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40 Percent of Americans Aren’t Where They Want to Be in Life

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Feeling vaguely dissatisfied with your career? You’re not alone. A recent survey by Bellevue University showed that 40 percent of adults in the U.S. aren’t where they want to be, in terms of their personal and professional lives. More significantly, 60 percent couldn’t say, exactly, what was holding them back.

The researchers surveyed 1,642 Americans aged 18 and older, asking them about personal, professional, and educational goals.

Among their findings:

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– 31.8 percent of those surveyed said they thought they would have achieved more by now.

– One-third said they don’t have the level of educations and skills acquired to achieve their goals in life.

– 47 percent of respondents with no degree reported being dissatisfied with their progress, while 33 percent of those with bachelor’s degrees said they weren’t where they wanted to be.

The good news is that dissatisfaction decreased with age: while 42 percent of adults aged 18 – 24 reported dissatisfaction, only 15 percent of adults 65 and older pined after unachieved goals. Which either means that the survey respondents achieved more over the course of their lives, or that they developed a Zen calm about their accomplishments.

Goal

(Photo Credit: lululemon athletica /Flickr)

Jen Hubley Luckwaldt
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