The principles of money

“There is no such thing as a “self-made” man. We are made up of thousands of others. Everyone who has ever done a kind deed for us, or spoken one word of encouragement to us, has entered into the make-up of our character and of our thoughts, as well as our success”. 

George Matthew Adams

What is Self-Made?

The phrase self-made has been used to describe someone who has achieved success without the help of anyone else.  When I hear this phrase, it makes me cringe because no one gets anywhere in life without the support of others.  If you run any type of commerce business, it is your customer who makes you successful.  An entrepreneur with a good product or service will go bankrupt if no one is willing to buy it.  It is through the financial backing of your community that you are a success. You are not self-made.

You are Chosen

If you are an employee working at a company, someone decided to hire you over other candidates.  This choice was based off the knowledge someone else taught you through higher education or apprenticeship.  If you got your job with no experience, someone in a leader role had to teach you how to do your job.  Your teachers devoted hours to make you proficient in your skill so you could be a success.  You are not self-made.

You are a Collaboration

Did you procreate to bring yourself into being? No, two people decided to combine and you were a result.  Your very being was designed without your input.  The way you were raised was a partnership between culture and your caretaker’s experience. The encounters that you have faced have further shaped your view of the world.  While you may be responsible for some of these incidents, most were out of your control. You are not self-made.

You are a Collection

What you are is an image of the experiences both good and bad, your culture and community.  You are a collection of every hurt, smile, and lesson.  It is a slap in the face to your family, friends and supporters who have loved and encouraged you to call yourself self-made.  Even Warren Buffett, one of the richest men in the world attributes his success to luck.  He states much of his success was due to him being born a white male in the United States. You are not self-made.

You are Tenacious

I don’t discredit your hard work in the success formula.  Yes, there are lonely moments in entrepreneurship and work. But none of this makes you self-made. It makes you tenacious. Your uncompromising dedication to your work is admirable.  I want to see you get to the top of your mountain with gratefulness and humility. There is no such thing as self-made.