We’re excited to once again launch another edition of the Yakezie Writing Contest!  The YWC’s goal is to award money to deserving contestants who will use the funds to further their education.  The money can go towards tuition, books, application fees, and other costs which make furthering one’s education cumbersome at times.

Although you cannot touch education, we believe education is critical to success.  It’s often hard to see the value of that which we cannot see, but we can promise that education is fundamental in getting a job in a field you like, building a business, and giving you the optionality to do more!

As a community of bloggers, every week we put thoughts to words for the world to see.  Sometimes we write about a fear that debilitates our every move.  Other times, we seek advice on which fork to take.  Often we share with readers our own experiences so you will be better prepared when your turn comes.  Through these words, we’ve made friends and found support in areas we thought never existed.  Communication is wonderful, and we hope you can share your wonder with us.

At the Yakezie Network’s very core is the culture of giving back, and we cannot be more honored to support educational endeavors through this process.  Recently, I had the privilege of working with a FS Online Services client and would like to commit $500 of the earnings towards the YWC.  The Yakezie Network as a whole will be raising more than $1,000 in educational money for at least three winning contestants in a $500, $300, and $200 ratio.  Depending on contributions, we’d like to award two more contestants $100 each for a total of five winners.

THE VOTING PROCESS

We’re going to do things a little differently this time.  Votes will be tallied based on the number of comments each finalist has.  The comment can share your thoughts about the essay and should be accompanied with a “THUMBS UP” written out.  We’re going old school, with less technology to make things easier and more visceral.  In the past, contestants didn’t know where they stood in the vote, so now everything is visible to everyone.

You must register as a user on yakezie.com in order to vote as this is the only way to keep track.  (To register: click on the Login button at the top of the page, and click Register).  Only one vote/comment is allowed per person and we have software that will tell us otherwise.  Votes will be allowed up until a deadline period when we will then count and compare.

Finally, if you are a contestant, you must sign up for our Yakezie RSS feed or follow us on Facebook to keep in touch and check back regularly.  There will be intermittent updates throughout the contest and we will post the winners of the contest on Yakezie.com.

THE AWARDS

Minimum amounts:

1st Place: $500

2nd Place: $300

3rd Place: $200

Based on funds there may be:

4th Place: $100

5th Place: $100

I will contribute $500, and will personally guarantee that at least $1,000 will be raised and awarded.  If more money is raised,the 1st to 3rd place ratio will remain at 50/30/20, followed by $100 each for 4th and 5th place.  For example, if $2,000 is raised, we will set aside $200 for a 4th and 5th place and divide $1,800 by 50/30/20 = $900, $540, $320.

THE DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSION

The deadline for essay submission is 1pm PST on Saturday, June 2.  We will then go through the essays and select the finalists to be published on Yakezie.com.  We are unsure of the number of submissions, but given our bandwidth we are limiting the number of applicants to 100.  If for some reason there are 1,000+ applicants like there were in a previous contest, we will review them all by calling in reinforcements and increase the number of published finalists by 2X.  We aim to have at least 10 published finalists and up to 20 if needed.  One or two posts will be published a day.

Please send all essays to ywc@yakezie.com with your name, age, contact information, where you first heard about the contest, and a statement as to what you plan to do with the money if you win.  Your statement is an oath that you will use the money for its intended educational purposes.  You are welcome to attach in a picture of yourself or something relevant to your writing when you submit your essay.  We’ve found that the more you can connect with your audience, the better your outcome.

ESSAY QUESTIONS

Please choose one essay question(s) bullet to answer.  Each bullet provides a multiple of relevant questions which may help you craft your essay.  You do not have to answer all questions in each bullet.

The minimum length is 750 words and the maximum length is 1,500 words.  No submission will be accepted under 750 or over 1,500 words long.

When choosing an essay, please think about which question most loudly resonates with your beliefs and who you are.  Also think about a question that others most likely will choose, then try and choose another.

* Please tell us about a hardship you overcame.  What did you learn from your experience?  Why did you go through the hardship?

* What is your definition of “rich”?  Are you rich right now?  If not, how do you plan to become rich?  Is there such thing as rich if there is no poor?  What does being poor mean to you?

* Please tell us a story of someone you used to dislike, but now you look up to.  The person can be a friend, family member, or public figure.  Why did you dislike this person in the beginning, and what changed?

* What is more important: nature or nurture?  Can you share with us examples of where nature triumphed and vice versa?  What did you learn from your parents that are part of you today?

* Who do you think will win the Presidency of the United States in 2012 and why?  Who would be a good Vice President and why?  Why do you think there is so much non action in Washington?  Don’t we all want what’s best for our country and our loved ones?

* Peer pressure is ubiquitous in school.  Have you ever given in to peer pressure only to have regrets later on?  Why do people think it’s cool to do poorly in school and skip class?  Do students not realize that doing well in school gives them the optionality to do more things in life?

* Recent studies have suggested the social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter make people more lonely.  Do you believe this to be the case?  How have you used social media to help others and further your own education if at all?

* Tell us about an experience you had traveling abroad, or an encounter with another culture.  What were some of the cultural differences that stood out?  What did you learn from your experience abroad?  What do you think about American culture?  Why do you think Americans are so limited in their language abilities?

EXAMPLES OF PREVIOUS WINNERS

* Memories

* El Aguacate

* What My Parents Don’t Know

We encourage you to read all three essays to get an idea of what voters enjoyed the most.  It’s not only important to write well, but to also market yourself well.  The winners not only wrote well but also expertly marketed their essays to others to vote on.  They used Facebook, Twitter, family and friends to help them win.

ESSAY FINALIST CRITERIA TO BE PUBLISHED ON YAKEZIE.COM

* 750-1,500 words long.  Essays shorter or longer will not be accepted.

* Has a unique voice.  Take us away by telling us a story.  You are free to write in any style you like.  You can include comedy, imagery, poetry, and much more.

* Proper grammar and punctuation.  Please review your essay at least three times and have a friend or relative review your essay a couple more times.

* Must be submitted by 1pm PST on Saturday, June 2 to ywc@yakezie.com.

CONTRIBUTIONS TO YWC

Yakezie Members are free to post their contribution amounts in the private forums.  We’ve created a sign up sheet to make it easy to keep track and total the amounts.

For non Yakezie Members who would like to contribute, please feel free to shoot me an e-mail at financialsamurai AT gmail DOT com.  No contribution is too small.

Please note, contributions are not tax deductible as we are not a registered non-profit organization.

BEST OF LUCK EVERYONE!

If you have any questions about the process, feel free to comment below and we will answer.  The spirit of the Yakezie Writing Contest is to make an effort, market yourself, and learn.  Even if you do not win, you will have at least tried.  Trying and perseverance is half the battle to becoming successful in everything you do.

Good luck!

The Yakezie Writing Contest Committee (YWCC)

Everyone knows that education costs have been rising dramatically in the United States, while at the same time; entry level wages of college graduates has dropped over the last decade.  So what does this mean for the individual student or graduate?  The return on the cost of education has fallen over the last decade.  That is the real problem, and student loans compound it.

Why The Return Is The Problem

Let’s take a deeper look at the return on education, and how it is directly impacting graduates.  I don’t think that it affects all graduates the same – just certain ones who attend certain schools.  So, for this example, we will look at three cases.

First, we have a student that wants to get a liberal arts degree (say, history).  Second, we have a student that wants a computer science/engineering degree.  And finally, we have a medical student.

These students have choices in where they can go to school: the best schools for their majors, or a state (public) school.  I’m going to use the US News and World Reports rankings for schools, and average the cost of tuition for the top three.  For reference, all the top state schools had liberal arts and engineering programs, but I selected the top state schools that had a pre-med program.

We also know that doctors require a graduate education, and the calculation above was for pre-med only.  The average cost of graduate medical school is an additional $141,132.

However, this is only half the equation.  To calculate the return, we need to look at the average salaries after graduation.  This can be very subjective, especially in the liberal arts majors.  So first, I’m going to declare that all liberal arts majors go into business, sales, or general office work (which they clearly do not, but it highlights the picture).  This is the most popular field for history majors, and it correlates with liberal arts majors in general, since most in this field do not actually enter a career in their major.  Also, we know that there are many types of doctors, and some require a lot more specialization.  Based on the average cost above, I assume the doctor just becomes a general practitioner, not a specialist.

I used Salary.com to see about what these graduates can make in their fields upon entry. I then look 5 years out, and let’s say these individuals are now promoted 2 levels, or in the doctor’s case, moved up to the 50% average.  And then, let’s look at the return on education over 5 years.  We’ll assume a standard line growth between the starting salary and ending salary over 5 years.  Here is how much total these individuals would make over that period.

Now, let’s look at the return on investment, which can be calculated: (Gain from Investment – Cost of Investment) / (Cost of Investment).  But, the one thing we are missing is the average salary for a non-degreed individual.  To save time, the average starting pay for a non-degreed individual is $24,300 per year, and we will assume a 5% raise per year.  So, the total earnings after 5 years is only $134,232.  We will assume the difference between this and the salaries above as the gain from investment in education.

Let’s look at two last facts.  First, the National Center for Education Statistics has found that education prices have increased 37% at public institutions (state schools), and 25% at private schools (which all happen to be the top schools in this list).

Next, we know that wage growth has been -7.57% over the last decade.  With this, we can infer the following ROI of education from 2000.  This is for a liberal arts major, but it applies to all of the above.

Compare this with the ROI from above, and you can see the return on investment in education decreased for both public and private schools over the past decade.  The growth in tuition costs, compounded with negative wage growth, has created a lower return on education than in the past.

Student Loans Compound the Problem

Alright, we can put some of that math behind us, and think about an even bigger problem – the fact that almost two-thirds of all graduates last year had student loans.  Not only is education costing more, and the return on the investment is decreasing, students are borrowing more than ever to pay for it.  It just doesn’t make sense.

Imagine a Wall Street investment that had a decreasing ROI, and yet people were borrowing money to invest in it.  It just doesn’t happen.  And it shouldn’t with educational expenses either, but it is happening, and it is hurting our students and graduates.

Student loan debt compounds the decreasing ROI problem because not only are students making less than the previous decade of graduates, but they are on the hook for loan payments that are higher than the previous decade as well.  So, they make less, owe more, and are generally less well off.

The Solutions

There are several ways for college students to escape this problem, but it requires re-evaluating the consensus thinking on education expenses.

Calculate ROI

First, students should look at their ROI when deciding on schools and career paths.  If students don’t, then their parents should.  Just using the illustrations above, it is clear to see that the return on a state school is always higher than a return on a private school.  As such, for most individuals, a public university will probably be the better option.  When doing the calculations, it is fair to consider financial aid, since that may play a factor in private school choices.  However, the calculation always has the same variables, so do the math.

Calculate the Cost of Student Loans

Second, student loan debt needs to be figured into the equation.  When looking at the costs and the return, it is essential that students don’t borrow more than they can possibly pay back in 5 to 10 years.  Student loans can never be discharged in bankruptcy, and so the borrower will always be on the hook for the debt.  As such, make sure that you run what it will cost you to pay back each month by using a student loan calculator.

If you borrow your entire liberal arts degree at a private school, your monthly loan payment 6 months after graduation will be a whopping $1,952 per month.  If you go with a state school, your payments will be $536 per month.  That is a big difference, but even $535 per month can be expensive for a recent college graduate.

Setup Realistic Expectations & Options

The tough part for any student is setting up realistic expectations about education costs and job market prospects after graduation.  Yet, it is so essential.  I would encourage any potential college student to look at all options available to minimize costs and maximize returns.

There are vocational schools, community colleges, and other programs that could provide more value at less cost.  If a college is on the docket, then really look at the expected job prospects upon graduation and what that will mean for any debt repayments.

Education is expensive, yet it is usually necessary.  However, there are ways to control costs and be knowledgeable about the expenses and potential returns.  ROI is important to consider, but there are other factors.  Make sure you consider them all when making this huge investment.

If you want more information on student loans and getting out of them, check out Robert’s Student Loan Debt eBook.

Readers, what are your thoughts about the diminishing ROI on education?  Is it worth it?  Why choose a private school over a public school when the ROI is clearly much worse?

Most families are complicated, and mine is definitely right up there.  I actually think is one of the reasons I’ve had so many doubts over the last several years about if and when is the best time to have kids.

Thinking About The Future

Time has really started to catch up with me this year though, and made me realize how much family influences and supports us, especially as we get older.  I’ve been burning the candle at both ends traveling like crazy for work, family events, socializing more with new friends, and attacking a large list of 2012 goals.  All of this has definitely made me think more about the future and where my life is headed.

Since my parents and in-laws will need more and more help in the coming years, living far away just isn’t going to be ideal.  I love to travel and see the world on vacations, but traveling all over the country for family gets exhausting quick.

Moving In Together

My in-laws are pretty open to the idea of my husband and I moving in with them in a few years or potentially even sooner, so my husband and I have started thinking about what that could be like and if it’s something we would want to do.  Even moving from one end of a street to the other can be a stressful, time consuming process, so I imagine we will have our hands full if we go from living together as a couple to moving into a multigenerational household in an entirely different state.

But multigenerational homes are becoming more and more common now as families are on tighter budgets, the cost of education and healthcare keeps rising, and millions still struggle to find stable employment.  Sure there are benefits and cost savings of having a multigenerational household, but being a very independent person and couple, I can’t help but worry if moving in together will put a major crimp in our freedom, privacy, and lifestyle.

Uncharted Territory

Would the impact be drastic enough to drive us all nuts?  I already know that my patience starts to wear thin after about 7-10 days of being under the same roof with my either of my own parents.  Whether that’s any indication if it will be similar or totally different with my in-laws is uncharted territory.  They’re very different from my own parents at least, which is probably a good thing.  :)

Here are some pros and cons that I expect occur frequently in multigenerational households:

Pros

Cost savings

More support

Build stronger relationships

Saves time

In home day care

Cons

Less privacy

More pressure on the income earners

Personality conflicts

Clashes with habits and behaviors

Reduced alone time

Feeling like a permanent guest/host

Right now I have a lot more questions than answers, but I do know if we decide to give it a go as a multigenerational household, there will be lots of things to talk about, work through, and get acclimated to.  Here are some questions I’ve put together that I’m certainly wondering about.  I hope you’ll find them helpful if you are considering becoming or moving into a multigenerational household too.

Things To Think About And Discuss

Will this be a short term, long term, or permanent move?

Is the house big enough for all of us?

Will there be rules, roles, boundaries?  How will they be decided and moderated?

Will we hold family meetings?  How often?

Who sleeps where?  Who uses which bathroom?

Are any rooms off limits to certain people?

What items will/will not be shared?

How will we avoid resentment and resolve conflicts?

How do we make sure everyone gets enough alone time?

How much will this cost?  Who decides the budget?

How will expenses be handled?  Who pays for what?

How will siblings and family members living elsewhere contribute?

Do we need to have fewer/more cars?

How will day care responsibilities be handled, shared?

How will chores be divided?  Who is responsible for what?

Who does the cooking?  Grocery shopping?  Errands?

Is everything in the fridge up for grabs?

Will meals be eaten separately, together, or both?  When?

Will vacations be taken as a group, separately, both?

What guidelines should there be for inviting guests?

How will we prepare emotionally, financially, logistically?

How will we manage each other’s expectations?

Treasure, Torture, And A Bit Of Both

I have several friends who are living in multigenerational households already, and they each have their own highs and lows.  One simply adores his mother in-law and loves having her live with him and his wife, another tries to hide her unhappiness living with her in-laws by limiting the amount of time she spends at home, and a third enjoys the time he gets to share with his father and his own kids but feels constant pressure being the only income earner in a home of six.

Every family situation is different and some people are a lot easier to live with than others!  Definitely get prepared and think things through before making this big of a decision.  Tension can build up quickly if you don’t communicate openly.  Remember it’s not just you who will be affected; everyone in the household will be too!

I’d love to hear your thoughts and experiences!  Do you think a multigenerational household is in your future?  What are your biggest fears, concerns, comforts, and reassurances?

Thanks!

Sydney

Similar to when Sam asked if we can change our spending habits, I can’t help but wonder if we are truly in control of everything. Do we have the power to change our life around when the worst happens? I know what I have been taught to believe and what I would like to believe, but is that really the case?

We Like to Have Control

For those unaware of the phrase, “pull yourself up by your bootstraps”, it refers to improving your situation by hard work and determination. It implies a certain degree of agency or influence to make your own situation better. In many ways, it aligns with much of American ideology like that of ‘Manifest Destiny’, which implies themes like conquering, destroying, or controlling. We like to be in control, don’t we?

Many of us are unwilling to give up private transportation (even though cars are destroying our society in more than one way) because we like the control that it offers us. Who likes to wait for public transportation or ride a bike to work? Not only does it generally take more time to use public transportation, but you never know when the weather will change. A long walk or ride in the rain or snow is hardly enjoyable (maybe because it disrupts the “order” in our lives). While I enjoy riding my bike in the summer (when it’s not raining), I will be the first to admit that I also enjoy the luxuries of having my own car and being able to travel wherever and whenever I choose.

My wife and I spent 6 weeks in Central America after we got married, teaching English at a university. It was on the Caribbean coast and very remote. While we lived not too far from a small airport, there were several towns that were only accessible by boat. This sounds manageable, except when it is raining and the waves are too choppy to make the trip. It rained when my wife was visiting one of these towns and it delayed her return trip by two days. A two-day delay just because of some rain! I often complain about a flight being delayed a couple hours, so you can imagine our feelings when the rain changed our plans for half of the week.

Why We Like to Think We Are In Control of Our Finances

While I think that our cultural beliefs and ideologies influence how we see personal finance, there seem to be other factors at play for the popularity of this ideology within personal finance. I think there is something unique about the field of personal finance that requires this belief that we have the power to change our situation. In the world of personal finance, it’s not just an issue of whether the leopard can change her spots, it’s that a leopard must be able to change her spots.

Without some degree of influence, our writing is pointless – Many personal finance authors write in order to help others take control of their finances. This is probably because we know that everyone needs help with money, but it also implies that our readers have the ability to change how they manage their finances. If we don’t have at least a small degree of power to change our situation, it seems meaningless to keep writing as a personal finance blogger. If everyone is a product of their environment and/or genes, then there is no point to try and convince them to save more, spend less, or invest properly.

I believe this understanding stems out of the experiences that we have as people. We have been there. We’ve made dumb financial decisions and learned valuable lessons. If we can change our perspective or habits, surely everyone can change, right? If we can learn to manage our finances successfully, why can’t everyone else?

This is where it gets tricky. This necessary belief in a small degree of influence often gets misinterpreted for equal and infinite opportunities. The belief that You Can Be Whoever You Want to Be is misleading. While our capitalist society may not legally prevent someone from becoming the next Mark Zuckerberg, reality tells us that not everyone is given the same opportunity. A 16 year old who is forced to drop out of school to get a job and help his single parent make ends meet is not given the same career opportunities as a Harvard graduate. Social and economic setting may not absolutely determine one’s options (because the 16 year old could come up with a great business idea), but it certainly affects them.

Do you buy into this belief that everyone can change their situation? What has caused you to think this way?

Always comparing yourself to others can leave you bitter if you do it too much, and don’t know all the facts.  Jealousy is so unattractive, it’s easy to spot from faraway.

Unless you know the person’s age, education, occupation, number of hours worked, and enabling relationships, comparing yourself is a futile game.

THE PERSON WHO ALWAYS HAS MORE

Nancy is overweight, stands 5 feet 2 inch tall, and at 30 years old, makes about $90,000 a year as an “internet marketer”.  She’s got three years of experience and thinks she’s the bomb.  ”Dear Readers, I am the Queen because I make so much online!  Yihaw!” Writing about how successful she is to the world helps with her self-esteem because she was never very well liked growing up and no guy asked her to the prom.  Nancy was actually a very pleasant person before she started making a lot of money.  Unfortunately, money changed her for the worse.

All is good until Nancy meets her online nemesis, Jessica.  Jessica is in internet marketing as well, but claims to make $250,000 a year online.  Not only that, Jessica is two years younger than Nancy at 28, stands 5 feet 8 inches, with beautiful skin, and is drop dead gorgeous!  Given Jessica makes $250,000 a year online, she’s much less vocal about her success because she knows her income is much larger than most incomes.  Jessica is every guys dream girl, and as a result, she’s never short of attention.

Nancy just can’t stand Jessica.  Every chance Nancy gets to throw cheap shots at Jessica, she does.  From talking bad behind Jessica’s back, to stealing Jessica’s ideas, to leaving passive aggressive comments, Nancy does it all!

AND THEN THERE IS ONE MORE!

About a year of jealousy passes before Nancy and Jessica stumble across another internet marketer named Michelle.  Michelle makes $500,000 a year online, is just as beautiful as Jessica, but is also a wonderful wife and a mother of two!  At 32 years old, Michelle got her MBA from Columbia and had a successful stint at a start-up before jumping feet first into the online marketing space five years ago.

Michelle has a loving husband and is always being invited to interview on TV by local and national stations.  Nancy and Jessica can’t help but see Michelle everywhere, online and offline.  Both women aren’t pleased, but Nancy in particular is wondering what the hell!  How can there be a woman I hate more than Jessica?  Michelle makes 5X more than me, is better looking, has a hunky husband who looks like George Clooney, and has a beautiful boy and girl!

Nancy goes berserk, and does her best to spread nasty rumors not only about Jessica, but also about her newest nemesis, Michelle.  Every other sentence that comes out of Nancy’s mouth is about how Michelle is such a fake, and how she’s out of touch with the real world.  Nancy’s favorite spew is that Michelle spends more on cosmetics and plastic surgery than the average household income a year!

Curiously, Jessica begins to look up to Michelle as an older version of herself after realizing there’s no point being jealous.  As a beautiful woman herself, Jessica knows that she too can have it all.  Unfortunately for Nancy, not so much.

LET’S UNDERSTAND THE LADIES BETTER

You can see how constantly comparing yourself to others constantly leads to unhappiness.  Nancy is so insecure with herself, that instead of focusing her energy on building her business and affecting that which she can change, she’s occupied with other people’s successes instead.

Nancy: Was a B student in high school, attended Iowa State, and landed a $30,000 a year job as a clerical worker.  Her parents are divorced and make a combined $50,000 a year.  Nancy has always wanted to be a mom.  She got married when she was 25 to a man that she’s unsure is fit to be a good father.  She felt that if she didn’t marry him then, she would never get married because nobody wanted an older, dumpier version of herself.  Her husband doesn’t have a stable, well-paying job, and isn’t motivated to succeed as much as Nancy.  As a result, Nancy feels like she has to be the major breadwinner in order to fulfill her dreams of having a family.  The pressure is killing her.  Nancy means well, but she is immature.  Her lack of self-esteem constantly makes her channel energy towards things that are a waste of time.

Jessica: Was an A student in high school, attended UCLA on a partial scholarship, and landed a $50,000 a year job in internet software sales.  Her parents are still together and make a combined $500,000 a year as doctors living in Beverly Hills.  Jessica was prom queen her senior year and always dated the most popular guys in school.  Ever since Jessica was a baby, everybody adored her because she was and is so beautiful.  Jessica didn’t have to try as hard as others to get ahead, because people were always giving her free passes.  Despite her cushy life, Jessica decided she didn’t want to get ahead based on her looks and other people’s charity.  As a result, she purposefully tried to hide her looks by tying up her hair in a bun, wearing glasses and baggy clothes, and no make up.  Jessica worked harder and longer than all her classmates and co-workers to prove to everyone that she wasn’t defined by her looks.  Even still, she couldn’t avoid every male she encounters wanting to buy her a drink, invite her to events, and give her promotions she thought she didn’t deserve.  As a result, she decided to quit her job and try make it on her own as an entrepreneur.

Michelle: Was the valedictorian of her class, went to Harvard on a full scholarship, and joined an internet startup for $100,000 a year with options that could potentially be worth millions.  Michelle’s parents died in a car accident when she was 13 years old.  As a result, Michelle was raised by her alcoholic uncle was secretly abused her.  At the age of 16, Michelle had enough and reported him to the police where they sentenced him to 8 years in prison.  Michelle moved on to stay with foster parents until she was old enough to go to college.  The internet start-up Michelle joined ended up going bankrupt, but Michelle learned more in those several years than any other job could have taught her.  Undeterred, Michelle started her own firm with the savings she had and toiled away non-stop for 15 hours a day for one year before she made her first sale.  Years later, her company was making millions a year in profits, so she decided to set up her own charitable foundation.  Her charity helps abused female children just like herself through counseling, education, and financial aid for college.  During her charity event, she met her future husband.  And from there, the rest is history.

COMPARISONS WILL LEAD TO MISERY IF YOU DON’T KNOW THE FULL STORY

We can’t stop comparing ourselves to others.  But, unless we know everything there is to know about the other person, we’ll always find some perceived injustices that will make us unhappy.  Upon hearing Jessica and Michelle’s full story, Nancy no longer hates them and begins to collaborate.

I suggest everyone look for the story behind the story.  When you see someone who is more successful than you, get INSPIRED!  Look to understand what they did to get to where they are.  See these people as mentors rather than competitors.  If you do, not only will you get farther in life, you’ll be much happier as well.

Readers, is it impossible to stop comparing ourselves to others?  What are the ways in which you have replaced jealousy with something positive?

How do men and women compare in terms of their jealousy levels?  Why?

Photo: From Forbes, who borrowed it from public domain.

Regards,

Sam

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