Self-Made: Is Anyone Self-Made?

While one may have only heard the term 'self-made' recently, that doesn't mean it is something that has been created within the past few years. It is a term that has been around for many, many years and the word 'man' is often added at the end.

In today's world, it not just something a man can use to describe himself, it is also something a woman can use. What this comes down to is that women are more empowered than they were in the past and there are more opportunities for them to fulfil their needs.

In The Shadows

They no longer need to stay in the shadows and to watch men achieve what they want to achieve. This is not to say that every country in the world is the same; as there are some countries that are still stuck in the past.

However, there is a clear difference in the west when it comes to how women were treated in the past and how they are treated now. This doesn't mean women are always treated as they want to be treated, but then again, neither are men.

Success

If one was to think about people who are successful, there is a strong chance that they won't just think about men. Whether one was to think about the people they know or the people they see in the public eye, they are likely to think about people from each gender.

What one person classes as success is not necessarily the same as another, but this is not going to mean that a certain type of success is only experienced by one gender. It won't matter what one classes as success; as there will be people out there from both genders who match up with their definition.

In The Beginning

When it comes to what someone has achieved, they may have come from nothing or they may have started off with a silver spoon in their mouth. If one started off with a silver spoon in their mouth, it is not going to be possible for them to say they are self-made.

To say such a thing would show they are not only lying to others, they are also lying to themselves. From the very beginning, the support they needed was with them and they didn't need to struggle by themselves.

Support

This doesn't mean that one didn't have to do anything and that everything was done for them, but it would have made their life easier. One wouldn't have had to look outside of their family for money or resources, as this would have been provided.

But even if one wasn't born with a silver spoon in their mouth, it doesn't mean they had to do it all by themselves. If the financial support wasn't there, it could have meant that one was supported in others ways.

Guidance

In the beginning of their life, they may have been given the guidance that they needed in order to learn a certain skill. Through being mentored by a member of their family, one would have been able to develop the ability to do something.

If they were unable to show one what they wanted to learn, they may have taken them to someone who could show them. This would have allowed one to gradually develop themselves.

Self-Made

When it comes to someone who classes themselves as self-made, they are likely to say that their life didn't start out this way. There wouldn't have been any financial support and neither would there have been any kind of guidance.

As these two factors were missing, one would have been the one who pushed themselves forward. It may have taken a while for them to get to where they wanted to be and this could be because the beginning of their life was a time where they lacked a sense of purpose.

Proud

So whether one had to wait until they were older or took their life into their own hands at a young age, they are likely to feel a sense of pride. They might reflect on the fact that not only have they achieved something; they have also done it without needing anyone else.

Now, the people around them may validate this outlook or they may find it hard to believe how they have done everything by themselves. It is clear that one had to take the initiative, as what they needed wasn't handed to them on plate, but at the same time, this doesn't mean they were not assisted in other ways.

Assistance

It wouldn't have been possible for them to sit around and for everything to fall into their lap, but if it wasn't for the people who have assisted them along the way, they wouldn't be the person they are today. One is an interdependent human being and this means they need other people.

This assistance could have come about through reading books, having different mentors, speaking to people and taking courses, among others things. Each of these factors (along with many others) will have played a part in who one has become and what they have achieved.

Actors

When one watches a film, they can come to the conclusion that it is all about the actors. As these are the people who one sees on the big screen, this is to be expected. Yet, if it wasn't for everyone else who has played a part in the creation of the film, the actor's wouldn't be able to do what they do.

This shows it is not about one actor or a number of them; it is about a whole team of people. If an actor came out and said it is all about them and they are the ones who made the film what it is, they would end up being described as deluded.

The Illusion

However, when people come out and say that they are self-made in daily life, they are often believed. This allows them to maintain the illusion that they are where they are because of their efforts alone and not because of how other people have assisted them along the way.