At What Age are We Happiest?

A recent study by Bank of America / Merrill Lynch shows the ages in which folks report their level of happiness.  It's pretty interesting stuff:

I suppose this data is intuitive: kids and seniors - those with the fewest responsibilities, reported the highest levels of well being.  Those of us at the age where worries like parents, kids, career, and impending retirement have us with the least amount of satisfaction.  

Unfortunately, I'm clearly in that group.  Work responsibilities are tough, and there's very little overt satisfaction.  Once one hits a certain level, the "atta boys" given are few and far in between.  One is just expected to kick butt, or be fired.  Hence, job satisfaction needs to be intrinsic.  However, as my own worst critic, that's not always a good configuration.

The good news in all of this is that I'm at the bottom, and that things get better from here.  In fact, things absolutely take off upon retirement, and it looks fabulous.  Thus, I need to leverage the last of my earning years as best I can, and get to that point.  

Where are you on the graph, and does it match how you feel?