Self-Made Millionaires and Billionaires Don’t Exist

Okay, so we all know that millionaires and billionaires exist, and it may seem as if they are godly or amazing sometimes because they have accumulated so much wealth. However, I see too many of them being described in the media as “self-made.” 

And I’m not talking about the physical definition of being made. 

I am talking about how nothing comes in a vacuum. I try to take time every once in a while to appreciate the experiences and people who have influenced me, for better or for worse, even if it is cringe-worthy. Those things made me who I am, and continue to shape who I will be in seven, fifteen, fifty years. 

But the media and the business world makes it seem as if successful people we look up to were just born that way. Success was their destiny. And then we end up hating our own destiny for putting us in a lower position. We say that we wish we could be like that. And on the one hand, someone could viably say that it just wasn’t meant to be. Then there will be someone out there, trying to be motivational, who says that everyone could be successful like that with the right drive. And if either one of those opinions makes you feel better, then great! But a lot of people are going to hate the idea of “destiny” because they like to have control, and tons of people are going to hate the idea of “drive” being the key because it makes them feel like they are more of a failure from the lack of evidence from their efforts. 

I prefer to think that it is a mixture of both. If you’ve ever seen those “motivational” posts about how Bill Gates started in his parents’ garage, it probably leans toward the “drive” hypothesis. The comments saying “But I don’t have a garage” are coming from the “destiny” hypothesis. But what if I told you they were both right, at least a little? 

You see, it is easy for someone who doesn’t know you to say that you could do it too; just as easy as it is for you to be pessimistic about it for yourself. But if you look at it from a third-person view, you may notice that with the right resources and motivation, you too could become as successful as Gates or Bezos. However, too much of one or the other could be the difference between living the life of your dreams and just dreaming about it. 

Like I said, success is not possible without one’s surrounding conditions being ideal for them. For example, Gates’ parents were nice enough to let him use their garage for his startup. If they hadn’t, would he have been able to get where he is today? I don’t idolize the man, but nobody else would be able to if he had gotten a minimum wage job and stayed for the security. Does this mean that it is all destiny? 

On the other hand, we hear of celebrities who were stuck in a life of prison sentences but bounced into their roles as we know them today. How did they succeed when it seemed like all the cards were stacked against them? Some people would say this points to the drive hypothesis. 

I think that instead we would have to look at a combination of their experiences, influences, knowledge, and personality in order to figure that out. Even if it looks like they succeeded on their own, they didn’t. Quite frankly, it depends on how you network, how you decide to spend your money, and how you handle different situations. It depends on where you live, your family’s socioeconomic status, and what resources you have access to. You cannot accumulate wealth in a vacuum, because it is not possible for your business to succeed without clients, customers, and other workers. You cannot learn the skills and develop the mindset necessary to succeed without people and experiences to teach you. We learn from people in every interaction we have with them and every situation created by the many players. The idea that someone has created their own success is both true and untrue, and depending on how you think, you may dig your own grave of unhappiness and comparisons. Appreciate the things in life that led you where you are without repeating mistakes. If you want to reach for the stars, awesome, but know that if you don’t touch them, you won’t freeze forever, and that if you do touch them, you might get burned. 

Until next time, keep thinking outside the box, and keep reading in between!