---
title: "Never Gonna Make It"
description: "That's the number of currently employed Americans who don't expect they will ever make enough money to have the kind of life they want."
date: "2007-11-27"
authors:
  - name: "Russell Heimlich"
    job_title: "Former web developer"
    link: "https://www.pewresearch.org/staff/russell-heimlich/"
url: "https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2007/11/27/never-gonna-make-it/"
---

# Never Gonna Make It

Most American workers who say they don’t earn enough now, expect to earn enough in the future to lead the kind of life they want; but nearly one in five (18%) of all employed respondents in aPew Research Center survey say that they don’t expect ever to make enough to have the life they want. Among those who aren’t currently employed, nearly a quarter (23%) doubt that their finances will ever suffice to provide the kind of life they want.[Read More](https://www.pewresearch.org/pubs/324/most-americans-moderately-upbeat-about-family-finances-in-2007)