You have heard it all before, pull yourself up by the bootstraps. Typically, the individual telling you to pull yourself up by the bootstraps will refer to themselves as self made. No matter how much you are able to “pull yourself up” the fact is, no one is self made. We all need help from others, but that alone is not enough to succeed. Even with help from others, you must be at the right place at the right time. In other words, to succeed, you must also be lucky. I am not discounting that hard work is necessary to achieve your goals, it is. But do not ever make the mistake of thinking that you are self made. In making that mistake, you are not appreciating or acknowledging the contributions of the people that have helped you along the way. Give them the credit and acknowledgement that they deserve.
Self Made
There are no self made individuals. For that matter, there are no self made millionaires. If you do not believe me, just think about it. Think of any so called self made individuals or millionaires. Yes, those individuals that are labeled self made. Pull back the curtain and look at the individual. Likely, they are very smart, hard working, and have a certain skill set combination that got them to where they are. Their dedication and skill set helped them navigate up, down, over, and around obstacles to become what we know them as today. They are good at what they do. But they did not do it alone. They are in effect, not self made.
The Team
Zoom out from our supposed self made individual and look at their team. Look at the people behind them who have implemented their plans and have mentored them to success. I am not talking about the new person that they have hired to fill a role. Nor am I identifying an easily replaceable employee that can be plugged into a specific role. I mean their team. The group of people who have been around them for years, or even decades. The group of people that have significantly impacted our so called self made millionaire’s life the most. The team could be made up of family members, a mentor or someone who has been a confidant over the years. The team is what give this individual strength. This team is the primary motivator and at times the inspiration from which our so call self made individual draws from.
The Big Break
Now pull back further to the individuals who gave our so called self made person his or her big break. This need not be one significant big break, it could be incremental breaks or transition from one point to the next. Who was that first client for a new business? Who was the first investor to believe in the idea or the employee that left their secure job to start a new company with our so call self made man? Find that person and you will find the catalyst for our self made man’s success.
Early Backers
If you still believe that some folks are self made, look at their childhood. Was it the parents or family members who gave our so call self made man a stable environment? What about their coach who saw the promise of a future star and spent the extra time to help hone his/her skills? Think about the teacher who saw the promise and provided the necessary encouragement. Who paid for the extra classes and tutoring lessons? These are the early backers. The early backers are people who saw promise and invested in our so called self made man’s future. Without the early backers, our self made man would be a shell of who he is today
Luck
Now, let us look at luck. It is difficult for us to admit that we have accomplished goals not by our pure skills and intelligence, but by luck. It is very simple, to be successful, you must have a bit of luck. Success is the intersection of luck, opportunity and skill. The Luck that you won the lottery with parents who may be able to nurture your developing mind. Luck that you had that coach or teacher that believed in you. Luck that you met that friend who profoundly impacted you and pushed you forward. In the simplest case, luck that you did not get hit by a car, affected by a disease or a situation beyond your control that left you ill-equipped to grab your future by the horns and move forward. Luck, you need it, so acknowledge it.
Conclusion
You have heard it all before, pull yourself up by the bootstraps. Typically, the individual telling you to pull yourself up by the bootstraps will refer to themselves as self made. No matter how much you are able to “pull yourself up” the fact is, no one is self made. We all need help from others, but that alone is not enough to succeed. Even with help from others, you must be at the right place at the right time. In other words, to succeed, you must also be lucky. I am not discounting that hard work is necessary to achieve your goals, it is. But do not ever make the mistake of thinking that you are self made. In making that mistake, you are not appreciating or acknowledging the contributions of the people that have helped you along the way. Give them the credit and acknowledgement that they deserve.
Do not be ashamed to acknowledge that your success is not attributed to you alone. Embrace those around you and achieve.
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