Can I ask a philosophical question?

[NY Disney fan]

Was curious to know people's opinion on this:

Would you agree that a successful person (be it Oprah or a govenor or a CEO) did not get to that position in life in a vacuum but with career/life mentoring and other people who lifted them up in some way?

Would you agree or disagree that people who have failed to accomplish their goals in life did so in a vacuum or did other people assist in their failings (the same way other assist in someone's success)?

 

[GinnyEmma]

i think that some people become 'successful" in spite of others, and some with the help of others.

 

[mommasita]

Was curious to know people's opinion on this:

Would you agree that a successful person (be it Oprah or a govenor or a CEO) did not get to that position in life in a vacuum but with career/life mentoring and other people who lifted them up in some way?

Would you agree or disagree that people who have failed to accomplish their goals in life did so in a vacuum or did other people assist in their failings (the same way other assist in someone's success)?

IMHO it varies. This is not so cut and dry. Each person is different.

 

[NaLisa]

I'm reminded of that saying that life is 10 percent what happens to you and 90 percent how you deal with it. We're all affected and influenced by other people in our lives, sometimes positively, other times negatively. I do think it's easier to be successful if you've had lots of positive influences in your life (parents, teachers, etc.), but some very successful people have been motivated by someone telling them they COULDN'T do something.

 

[Acklander]

Usually the mentors are able to recognize that extra something that people like Oprah have. A mentor can't overcome the fact that you're mediocre - So I don't think of it as someone attaching themselves to a mentor to become successful, but a mentor is attaching themselves to the rising star.

 

[LuvOrlando]

Vacuum. One of my all time favorite quotes is Plato's "Know Thyself" because I think a failure to adequately assess one's own strengths and weaknesses is the cornerstone of all failure and the ability to appropriately evaluate the same circumstances is the cornerstone to success.

People who are extremely successful tend to have an uncanny ability of some kind that they recognize and they capitalize on it, they are wiggly and flexible and change shapes in order to accomplish their goals.

People who are extremely 'unlucky' tend to fail to see their strengths and/or weaknesses and it never ends well. Whether this is social or academic it always ends badly because they refuse to learn from their mistakes, refuse to bend and blame others instead of their own miscalculations.

In a nutshell, I think failure comes from painting yourself into the wrong picture and success comes from painting yourself into the right one

At least that's how I see it.

 

[FireDancer]

Was curious to know people's opinion on this:

Would you agree that a successful person (be it Oprah or a govenor or a CEO) did not get to that position in life in a vacuum but with career/life mentoring and other people who lifted them up in some way?

Would you agree or disagree that people who have failed to accomplish their goals in life did so in a vacuum or did other people assist in their failings (the same way other assist in someone's success)?

My opinion:

I think with the exception of the people who inherit their position because they are family everyone is ultimately responsible for their own success or failure. Some will have easier paths to success because of mentors but ultimately success is about hard work and determination.

If I fail to accomplish a goal it is down to me. Having help makes it easier to accomplish a goal but the goals I set are mine and are my responsibility. Unless someone is going ahead and sabotaging my life (highly unlikely by the way) I can't blame anyone else for my failure.

I view success as a choice. Even with a mentor it is you that chooses to put in the work to succeed. I don't believe in dumb luck for anything other than acts of God.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Was curious to know people's opinion on this:

Would you agree that a successful person (be it Oprah or a govenor or a CEO) did not get to that position in life in a vacuum but with career/life mentoring and other people who lifted them up in some way?

Would you agree or disagree that people who have failed to accomplish their goals in life did so in a vacuum or did other people assist in their failings (the same way other assist in someone's success)?

I though about your philosophical question.

My answer is that people drag you down and lift you up all the time throughout your life.

It is up to you to listen, act, educate, etc... and choose the path that you want to travel down.

In other words you have to be open to taking risks and living a life outside the box and risk failure in order to succeed.

I guess you can sum it up....

If at first you don't succeed, try, try again.

Quitters never win.

It depends on your perspective as well. What seems to be a "fail" right now might be a huge success later. Who knows?

I just saw a show on Albert Barnes and is certainly an example of success/failure wrapped up in one. At the time he was a "failure" in the eyes of the "art snobs". However the people he mentored and what he did for "art" was a success.

Today he is a major success, even though he is dead.

http://www.barnesfoundation.org/

 

[stashbin]

I think a person's choices have a lot to do with success or failure. I know someone who's sister is a drug addict with no job and is miserable. However the sibling went to college, has a job, and is happy. Both came from the same set of parents. One chose one path and the other chose another. Choices.

 

[Tinkermommy]

Interesting topic.

I think ultimately no matter what happens in your life you are responsible through direct choices or a culmination of all of your choices for your success or failure.

While there are a host of variables that can help (or hinder), you have to make the most of them.

How many times have you heard of someone that had "everything going for them" and then still managed to muck up their life? Or someone that overcame all kinds of adversities to succeed?

If you fail or succeed, you deserve all the credit.

 

[ols386]

i think that some people become 'successful" in spite of others, and some with the help of others.

I think this pretty much covers it.

 

[7165red]

I renember when Paul Newman was asked about his success he said luck had a lot to do with it. I heard the same from other successful people. Being there at there right time is a form of luck.

 

[bellebud]

I recall a 'story' - 2 older men talking... one of them has a very successful son, the other one says "your son is so lucky!", the dad of the successful son says "it's funny, the harder my son works, the *luckier* he gets".

I believe this mostly.

If there is any luck for anyone thrown in here and there, it's what you do with the luck that will count in the end.

Hard work will almost always reap rewards.

 

[Pigeon]

A very interesting book that deals with this sort of question is "Outliers: The Story of Success" by Malcolm Gladwell.

Many highly successful people tend to have certain factors aligned in their lives that contribute to their success. For example, an overwhelming number of top Canadian pro hockey players are born early in the year. It has to do with how talent is selected and nurtured at a very early age in Canada. There are very, very few born in December.

I think success comes from a variety of factors, some under a person's control, some the circumstances of their birth, and some dumn luck.

 

[FireDancer]

Being there at there right time is a form of luck.

That is the difference between believing in blind luck and in putting yourself in the position to be lucky. Look at it from an athletics point of view. If I am running a race and am in second place I am putting myself in the position to take advantage of a mistake by the person in front of me. It might be lucky for me that they turn an ankle or take a wrong turn but I can only take advantage of that luck by being there in second place to begin with.

I think people who have had luck in their life, more often than not, have put themselves in a position to take advantage of that luck. Even winning the lottery requires you to first buy the ticket.

 

[FlightlessDuck]

I don't think there is an answer to your question. Some people become successful with help. Some become successful without help or in spite of it.

Some people fail on their own. Some people fail because of others.

 

[lovesmurfs]

I've heard a mirror/window example. For most people, when they succeed, they think it's like looking in a mirror -- it's because of what they did. When they fail, it's like looking out of a window -- it's because of what someone else did.

One of my goals is to switch that around. When I succeed, it's because of everyone who's helped me (window); when I fail, it's because of myself (mirror).

 

[Art 1]

I think that most people have self destructive traits that they don't even know that they have. They just won't let themselves succeed. Others are going to succeed no matter what.

I do work in a dental surgery office that does a lot of work for the state, in other words welfare. Today there were 90 or so patents, mostly children. These people are so poor is astounding. I have been wondering why are they poor, why do they choose to lead a poor life. Why can't they succeed. There are certain common traits that these people have, most are tattooed, most smoke and most have odd piercings, most of the parents of these children are very young. But they are all very poor.

 

[Judy from Boise]

That is the difference between believing in blind luck and in putting yourself in the position to be lucky. Look at it from an athletics point of view. If I am running a race and am in second place I am putting myself in the position to take advantage of a mistake but the person in front of me. It might be lucky for me that they turn an ankle or take a wrong turn but I can only take advantage of that luck by being there in second place to begin with.

I think people who have had luck in their life, more often than not, have put themselves in a position to take advantage of that luck. Even winning the lottery requires you to first buy the ticket.

I totally agree, I think it was Louis Pastuer who said "Luck favors the prepared"

 

[redlight]

I totally agree, I think it was Louis Pastuer who said "Luck favors the prepared"

Chance favors the prepared mind, or something like that.

Both factors are involved. A lot of brilliant and driven people have not succeeded because they did not have the opportunities that others did not, but some people have had all the opportunities but did not take advantage of them.