Self Confidence through the Apathy of Others

Around 1% - Depending on how you calculate, this is the percentage of Americans who are millionaires. (likely not counting the equity of the primary residence)

Around 6% - Percent of individual American workers who make $100k per year or more from their job

Less than .5% - Percent of Americans who make over $400k per year or more from their job

$43,000 - Median income of a full-time worker in the U.S.

(Data compiled from various years in the late 2000's from sources including WSJ and Merrill Lynch)

Just looking at these figures, financial success is not likely and certainly not as immenent as we have lead ourselves to believe as we graduated high school and college. Those of us with even the most modest amount of ambition strive to be a millionaire these days. Besides, a million dollars doesn't get you what it used to!

Particularly in times of economic stress, it can become difficult to envision rising from the ranks of financial mediocrity. However, looking at the numbers, there just isn't much room at the top for stowaways.

Do not despair.

While $400k jobs aren't growing on trees, and becoming a millionaire (without inheritance) will take a few wise moves and some strategic planning, just keep in mind the "competition."

You see, when we get discouraged by these small numbers or percentages, we are competing with the other 98% for the top 2%. That is quite daunting.

The reality is that much of the "other 98%" is no competition at all:

Every time you go to the grocery store and see unreturned shopping carts, all of those people who did not return their cart are not competition.

The millions of 'great unwashed' who live through government handouts... At least they are not competition.

How about all those people at the mall with colored hair, piercings, and clearly visible tattoos? Unless they are in the music industry, they are not competition.

You are not competition if you openly litter.

Unless you are a professional athelete, wearing your pants below your underwear, or having your hat sideways = not competition.

While there are some exceptions, if you need to take a smoke break at work, you are not likely to be competition.

If you regularly purchase the "tall boys" of Icehouse beer that is appropriately 'on ice' at the checkout stand of a convenience store, you will not regularly be competition for the rest of us.

If you ever mistreat your pet, you are not competition.

More than likely, if your trailer hitch has a dangling ball sack, you will not be competition.

If you paid more for your car than your house, you are not competition.

Some of the competition does not even want to be competition.

Sometimes, the non-competition has an almost undefinable quality. However, you know it when you see it.

If you don't know what I'm talking about, you are not competition either.

So, the next time you find yourself feeling discouraged about "getting ahead," take a trip to Wal-Mart or your local mall. It will make you feel better about your odds-