You’re scrolling through LinkedIn and see yet another peer celebrating a promotion or a six-figure side hustle. Meanwhile, you’re clocking 60-hour weeks, barely keeping up with bills, and wondering, “Why isn’t my effort translating into better results?”
Here’s the uncomfortable truth no one tells you: Working harder rarely leads to earning more.
Let me explain with a story you’ll recognize.
When Stephen King Almost Quit (And What It Means For You)
In 1973, a frustrated high school teacher named Stephen King threw his manuscript for Carrie into the trash. Rejection letters piled up, and he’d convinced himself writing was a dead end. But when his wife fished those crumpled pages out of the wastebasket, she didn’t just save a novel—she saved the trajectory of modern horror fiction.
This moment captures why 99% of people never break through financially: They quit during “The Dip.”
Seth Godin’s famous concept explains it perfectly: Every worthwhile pursuit has a grueling middle phase where progress stalls. Most bail here, unaware that success lives just beyond this point. King persisted through three unpublished novels before hitting his stride.
Your takeaway?
“The money follows mastery, not the other way around.”
Strategy 1: Become Irreplaceable in Your Sweet Spot
Let’s play a quick numbers game:
- ⚖️ Average UX designer salary: $85,000/year
- 🚀 Top 5% AI-powered UX specialists: $220,000+
The gap isn’t about luck—it’s about niching down with intent. I recently coached a client who doubled her rates by focusing exclusively on voice-activated healthcare interfaces. Why?
- She identified an emerging need (aging population + smart home tech)
- Built visible expertise (published case studies, spoke at nursing conferences)
- Became the “only logical choice” for hospitals upgrading patient systems
Your action plan:
- 🎯 Map where your skills overlap with growing industries
- 📈 Invest 20% of work hours in deliberate practice (not just repetitive tasks)
- 🗣️ Share lessons publicly—even small wins build authority
Strategy 2: Play the Infinite Game (Why Warren Buffett Wins)
Did you know 99% of Buffett’s $134B net worth accumulated after his 50th birthday? That’s the power of compounding career capital.
Most professionals make this critical error: They treat careers like sprints (short-term raises, quick promotions). High earners treat it like farming:
- 🌱 Plant seeds now (skills, relationships, passive income streams)
- 🌦️ Weather storms (industry shifts, economic downturns)
- 🍎 Harvest later (exponential growth from decades of nurturing)
Try this today:
- Write down where you want to be in 20 years (yes, twenty!)
- Work backward to identify 3 skills needed for that future
- Block 90 minutes weekly to develop them
Your Turn to Redefine “Success”
Last week, a software engineer told me: “I finally stopped chasing Silicon Valley salaries and built tools for indie game developers. Turns out, being a big fish in a small pond pays better—and I actually sleep at night.”
That’s the ultimate hack: Earning more isn’t about outworking others—it’s about working differently.
So here’s my challenge to you:
- Identify your “Dip” phase (what have you considered quitting?)
- Commit to 100 days of focused progress in that area
- Share your journey with one accountability partner
The road to earning more isn’t crowded—it just requires looking beyond tomorrow’s paycheck.
