Most people don’t fear your failure. They fear your upgrade. Because your growth changes the power balance, exposes their excuses, and threatens the group’s comfort. In The Stranger Paradox, A. Cordero breaks down why strangers often support you harder than friends and family—and why the people who “know you best” can become the biggest drag on your momentum. You’ll learn how familiarity creates identity traps, how subtle sabotage shows up as jokes and “concern,” and why chasing validation from the past is a losing strategy. This episode is about building your next level with people who bet on your future—not people addicted to your old version.