There is a reason posts about success stories continue to grab attention online. They do not just show what someone has achieved. They also make people wonder what it really took to get there. While social media usually highlights the destination, a recent Instagram post has started conversations about doing the opposite. Instead of celebrating milestones alone, it focused on the difficult moments that came before them, striking a chord with many people who said they related more to the journey than the achievement.The post was shared by Singapore-based founder Miza Nazili, who reflected on her personal and professional journey while reminding people that comparing timelines rarely tells the full story.“A friendly reminder, our timelines all look completely different, so don’t compare yourself to others. We all start somewhere,” she wrote.
A side-by-side look at two very different phases
Nazili shared a series of images comparing different stages of her life.The first visual showed her standing beside a brand-new 2026 Porsche. Alongside it was another image of her sitting on a chair, looking visibly stressed.The captions on the images read: “What You See. Brand new 2026 Porsche.”“What You Didn’t See. Got fired from my full-time job. Failed 3 businesses. Had less than $20 in my bank account.”
She also opened up about financial struggles
In the following slides, Nazili shared that her business empire now includes five brands and has crossed $15 million.She also revealed that there was a time when her family was $80,000 in debt. She went on to list some of the struggles she faced before reaching where she is today.ID@undefined Caption not available.
What she said about bouncing back
The post prompted several questions from social media users, with many wanting to know how she dealt with failure.One user asked, “Madddddddddd respect! Do you mind sharing how you overcame the feeling of dread after your business failed, leaving debt behind? What are your steps to stand up and walk again?”Nazili replied, “I hated being poor more than I feared failing again. I also hated working a 9–5, and getting fired gave me the push to stand up and find another path.”
Social media users appreciated her honesty
Many people said they were glad to see someone speak openly about the difficult side of building a business.One person commented, “You will always be an inspiration, sis. When the going gets tough, you always come to mind.”Another wrote, “Thank you for sharing the behind-the-scenes of your success. Most people only share the trophy but never the pain and hardship they went through to get there.”A fourth user added, “Absolutely. Progress can look slow from the outside, but everyone is building from a different starting point. The real win is staying focused on your own next step.”Disclaimer: This article reports on a viral social media post. The claims shared by the creator have not been independently verified by The Times of India.Thumb image: Instagram/@mizanazili
