Be Purposeful, Not Discouraged

I know many young people today are struggling. The costs of living are up. Housing prices are high. College debts are mortgage-sized, and healthcare costs are ridiculous. These are facts in the United States. Healthcare and education are less daunting in other countries. Housing and taxes are more. What was it like in 1982? It was one of the worst periods of stagflation during the last 100 years. Only the Great Depression, from 1929 to 1935, was worse. This will give you a sense of things: Measure 1981-82 2026 Prime Lending Rate 1 21.5% 6.75% Inflation 2 10.3% 4.20% Unemployment 3 10.8% 4.10% The Prime Rate in the United States is what banks use to determine lending rates for their best customers. Think of it as a proxy for a mortgage rate. I picked the peak figures for 1981-1982 and the latest figures in 2026. By every metric, 1982 was a bad year to finish college. I got a business degree with an emphasis in accounting. That degree got me as far as nine job interviews in a university…