General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsSurvivorship bias. It seems as if only parents of kids who want to go into
Highly competitive careers remember this.
Competitive careers
Whether it be movie stars, or athletes, or musicians, or CEOs of multibillion-dollar corporations who dropped out of school, popular media often tells the story of the determined individual who pursues their dreams and beats the odds. There is much less focus on the many people that may be similarly skilled and determined but fail to ever find success because of factors beyond their control or other (seemingly) random events. This creates a false public perception that anyone can achieve great things if they have the ability and make the effort. The overwhelming majority of failures are not visible to the public eye, and only those who survive the selective pressures of their competitive environment are seen regularly.
From Wikipedia survivorship bias.
3Hotdogs
(12,210 posts)Really !
You can, too.
(I won't tell you how much I lost before I won that.)
tblue37
(64,982 posts)Perhaps in this neglected spot is laid
Some heart once pregnant with celestial fire;
Hands, that the rod of empire might have sway'd,
Or wak'd to ecstasy the living lyre.
But Knowledge to their eyes her ample page
Rich with the spoils of time did ne'er unroll;
Chill Penury repress'd their noble rage,
And froze the genial current of the soul.
Full many a gem of purest ray serene,
The dark unfathom'd caves of ocean bear:
Full many a flow'r is born to blush unseen,
And waste its sweetness on the desert air.
snip
empedocles
(15,751 posts)thank you
raccoon
(31,092 posts)honest.abe
(8,556 posts)For every incredible success story there are probably 10 failures.
Johonny
(20,684 posts)Only 1.6 % of college football players make the pros. Only 1.2 % of mens basketball players make the pros. Now this is people that have already made it one step through the ladder. Think of the percentage that played high school etc...
And of course, every professional there's only a small subset that are stars. There's a lot less Tom Brady stories even among those that "made it".
honest.abe
(8,556 posts)No doubt there has to be a unique combination of factors that come together for those to make it.
Javaman
(62,442 posts)once upon a time in my primordial life I was in film. I have seen first hand what happens to people when they get instant fame and those that work toward that goal.
some, very very very very few remain humble and good solid people, many let fame go to their heads, but all would probably agree that you are challenged daily with small steps that strain the bonds of friendship and integrity.
I worked my way up from a PA to cinematographer over many years and it cost me a lot in family and friends. Finally, I was at a place where I had to make a choice, either I was all in or walk away. I walked away, the cost of "all in" was just too high for me.
everyone wants to rule the world, as the song goes but the reality of it can be very taxing and very lonely.
eppur_se_muova
(36,227 posts)MOST businesses fail, and usually in their first year. Any system which relies for advancement on the principle that "only the strong survive" requires thorough and ruthless culling, not every now and then, but constantly, in order to function. The species improves faster, the more heavily individuals are culled. Death/failure is not some unwanted side effect, it is the essential tool without which there is no progress.
If that sounds harsh, then (un)natural selection is not what you want to choose. Choose a society in which the rich help the poor, or are otherwise denied the source of their wealth. If the strong cannot help the weak, what use are they ? And why should their continued existence be favored over that of others ?
treestar
(82,383 posts)on how to succeed. You only had to believe in yourself. Tell yourself positive messages. Some of the big successes had been raised to believe in themselves, so it is possible the "participation trophy" set of behaviors is meant to raise self-esteem so that the child will grow up with positive feedback, rather than the negatives so many people got growing up.
UpInArms
(51,253 posts)Only one wins ...
Making 999 losers ...
We (as a culture) seem to only focus on and reward the winner
The rest ... while they each may have run a valiant race ... do not gain that focus ...
The competitive society ideology in which we live ... considers most of its citizens to be the chaff ... and discards them
MineralMan
(146,192 posts)If anything short of being President is your definition of failure, you are almost certainly going to fail. If winning some or any elected office is your goal, your chances are far better, but not assured. Many people who have that as their goal never reach that goal.
However, if your goal is to work hard and give whatever you undertake your best effort, you can certainly achieve that goal.
Goal-setting is a crucial part of success. Aim high, but make your true goal contributing in some significant way, and you will succeed.
hunter
(38,264 posts)Some ordinary person you meet -- a nurse, a teacher, a gardener, etc. -- might be an essential light of the world.
Without them the future would be a much bleaker place.
Celebrity means nothing. It's as often a symptom of disease as it is a measure of the light.