A lot of bloggers have talked about a recent New York Times article on the “working class millionaires” of Silicon Valley. One of the people profiled is Hal Steger, a 51-year-old marketing executive who has a $3.5 million net worth but still works 60-70 hour weeks looking for his big strike.

This article reminded me of the college application process during high school. Among my group of friends, the schools to get into were UC Berkeley or UCLA, Cornell or Columbia, or smaller but no less exclusive liberal arts colleges. Nevermind the fact that there were hundreds of great schools outside the US News top 50 list.

Nevermind, because we were trying to get into some of the most competitive universities in the nation, against kids who had organized relief trips to Peru, or won Intel’s science competition, or had straight As and still had time to run a family business. Suddenly, that near-perfect on the SAT makes you a dime a dozen, and that trophy for the county fair looks puny in comparison to a national award.

Where does this come in? Even though I am MILES away from a $3.5 million net worth, I understand why Mr. Steger can feel the way he does. Some might say he’s lost perspective, but our perspective is born of the enivronment we live in. Growing up in a middle-class family in the U.S., I am wealthier than 80% of the population in the world. Yet how many times during the day do I take a step back and appreciate that fact? (Not often enough by a wide shot, I’m chagrined to say).

It’s a good article. After watching the video on Mr. Steger, I really admire his work ethic. I don’t think he doesn’t realize how fortunate he is or is ungrateful for what he has. And I think that’s what the millionaires in the article are trying to convey – it’s one thing to know, intellectually, that you are fortunate. It is quite another to feel, in your heart, that you’ve “made it”.