How much should you be earning?

How much should you be earning? That’s the question, isn’t it? A question that gnaws, bites, and leaves you staring at your pay stub like it’s a cosmic insult. But here’s the real kicker: there’s no universal answer, only brutal reality. It’s a sliding scale, and where you land on it depends on what you’re willing to do to get to the top.

First off, if you’re still asking “how much should I be earning?” you’re already behind. The elite don’t ask, they dictate. They engineer situations where the income they deserve flows to them as naturally as gravity pulls the planets. If you’re still in a salaried job—reading emails and waiting for promotions—you’re earning exactly what you’re worth: capped, limited, contained.

Let’s establish a baseline. If you’re earning under six figures, you’re either a hobbyist or you're still cosplaying the concept of wealth. In major cities, even six figures barely keeps you afloat. A hundred grand isn’t a milestone, it’s the starting line in this century’s race. The top 10% of earners, they’re pulling in $200k plus. Top 1%, you're looking at seven figures. Anything less than that? You’re in the middle lane of mediocrity.

But the real question is: how much are you willing to sacrifice? How much of your time, your ethics, your peace of mind? Because earnings are a direct function of the price you place on these. The higher the sacrifice, the higher the reward. It’s a basic law of the wealth game. Want more? Give more—of yourself, of your comfort, of your so-called values.

So, how much should you be earning? More. Always more.