This piece is part of my 2016–2026 archive migration. Some original formatting, content, and external links may be missing, changed, or not be optimized.
The power of exposure to what the “standard” earns
Traditionally, women get paid less than men. It’s a fact. Hence, I use what men who possess above-average salaries make as a baseline of achievement.
Two Men Who Impacted My Thinking
My college professor told me his hourly rate was $75/hour.
Six years ago, another man in his 50s told me he was earning $168,000/year.
I was astonished when they first told me these numbers several years ago.
Really? That’s an excellent salary.
When I first joined the workforce and started to see the base salary for jobs that men were more realistically and likely to be in, I balked. I felt the 70k a year gig was a pipe dream.
I had a goal, of course, to earn not too far from this number when I first graduated, since I got triple degrees (i.e., I wanted a job that paid at least 20k for each degree I held. This was an arbitrary number I decided upon). However, there was a twinge of me that wasn’t sure if it were possible.
Having open conversations about compensation with others and researching helped me determine where I should set the salary bar for my career.
Many People Stay At The Same Income
Salary stagnation is a common theme for many; plenty of people stay in the same pay bracket for years at a time. This is often because they don’t realize they could be making a lot more. The only way you can usually find out your earning potential is through research and conversations with others.
Someone told me their minimum salary goal was 70K, but the average pay for the role they were applying to was 90–110k.
There is a positive correlation between your salary and conducting salary research regularly.
Always Have More Than One Source of Income
If you’re trying to reach a certain income, and it seems impossible to do at your traditional place of work, you can always utilize investing and secondary income.
Kristina God has a nifty article called, Break Through The Glass Ceiling With Your Side Hustle. It’s 100% relevant for those who feel they’ve reached their limits at their current employer or need extra resources.
You should never depend on one income source anyways. As I like to say, having one income source is like betting all of your life savings on a sick horse.
This content is for informational purposes only — not professional advice. Consult a qualified professional before making any major decisions.