The traditional role of the male head of the household has been that of the breadwinner. The husband is expected to financially support the family as the main wage earner. Society often equates financial success with overall success in life. However, every family is different, with some fathers earning more than others. For example, you may see a neighbor on your street that lives in a larger house and drives a more expensive car and feel envy because he is earning more than you.
Instead of wasting your time feeling envy, why not try and channel those emotions into something more productive? In order to do this, you need to first examine what aspects or qualities in that individual’s situation contributed to his financial success. Is it the field of work? Does he work numerous hours above and beyond the stereotypical 40 hour work week? Does he have many years of education or experience in his field? Perhaps this individual has a smaller family compared to yours, and thus spends less on household expenses.
The next step is to compare the information with your own situation. A comparison will hopefully allow you to be able to see what changes you may be able to make to increase your own level of financial success. For example, maybe you have remained in the same position in your company, working the same job for a few years. Find out what qualifications you would need to move up to the next level or position and work on achieving those items. Perhaps after examining your own situation, you have discovered that you spend more than half your earnings on household expenses. Then you may want to breakdown in detail what you purchase on a regular basis and see if there is a way to reduce costs. Keep in mind that what works for one individual may not always work for another, but it will get you to think and consider what other options are out there to improve your own financial success.
Don’t waste your time envying the financial success of other individuals. There will always be someone out there that is more successful. There will also be others who are less successful. Keep your mind on the positive aspects of your situation. If you do find yourself experiencing feelings of envy, try and learn something from the comparison. You can make changes in your own life that may lead to more financial success.