At some point one has to wonder whether this kind of claims are helpful or whether they are part of what is making so many unhappy. I could use my 2200 characters to discuss, however, I believe that Alain de Boton said it best in his "A kinder, gentler philosophy of success " Ted talk and so I am going to share some of his words instead. (If you can, listen to the complete talk)
"It's probably as unlikely that you would nowadays become as rich and famous as Bill Gates, as it was unlikely in the 17th century that you would accede to the ranks of the French aristocracy. But the point is, it doesn't feel that way. "
"There's a real correlation between a society that tells people that they can do anything, and the existence of low self-esteem. "
" in the Middle Ages, in England, when you met a very poor person, that person would be described as an "unfortunate" -- literally, somebody who had not been blessed by fortune. Nowadays, particularly in the United States, if you meet someone at the bottom of society, they may unkindly be described as a "loser." There's a real difference between an unfortunate and a loser, and that shows 400 years of evolution in society and our belief in who is responsible for our lives. It's no longer the gods, it's us. We're in the driving seat. "
"That's exhilarating if you're doing well, and very crushing if you're not. "
" I want to argue for is not that we should give up on our ideas of success, but we should make sure that they are our own... "
Extracts from "A kinder, gentler philosophy of success "
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