It's called living an authentic life, and it's a huge awakening.

My epiphany moment came in my mid thirties.
I enjoyed my work, but the company paid others more than me and made excuses as to why.
I applied to a different organisation and was accepted like a shot, on much better terms. When I handed in my notice, the company suddenly stipped making excuses about why I was paid less ( mainly that I was employed on local terms and others were expatriate workers on contracts)
I said it was too late, I was going. That's when the company told me to write my own contract - and boy did I write one! It took the company a week to mull it over, but I got everything I had demanded.
It was an eye opener!!