Does anyone else feel like a bitter disappointment?

[SoVery]

I am. As a child, a parent, a friend - I'm a good person but it's never enough. Sorry, don't mean to whine. It's just frustrating when you try to be your best and it just doesn't carry with everyone else??

Yep, I sound like a moaning arse. Not literally, happily.
Please pile on.

Who’s telling you this, OP?

No one at all. It's just a gradual realisation of circumstances. Standing back and taking stock, as it were.

But in that case it sounds more likely to come from poor self-esteem, rather than you failing in all possible ways by any objective criteria?

Yes, that's very true. Thank you.

Yes, I do. I really try but the more I try, the more wrong it goes. I've also tried not trying - didn't work either.