This advice, like most of what I share here, is based on what has worked for me.

Your mileage may vary but I try to share what will be useful for most knowledge workers – professionals in most companies, startup founders, and consultants.

So, if you are working too hard for too little or think you deserve more for the time and effort you are putting in, change the following.

1/ Your expertise level

To command top dollars for whatever you do, you need to be good at it. 

Your first goal should be to be among the top 100 people in the world at what you do. 

It is possible to reach that stage in most fields in 3-5 years even when you are starting from scratch. 

If you work towards it, even before you reach there, you’ll start seeing the results of your efforts and resulting growth at around the 18 months mark.

2/ Your mindset

Most of us think that we need to work hard and long every day to get rich, especially if we haven’t come from old money.

It is far from true. 

Good work ethics are useful but 8 hours of rest, 3 hours of play, and 5-6 hours of consistent daily work pay more dividends than aimless 14-hour days, filled with low-value work. 

Know that you can make twice what you do now, by reducing your work hours by 50%.

If you find it hard to believe, imagine a life with constraints.

Ask yourself what you would do to earn the same amount of money if you only had half the time for work.

3/ People you work with

Wealthy clients trust your advice given that you are good at what you do. 

They also pay you well, bother you less, and are not worried about how much time you spent solving a problem for them. They just want a problem solved.

If you are experiencing anything different with people you work with, change them.

Find the right people to work with and you will be happier, wealthier, and will have more free space in life to attract more of what you want.

Good luck with the change.