Lierre RueJan 13, 2023
MostlyHarmless
THE SEVEN HABITS OF HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL PEOPLE
1. Private School
2. Legacy Ivy admission
3. Nepotism hire
4. Seed capital from family money
5. Club memberships
6. Personal assistant, nanny, ghostwriter
7. Journalists who ask “what’s your secret?” and uncritically publish the lame answer
Jan 12, 2023 at 2:46pmWeb
Show threadfritzcokidJan 12, 2023
@MostlyHarmless aka "Born on Third Base, Stole Home and Called it a Home Run"
Show threadRoadskater, Ph.D.Jan 12, 2023
@fritzcokid @MostlyHarmless Stole home on a wild pitch.
Show threadfritzcokidJan 12, 2023
@roadskater @MostlyHarmless exactly
Show threadPhogna BolognaJan 13, 2023
@roadskater @fritzcokid @MostlyHarmless Walked home on a balk by the Republican Congress.
Show threadJordi (Chaotic Aspect)Jan 12, 2023
@MostlyHarmless "Oh, I dunno. I guess I'm just driven to work hard... to crush the poor."
Show threadAndy WaschickJan 12, 2023
@MostlyHarmless We cannot rid ourselves of these people. But we can redefine “success”
Show threadSteve PopovichJan 12, 2023
@randywaterhouse @MostlyHarmless some of those billionaires put the suck in success.
Show threadMax Leibman has moved!Jan 12, 2023

@MostlyHarmless No. 7 is increasingly driving me crazy.

“This founder gets up at 4:00 AM every day to tackle his most important tasks!” Yeah, so do working parents who scrub toilets for a living.

“You won’t believe how frugal this billionaire is!” Ok. I bet he is. But his wife clipping coupons has nothing to do with him making A BILLION DOLLARS.

Show threadMax Leibman has moved!Jan 12, 2023
@MostlyHarmless Also, I’m a former FranklinCovey consultant (the “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People” people), and I endorse your parody. 💯
Show threadGerbrand van DieyenFeb 14, 2023
@maxleibman @MostlyHarmless I have the book somewhere. Got it as new hire for some company ages ago
That list nicely summerizes it
Show threadpublic universal foxJan 12, 2023
@maxleibman @MostlyHarmless if the man isn't clipping his own damn coupons, then he doesn't get to call himself frugal 🤣
Show threadMax Leibman has moved!Jan 12, 2023
@agenderfox @MostlyHarmless Totally agree! I was thinking about a particular story I once heard about Warren Buffet when I wrote that example.
Show threadMorganJan 12, 2023
@agenderfox @maxleibman @MostlyHarmless I'm remembering someone did an interview with Grimes about how Elon Musk lives as though he's poor, and one of the examples was that there was a hole in her side of the mattress and he refused to get a new mattress... like, the more money someone has, the more that just makes him a huge asshole lol
Show threadpublic universal foxJan 12, 2023
@raphaelmorgan @maxleibman @MostlyHarmless I REMEMBER THAT!!! 🤬🤬🤬 that's not "being frugal", it's "not caring about your partner's comfort/safety"
Show threadMorganJan 12, 2023
@agenderfox @maxleibman @MostlyHarmless if his solution was to flip it so the hole was on his side, then I'd be like "sure okay"
but I guarantee the only reason he didn't replace it was that it wasn't affecting him personally
Show threadpublic universal foxJan 13, 2023
@raphaelmorgan @maxleibman @MostlyHarmless THIS
Show threadSteffan ZieglerJan 12, 2023
@MostlyHarmless 2.5 high profile summer internship for "experience"
Show threadPeter OlandtJan 12, 2023
@saint_monkey @MostlyHarmless and the ability to take said internship without pay do to plentiful family wealth
Show threadSubject 33Jan 12, 2023
@MostlyHarmless brilliant
Show threadsentient waterJan 12, 2023
@MostlyHarmless So THAT'S what I've been doing wrong?!
Show threadShaula WalkoJan 12, 2023
@sentient_water @MostlyHarmless Right?! 😂
Show threadThiago CarvalhoJan 12, 2023
@MostlyHarmless cc @pbeldade
Show threadPeterD 🇩🇪 🇨🇦Jan 12, 2023
@MostlyHarmless Yup - dead on!
Show threadRicki Yasha TarrJan 12, 2023
@MostlyHarmless Hard Work (rich parents)
Show threadJeffJan 12, 2023
@MostlyHarmless stop oligarchy
Show threadBuckJan 12, 2023
@MostlyHarmless @MattMerk 2,3,4 in particular
Show threadMikeZilla Minus OneJan 12, 2023

@MostlyHarmless i was a highly successful person and I did not fit any of those categories

of course, i was in insurance where if you were smarter than a armadillo you could succeed

Show threadfuzzfaceJan 12, 2023
@MostlyHarmless Success has good definitions and bad definitions. I would argue this is a set of questions/answers for a poor definition of Success.
Show threadAllen StenhausJan 12, 2023
@MostlyHarmless And it's not until the last paragraph where you learn about all these advantages they had, followed by "If I can do it, anyone can!"
Show threadJaded CitizenJan 12, 2023
@MostlyHarmless 8. Inherit millions
Show threadh̴͎͖̥͍̯̘̘̳̠̋̈́̈́̇͛̈̔͂͜͝o̵͌̎̅͊̃̔Jan 12, 2023
@MostlyHarmless
8. A new mastodon instance every week
Show threadNathan SchneiderJan 12, 2023
@MostlyHarmless the secret is "hard work" of course
Show threadSteve PopovichJan 12, 2023
@ntnsndr @MostlyHarmless several generations ago in many cases, by employees and/or slaves depending on how far back the family money goes. The secret is ALWAYS hard work ...just not generally on the part of the billionaire. Feeding off of the hard work of others, like a leech sated with blood; THAT'S the secret.
Show threadMorganJan 12, 2023
@sspopovich @ntnsndr @MostlyHarmless usually both generations ago and current. They invest the hard work from generations ago into exploiting hard work from poor people now
a + b = success I guess
Show threadDouglas Phillips BooksJan 12, 2023
@MostlyHarmless nice checklist for all future interviews.
Show threadSpidermanJan 12, 2023
@MostlyHarmless Same in Uk; becoming really corrupt in many financial areas
Show threadCynthia At LargeJan 12, 2023
@MostlyHarmless accurate
Show threadMartin BonovJan 12, 2023
@MostlyHarmless Hilarious! These are the highly promoted rich people :) The fun fact is that usually, the most successful people have started their journey in poverty. #success #motivation
Show threadLaurentBourrellyJan 12, 2023
@MostlyHarmless 8. Cocaine 😂
Show threadPeterD 🇩🇪 🇨🇦Jan 12, 2023
@MostlyHarmless A PBS has new documentary out: "In a Different Key", https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/new-documentary-in-a-different-key-follows-first-person-ever-diagnosed-with-autism, Donald Triplett. He was accepted in his community and went to school and worked at the local bank. His parents were wealthy and privileged and made sure Don was treated well and looked after. Ditto for Bill Gates. So - your little list of privileges is dead on.
New documentary 'In A Different Key' follows first person ever diagnosed with autism

The prevalence of autism in the United States has increased dramatically over the last few decades, and that’s coincided with a new understanding of just how broad the spectrum is. This is explored in a new film called "In A Different Key," which features Don Triplett, the first person diagnosed with autism. Filmmakers Caren Zucker and John Donvan joined Geoff Bennett to discuss the project.

PBS NewsHour
Show threadSue CohenJan 12, 2023
@MostlyHarmless
There is an error on your title
It should read The Habits of Highly Successful NEPOTISM
Show threadPhil ReesJan 12, 2023
@MostlyHarmless Now I understand why Covey used "effective" rather than "successful".
Show threadMojosueJan 12, 2023

@MostlyHarmless

Its easier if you can redefine success on your head. Then at any point in your life, you may well be very much Nailing It.

Show threadKingsdockJan 12, 2023
@MostlyHarmless This is true but also if you come from a working class background don't let this put you off working hard and trying to succeed.....
Show threadPensive™️Jan 12, 2023

@MostlyHarmless

Lucky them.

https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/beautiful-minds/the-role-of-luck-in-life-success-is-far-greater-than-we-realized/

The Role of Luck in Life Success Is Far Greater Than We Realized

Are the most successful people in society just the luckiest people?

Scientific American Blog Network
Show threadSophia 🎶☃️🩵✨Jan 12, 2023
@MostlyHarmless
Never give up.
Reach for the stars.
You just have to believe in yourself.
Be better than others.
Find out, what you want to do and commit to it.
Work hard.
You have to be smart.
Set goals
Always keep on learning
Be good at what you are doing.
Find your passion
Be honest
Be reliable
Take care of your responsibilities
Show others what you have to offer
Don't be shy
Negotiate
...
😉
Show threadSeattlemooseJan 12, 2023
@MostlyHarmless
Spot. On.
Answer to #7 "oh, I drink a lot of water" ...it's always 'water'. Eyeroll.
Show threadMordkoJan 12, 2023
@MostlyHarmless Wrong. Sergey Bryn: poor immigrant; family shared a small flat with grandparents. Steve Jobs: adopted by a couple which wasn’t well off.
Show threadSoozcatJan 12, 2023
@Mordko @MostlyHarmless It's always possible to find the tiny handful of exceptions to the rule. That doesn't negate the rule.
Show threadMordkoJan 12, 2023
@Soozcat @MostlyHarmless saying “its a rule” does not make it so. In fact, if you are healthy, no excuse to be unsuccessful if you live in a rich country. Get qualified and you’ll be fine.
Show threadSoozcatJan 12, 2023
@Mordko @MostlyHarmless Oh honey. I'm sorry for you but I can't fix your delusions. Good luck out there.
Show threadMordkoJan 13, 2023
@Soozcat @MostlyHarmless Appreciate patronizing attitude. Bye
Show threadAlex Galt 🧄Jan 13, 2023
@Mordko @MostlyHarmless this list is absolutely true of a lot of people. I know some. I smiled at the last one especially because a family I know was asked how they did what they did while raising a family in an interview and they did not mention their nanny or their housekeeper. The source of their wealth: a privately held family company. Only one of the 7 above didn’t hold true for them. Yes, there are outliers like you mentioned. There have to be or people wouldn’t buy into the system.
Show threadMordkoJan 13, 2023
@alex_galt @MostlyHarmless I’ll be honest. Having come from a poor country I find this type of thinking pathetic. In N America its simple: 1. Get qualifications. 2. Get a job. 3. You’ll do great. No need to be envious. Of course there are problems but having rich people isn’t it.
Show threadAlex Galt 🧄Jan 13, 2023

@Mordko @MostlyHarmless

Envious? Who said I was envious? Those people should be envious of me. I'm looking around my house and everything I see I earned—they'll never experience that. The list is descriptive and, if anything, it's critical of a type of person who was born with/given unbelievable advantages but can't acknowledge it to themself or others. People like this I know don't seem particularly happy.

Show threadMordkoJan 13, 2023
@alex_galt @MostlyHarmless the list claims that “highly successful people” are born into money. True for some but not others. So its a lie. Why lie? To explain own failure. “Not my fault, I didn’t have a rich dad”. Envy. No need to educate yourself and work hard. Its no good anyway. Looser’s philosophy. That’s my train of thought on this.
Show threadAlex Galt 🧄Jan 13, 2023

@Mordko @MostlyHarmless

You're welcome to your train of thought, but I do think it's making you ascribe motivations to others that don't exist. I can't speak for anyone but myself, but as I said before, I'm not envious. What I am is critical of an economic system that creates vast inequities at birth. There's nothing 'natural' about that, it's the result of policy. I question those policies because I would like to live in a society where people have equal access to opportunity.

Show threadMordkoJan 13, 2023
@alex_galt @MostlyHarmless alright. How do you get “equal access to opportunity”? Take kids away from parents? Because some are better at parenting than others? We’ve seen this movie before… Building Utopias has its own challenges.
I came to England with one pound in my pocket. Poor language skills. No connections. Did OK. Not a bad system. Not equal, but you get a chance if you want to learn and work.
Show threadMordkoJan 13, 2023
@alex_galt @MostlyHarmless of course envy isn’t the only reason for spreading this ideology. Reasonable alternative explanations could be made. Line pandering to envious people.