laid that foundation. You—you’re just starting. And that’s okay. You don’t have to play catch-up in a race you were never meant to run.

Inferiority complex is sneaky. It affects every part of life—children, teenagers, adults. A person who doesn’t believe in themselves can’t raise confident children. It becomes a cycle. And until we break it, it keeps flowing from generation to generation.

10 Disadvantages of Inferiority Complex

1. You stop believing in yourself.
Even when you have potential, you downplay it.

2. You’re scared to try new things.
You don’t apply, don’t speak up, don’t move—because of fear.

3. You doubt everything you do.
You constantly ask, “Am I good enough?” even when you are.

4. You avoid people and places.
You withdraw, thinking nobody wants you around.

5. You become jealous.
Other people’s success stings instead of inspiring you.

6. You depend too much on others’ opinions.
A compliment lifts you; a criticism destroys you.

7. Your mental health suffers.
Depression, anxiety, sadness—it all builds up.

8. You compare constantly.
You stop focusing on your own journey.

9. You stop dreaming big.
You settle for less, because more feels out of reach.

10. It affects your relationships.
You push people away, or cling too much, out of insecurity.

Why Inferiority Complex Is So Harmful

Because it lies. It tells you you’re not enough. It convinces you to play small, to shrink yourself, to settle. It tells you that others deserve better, but you don’t. And that lie gets repeated so often that you start believing it. And once you believe it, you live it.

Real-Life Solutions

1. Be honest with yourself.
Ask why you feel this way. Trace it back. Start healing.

2. Celebrate the small wins.
You woke up. You tried. You pushed through. That matters.

3. Stop comparing.
Your story is unique. Your pace is valid.

4. Be around the right people.
People who remind you of your value—not people who drain you.

5. Set small goals and build up.
Every step counts. Even baby steps move you forward.

6. Talk to someone.
A therapist. A mentor. A trusted person. Don’t carry this alone.

7. Learn something new.
Every new skill adds to your confidence.

8. Change the way you speak to yourself.
Speak kindly. Encourage yourself like you would a friend.

9. Take care of your body.
Eat well, rest, move. A healthy body helps a healthy mind.

10. Give to others.
Volunteer, help, show kindness. It reminds you that you matter.

You’re not less. You’re not a shadow. You’re not behind. You are just you—on your own path, in your own time. And that is more than enough.

With love,
Greatful-lily