I heard from psychologist Barry Lubetkin, Clinical Director and Founder, Institute for Behavior Therapy (www.ifbt.com), about a patient in the financial industry who was utterly crushed at the idea that he would now not be able to make a billion dollars. Let me clarify. He wasn't concerned about not making a living, but that he wouldn't be able to make a billion dollars. Clearly this man is not in the mainstream of earnings, but there is an important lesson to be learned... no, not that anyone can live on less than $1 billion/year... but that expectations must sometimes be reset.

Have you reset your expectations, or are you continuing to fight and push for the goals you've always had? It's good to revisit expectations regularly, financial, or otherwise. A lot of people in these hard times may find that their previous expectations regarding job, home ownership, or earnings are no longer reasonable. Classic examples might be in the realm of having a certain number and/or gender of children by a certain age. It's not that we have to have low expectations, nor that we shouldn't dream. But revisiting and adjusting expectations from time to time will lead us to a more satisfying and fulfilling life.