Reality
I just learned today what I can expect to earn at my current employer after two years, provided I've managed to get promoted to a level 2 technician during that time. The pay is less per hour than what I made fresh out of high school back in 1979. It put a bit of a damper on my thoughts to work towards that promotion until I remembered it meant $200 more a month than what I'm making now. So while I might be poorer than I was in 1980, I'd still be richer than I was in 2005. And that's a good thing.