In the race to the top, money propels the rats forward. On their journey, they willingly subject themselves to manual labor, stressful situations, overtime, and even multiple jobs. They do almost whatever they can to obtain it.

Since most companies avoid overtime like the plague, the best route to ring in some extra money is to get a second job. The majority choose to subject themselves to odd hours at a pizza place, convenience store, and the like. They apply to a large corporation, requesting a schedule that works around their primary occupation. For a desperate man in need of a guaranteed paycheck, that is the way to go.

However, the man wanting to break free of the rat race needs to find himself another route. He must not work for yet another company giant. He must realize that doing so would waste his hard work on another man’s dream, leaving no time for his own. Instead, he must go to work for himself. That man must discover the monetizable skills in his possession; he must make use of these.

Only when a man realizes this can he ride the escalator to the top, rather than trudge up those despairingly steep steps.