Basically what edsortails is saying is this:
If you really are worth what you think you're worth, just put yourself out there and do your best to convince someone of it, and they will learn it and you'll get what you're worth.
If you're really not but think you are, do your best attempt to con someone into agreeing with you anyway. That's the way the world works - education, hard work, and determination help but the real things that determine your "worth" are who you can con into believing you are more than you really are. If you know someone and they like you, this is even easier to accomplish - hence why networking has so much value.