NEW WEALTH ANXIETY

Why even the financially secure feel insecure

- Viral Bhatt

“Sir, I’m doing fine — I have savings, SIPs, and insurance... yet, I still feel anxious about money.” It's a line I hear more often these days — not from the financially struggling, but from people who seem to be doing well. They earn good salaries, live in their own homes, take vacations, and still — worry constantly about the future.

Still restless?

India has more wealth than ever before — record mutual fund folios, rising per capita income, and a thriving middle class. Yet, many professionals feel more insecure today than their parents ever did. Why? Because the definition of “enough” keeps shifting.

Earlier generations had fewer choices — one steady job, one home, one LIC policy, and clear goals. Today, the choices are infinite — and with them, the comparisons.

We don’t measure progress against our goals anymore. We measure it against someone else’s Instagram feed.

The question has changed from “Do I have enough?” to “Do I have as much as others?”

Comparison woes

The root of modern financial stress isn’t always money — it’s comparison. Social media has made wealth visible — the car someone drives, the home they bought, the holiday they took, the business they started. What was once private is now public, and what was once aspiration is now pressure. Even investors are affected. You hear someone made 40% in small-caps, and your 12% SIP return feels “average.” You see peers buying luxury homes, and your debt-free rented apartment feels “incomplete.”

Paradox of progress