You’ve probably felt it. That constant pressure. That vague but persistent feeling that no matter how hard you work, you’re just… stuck. Like you’re doing all the right things — showing up, grinding, ticking off the boxes — but nothing really changes. You’re not thriving. You’re barely keeping up. Welcome to what I call The Great Squeeze.
It’s not just about being tired. It’s the kind of fatigue that creeps into your bones, into your thoughts, into your weekends. It’s waking up after a full night’s sleep and still feeling like you’ve got nothing in the tank. It’s looking at your paycheck and wondering how it all disappeared before you even had the chance to enjoy it. It’s wondering if this is just… it.
You’re Not Lazy. The System Is Broken.
Let’s clear something up: you’re not lazy. You’re not unmotivated. You’re not “bad with money” or “bad at adulting.” You’ve simply inherited a system that no longer works.
You were told:
“Work hard and everything will fall into place.”
But they forgot to mention a few things.
Like how working 40, 50, even 60 hours a week doesn’t guarantee stability anymore. Or how you can go to college, get the degree, land the job — and still be living paycheck to paycheck. Or how rent, groceries, childcare, and healthcare costs are skyrocketing, but your wages haven’t moved in years.
This is The Great Squeeze: a slow, tightening pressure on your time, your energy, your finances, and your dreams.
The Real Cost of Always Being “Fine”
Ask someone how they’re doing these days and chances are, the answer will be something like:
“Tired.” “Busy.” “Just trying to keep up.”
It’s become normal to live in a state of near-exhaustion. But this isn’t just about sleep. It’s about a deeper exhaustion — from chasing a future that never seems to arrive.
We’ve normalized burnout. We wear stress like a badge of honor. But beneath the surface, there’s something more painful happening: disillusionment. The realization that the dream we were sold may have been outdated at best, or a complete illusion at worst.
One Step Forward, Two Steps Back
The most defeating part? The hustle often leads nowhere.
You save money, only to have an unexpected expense wipe it out. You get a raise, but inflation eats it up. You work harder than ever, but you’re still wondering how you’re going to make it all work.
The rules of the game keep changing — and you’re still playing by the old ones. The truth is, hard work alone isn’t enough anymore. You can’t “grind” your way out of a broken system.
This isn’t about refusing to take responsibility. It’s about recognizing that your efforts need to be strategic, not just relentless. The old advice — “just work harder” — sounds more and more like a cruel joke when you’re already giving everything you have.
Where Were the People Who Were Supposed to Guide Us?
Our parents, our teachers, our counselors — they meant well. But most of them were trained for a different world. A world where a degree led to a job, and a job led to a house, and a house led to security.
They didn’t have the tools or the knowledge to prepare us for a reality filled with gig work, massive debt, unpredictable job markets, and a social media-driven comparison trap.
So we were left to figure it out ourselves — and many of us are still trying.
So… What Now?
Here’s the uncomfortable truth: nobody is coming to save you.
But that’s not meant to scare you. It’s meant to empower you.
Because if the old system doesn’t work anymore, you get to build a new one. One that actually serves you — not your employer, not tradition, not expectations that were never meant for your life.
That might mean starting a side hustle. It might mean unlearning outdated financial habits. It might mean redefining success in a way that actually includes rest, creativity, and joy.
It definitely means asking better questions:
- What do I want my life to look like — not just in 30 years, but now?
- What am I spending energy on that gives me nothing in return?
- What would it look like to build something that gives me freedom, not just a paycheck?
A New Way Forward
The Great Squeeze isn’t inevitable. But escaping it requires something most people avoid: intentional change.
You don’t have to accept the tiredness. You don’t have to stay on a treadmill that leads nowhere. You can build a life where your energy is rewarded, not drained. Where your work creates assets, not just more hours traded for dollars.
And no — it’s not easy. But it is possible. It starts with realizing you’re not crazy, lazy, or broken.
You’re just awake enough to see that the old rules don’t work anymore.
And brave enough to start writing your own.
