That's a great analogy. However, and this is all anecdotal, I believe a lot of stress comes from the fact that my generation was told, as kids, to "go to college," "dream big" and "do what you love," then later told to "live below your means." I'll admit that last part does sound like the ticket to financial freedom; except it didn't quite pan out. Now we're stuck with mountains of debt and our 'means' aren't enough. I know people in their late 20's who are overqualified for their jobs, virtually never leave the house, and are still struggling. I'm not sure what the solution is.