Signs of Compulsively Underearning

In addition to the signs of compulsive debting, underearners exhibit some of the following symptoms:

•  Resenting low pay or a bad job situation, yet not asking for a raise or changing jobs;

•  Feeling inadequate to perform a job well, while secretly feeling superior to others;

•  Believing your salary is not important, yet worrying about money constantly;

•  Feeling too discouraged to apply for a job ("I won't get it anyway, and if I do, I'll hate it.")

•  Having trouble finding resumes or job notices in piles of bills or unopened mail;

•  Feeling ashamed of your work history and sick with anxiety over job interviews;

•  Stealing from employers because you believe they owe you more than they pay you;

•  Spending hours daydreaming but not even minutes working toward your dreams;

•  Overcommitting time and energy to volunteer activities;

•  Overworking-spending hours to do a job more perfectly than you are getting paid to do;

•  Being too fearful of failure to get any more training or attempt a new career;

•  Believing no one will pay you for anything you enjoy doing.

If you find that many of these symptoms describe you, then you are probably a compulsive underearner.

Reprinted with permission, as group #252, from "Compulsive Underearning," Debtors Anonymous General Service Board, Inc.
© 2002

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