I posted the following comment this morning on Parade’s web site in response to other comments on this article : How Does Your Salary Stack Up? .  If you’re here because you read the comment and want to change your life please take some time to read through some of my previous posts.  My goal is to challenge you to be a success.  Additionally, I try to provide some of the tools and ideas needed to achieve that success.
 
–  contents of my post on Parade’s site are below –

I can’t believe how many whiners live in this country.  America is a land of opportunity.  Why are you relying on your company, boss, union or the government to get your “fair” share?  Unbelievable.  If you don’t like what you make go do something about it.  You are responsible for taking care of you.  If you want more money go ask your boss what you need to do in order to make more.  If your boss can’t tell you, then you need to go elsewhere or learn something new so that you can go elsewhere.  Quit blaming everyone and everything.  Get off your butt and do something about.  Start your own business part time and make something of yourself.  My wife and I started with nothing and we’re still not where we want to be, but we’re working hard to get where we want to go.  No one in this country is holding us back from our dreams. 

If you really want to change your situation then I suggest doing the following:
1) Get out of debt.  Most people can’t afford to make career changes or go back to school because they owe too much money on cars, credit cards and other debt.
2) Live on less than you make and save the extra.  This will allow you to pursue your own business or additional education so that you can make more.
3) Learn.  Turn off the TV and pick up a good non-fiction book to learn something new.  There’s this thing called a library and you can learn all sorts of new things for free.  There is also a thing called the internet with tutorials and free or nearly free educational opportunities at a variety of different web sites.
4) Accept responsibility for getting you where you want to be and quit complaining about where you are.  Only you can change you and the situation you are in.  Set some goals and then go for it.  Make the goals achievable in a time frame.  Don’t just say I want to be a millionaire.  Set a reasonable one year goal like.  I want to save 500 dollars by date x.  In other words, break down large goals into many small steps. 

Finally, the average American could retire a millionaire by saving as little as 167 dollars a month for 40 years.  Unfortunately, the average American won’t be, because they are up to their necks in debt.  It’s your choice.  What are you going to do about it? 

For more free advice (which may worth what you paid for it). Check out www.chrishotz.org