What are some things upper-middle class workaholics tell themselves to feel better

You're a Social Leech like all the rest wrote:

The real false premise is that anyone can "earn" all their money in the current socioeconomic regime.

I don't know what you are talking about.

Perhaps you mean going forward? Mine were earned up to now.

false premise(s) wrote:

This question is fraught with false premises.

First, the question presumes that one needs to be a workaholic in order to be wealthy (upper-middle class). I, for one, am wealthy and work only 40 hours per week, and i earned all my money.

Second, it presumes that workaholics or the highly career oriented are unhappy (i.e.: they need to convince themselves to not feel so empty). That's pretty much straight-up bullsh!t stereotypical garbage.

best one yet!

false premise(s) wrote:

You're a Social Leech like all the rest wrote:

The real false premise is that anyone can "earn" all their money in the current socioeconomic regime.

I don't know what you are talking about.

Perhaps you mean going forward? Mine were earned up to now.

Indeed, most social thieves are delusional too, about how their money is made (or "earned" as you insist).

false premise(s) wrote:

This question is fraught with false premises.

First, the question presumes that one needs to be a workaholic in order to be wealthy (upper-middle class). I, for one, am wealthy and work only 40 hours per week, and i earned all my money.

Second, it presumes that workaholics or the highly career oriented are unhappy (i.e.: they need to convince themselves to not feel so empty). That's pretty much straight-up bullsh!t stereotypical garbage.

thanks for pointing this out, you must hate stereotypes. I assume you did the same on all the poor people bashing threads?

He's a WArrior! wrote:

false premise(s) wrote:

This question is fraught with false premises.

First, the question presumes that one needs to be a workaholic in order to be wealthy (upper-middle class). I, for one, am wealthy and work only 40 hours per week, and i earned all my money.

Second, it presumes that workaholics or the highly career oriented are unhappy (i.e.: they need to convince themselves to not feel so empty). That's pretty much straight-up bullsh!t stereotypical garbage.

thanks for pointing this out, you must hate stereotypes. I assume you did the same on all the poor people bashing threads?

i hope you're not gaming me, but hey, i'll take it at face value.

Yes, I hate stereotypes. I do like a good discussion, though, and this one with a bad starting premise did yield some very good comments, i thought.

As for the poor people bashing thread, that one is some f'd up i couldn't even come to read any of it. Not a word.

false premise(s) wrote:

He's a WArrior! wrote:

thanks for pointing this out, you must hate stereotypes. I assume you did the same on all the poor people bashing threads?

i hope you're not gaming me, but hey, i'll take it at face value.

Yes, I hate stereotypes. I do like a good discussion, though, and this one with a bad starting premise did yield some very good comments, i thought.

As for the poor people bashing thread, that one is some f'd up i couldn't even come to read any of it. Not a word.

who let the decent, rationale person in here?!!!

lock it! wrote:

false premise(s) wrote:

i hope you're not gaming me, but hey, i'll take it at face value.

Yes, I hate stereotypes. I do like a good discussion, though, and this one with a bad starting premise did yield some very good comments, i thought.

As for the poor people bashing thread, that one is some f'd up i couldn't even come to read any of it. Not a word.

who let the decent, rationale person in here?!!!

Okay, okay, i can tell when i'm not wanted. I want to go watch PBS Newshour online before i go to bed anyway.

false premise(s) wrote:

lock it! wrote:

who let the decent, rationale person in here?!!!

Okay, okay, i can tell when i'm not wanted. I want to go watch PBS Newshour online before i go to bed anyway.

lol, night, just razzing ya

I contribute nothing to the commonwealth spending hours sitting on my ass, nevertheless they pay me 10 times than the true simple hard workers, and they even believe that I am the engine of economy, and that I worth every penny

false premise(s) wrote:

This question is fraught with false premises.

First, the question presumes that one needs to be a workaholic in order to be wealthy (upper-middle class). I, for one, am wealthy and work only 40 hours per week, and i earned all my money.

Second, it presumes that workaholics or the highly career oriented are unhappy (i.e.: they need to convince themselves to not feel so empty). That's pretty much straight-up bullsh!t stereotypical garbage.

self-made mid upper class non-workaholics are some of the most generous, genuine people I have met and seem to enjoy life.

Most workaholics I've met are not-happy. Most are so numb from work they don't even register as happy or sad, just busy or agitated because they aren't busy.

A few workaholics I've met are happy because they are working on a passion project or a bigger long-term plan, something beyond a bigger house and safer nest egg.

Most tell them selves that they are doing it for a plan, but the plans are covers and they don't really intend to follow through or if they do it doesn't seem to bring them much joy.

broke fool wrote:

lol, night, just razzing ya

For sure, i know, Night.

Guys stop trying to convince yourself you are awesome.

Back to quotes

“Bout to hit up my time share for the year in Hilton Head”

The workaholic thing wears you down. I felt it last night responding to emails at 1:30 in the morning.

I don't fool myself that it doesn't take a toll.

My motivation to do all of this was to make absolutely sure that my daughters suffered none of the poverty, misery and abuse I suffered as a kid. They have led charmed lives, yet they were still motivated and excellent students beyond compare of most. Best karma I have had as a person.

Now that they are independent and out of the house, the rewards are no longer there. I could buy a fancy car but the Buick Lacrosse I bought at Carmax with 15 thousand miles on it fully loaded for 20k is all anyone needs in terms of comfort or transportation.

I need to aggressively move to something less stressful, and spending time with my soon to be new grandchild.

I wish I opened up a Roth in my 20s. I’m way behind on retirement savings in my 40s and balding now but my friends still think I’m cool whenever I go to the golf course

Scrooge McNugget wrote:

"The last 5 years of my life are going to be SO good..."

I grew up in the 90s and had a father who was a classic post baby boomer workaholic. WORK,WORK,WORK. His career was his defining identity in life, and while he always made time for us, he was success and salary driven. That's a double edged sword. It was a constant striving for the next promotion, what his salary was vs his brother or fellow neighbor, just appears now in hindsight that he was a product of the times. Looked down on people that had their own vices whether lighting one up, having a drink or did something recreational that was "different" in his eyes. The idea of going out for a run or work out after work or on his lunch break was just as asinine thought. He was a very perplexed man, but unfortunately got caught up in the corporate rat race. He's mellowed out now as his prime career years are behind him and that existential ego driven mania of possessions of the 90s has faded. I would say he is more content now in the last 2-3 years than he was the first 30 years of his career. Kind of sad but I guess we all take lessons from our parents, as our kids will too.

It’s not too bad to be living comfortably while working around 40 hours per week. I try to be frugal and save a lot of money. Also, there are definitely more stressful times versus when I was earning less. The other stress is that I have to try to keep my lifestyle to not creep up as it’s not easy to find jobs that pay as much and I don’t mind taking a paycut eventually to live on less.

However, I don’t mind doing this as I’ve experienced living with higher pay so giving me the opportunity to be fine to live on less as I have a big chunk of money set up for retirement that I can let it ride to grow so I just need to make enough for my family to live comfortably.

I am enjoying reading these late narratives, and thanks for sharing. Very instructive.

As for me, from day one of my professional working career, i have always just stopped at 8 hours per day, 40 per week. I get calls/emails if emergencies, but that is rare. I could work more, but i decided that is where i draw the line and i stuck to it.

It's a long story, but the short version is that with the wonders of the stock market, aggressive investing, a little luck, and compounding, along with two income household professionals and one child, well, we could have retired some time ago and just live off what has been amassed.

This realization, when you find that you are years from retirement and you can't possibly spend what you already have, is an odd realization.

Would you go to work in the morning if you know that you can't and won't spend the money you are earning? Chew on that for a second. Work dissociated from the financial incentive to do it...

I just don't know.

And the best part is, no one besides my spouse does, either. Our son has no idea whatsoever. Absolutely none, and he is almost college age. I asked him once why he thought we were not that well-off and he said because i occasionally bring home things i find on my runs and fix them and use them. He said well-off people don't do things like that. And i drive a car that meets my needs but is just average, live in a house that is rather small, etc. Yes, i could buy luxurious things but they mean nothing to me and frankly seem like a waste.

So, chalk this one up to a well-off guy that doesn't have to tell himself anything to feel better because i don't feel bad in the first place, and a workaholic is not evenly remotely applicable in this case.

you seem to be in a good spot....the next question is: What is next? What are you going to do with the extra money? I think that's where you truly separate yourself from the workaholics. You don't have to work.....so why are you? It would be a shame to sacrifice many things to get to where you are now and then just keep going down that route out of habit.

Those skipped vacations with your kids could just become missed vacations with your kids rather than a short term sacrifice for something better if you don't actually use the money to make your families life better later. I know your kid will get it in an inheritance, but I'm sure he would rather spend the time with you.

just a thought

cool thought/ideas.

No skipped vacations, I go as much and as often as my son will join us for. I'm not the one limiting the vacations. But he's at a point in his life when it's all about his friends.

What's next? First, work has a purpose for me, and i'm the boss of my area, and it's kind of a nice and cool job, so no hurry to leave yet. I'll eventually retire, probably in about 3 or 4 years, and that's when my wife wants to, though she could do it at anytime as far as i'm concerned.

When we retire, we talk about travelling a lot, which we both enjoy. The other thing that i like to think about is the day my son finds out what we're worth, and of course, he'll inherit. My wife hit the nail on the head, and what she said was, if he found out, 'he would be so pissed', meaning we could live in luxury if we chose to, but we don't.

Why do i work? Really, two reasons: first being that it fulfills my need to serve a purpose (and stay organized and directed). And second, i tend to waste so much time on my days off and by comparison, those days don't leave me feeling all that great.

So, again. Work doesn't have to suck, and i know i am lucky, but i did go to great lengths to get the education i needed, the right work experience, i worked through the tough times, and i didn't take anything for granted nor felt entitled.

Hope there's something in all that that might be useful to someone.