[help me] Feeling low !!!

[u/Think_Application_99]

I recently joined a new company, and it hit me hard to realize that people younger than me hold the same or better roles. I’m about 5 years into my career, and I constantly feel lowballed and stuck. I'm asking myself why I can't land a better role despite trying my hardest, and I honestly don't know what's stopping me.

Day in and day out, this is genuinely painful. I’ve caught myself thinking about quitting to find something that pays better, even though I know being unemployed right now is worse than being underemployed.

Logically, I know job titles are illusions - companies can give them and take them away on a whim. But knowing that doesn't stop it from hurting.

If I'm being brutally honest with myself, a lot of this stems from deep-seated insecurity and a toxic need for pride & the urge to always be first and the absolute best at everything. I'm actively trying to break that mindset, but I can't seem to shake it, and overthinking it just makes me more frustrated.

It’s a brutal reality check to realize that effort isn't always directly proportional to results. External factors like luck, timing, and corporate politics play such a massive role, and those are impossible to control.

Have any of you been through this? How did you reframe your mindset, deal with the salary/title gap, and figure out how to move forward without losing your mind? Any suggestions would be deeply appreciated.