[Livia]

It's good to see the story of someone who's worked hard through the ranks instead of resting on his laurels and whining about how hard life is. Pity we don't see more of it.

[user104658]

Originally Posted by Livia

It's good to see the story of someone who's worked hard through the ranks instead of resting on his laurels and whining about how hard life is. Pity we don't see more of it.

Originally Posted by Livia

Well, it can't be all chiefs and no Indians can it.

Honestly Livia, come on, if you're not careful you'll end up a caricature like arista! Are you saying that anyone who doesn't rise from min-wage staff to CEO of a multi-billion $ company is where they are because they have been "resting on their laurels"?

It's unrealistic. It happens - but rarely - and it can ONLY be rarely, because a relatively small and finite number of these high-paying positions exist at all. Certainly not enough for every hard-working fresh-faced newstart to get there. There are obviously other elements involved. Personal gifts like exceptional charisma, something that not everyone can learn no matter how hard they work, would be one element. Another is simple dumb luck and that's something that, for some reason, people just don't like to admit. Being at the right place, working in the right store, getting to know the right people who happen to be there, all play a part for "ladder climbers".

[Cherry Christmas]

Originally Posted by Toy Soldier

Honestly Livia, come on, if you're not careful you'll end up a caricature like arista! Are you saying that anyone who doesn't rise from min-wage staff to CEO of a multi-billion $ company is where they are because they have been "resting on their laurels"?

It's unrealistic. It happens - but rarely - and it can ONLY be rarely, because a relatively small and finite number of these high-paying positions exist at all. Certainly not enough for every hard-working fresh-faced newstart to get there. There are obviously other elements involved. Personal gifts like exceptional charisma, something that not everyone can learn no matter how hard they work, would be one element. Another is simple dumb luck and that's something that, for some reason, people just don't like to admit. Being at the right place, working in the right store, getting to know the right people who happen to be there, all play a part for "ladder climbers".

I agree with alot of this, that said if you don't get out there and do something it will definately never happen

[user104658]

Originally Posted by Cherie

I agree with alot of this, that said if you don't get out there and do something it will definately never happen

This is true, doing nothing is a surefire way of getting nowhere. But getting nowhere (or not getting far) isn't necessarily an indication that a person hasn't done anything or isn't prepared to work hard. In fact there's a quite a dangerous mindset there because people become a self-fulfilling prophecy - e.g. someone reaches say 40 and hasn't achieved anything spectacular, people start to assume that this is because they aren't capable (or because they haven't worked hard enough and are lazy) rather than because the opportunity hasn't arisen, and so fewer people are willing to give them a chance.

[Livia]

Originally Posted by Toy Soldier

Honestly Livia, come on, if you're not careful you'll end up a caricature like arista! Are you saying that anyone who doesn't rise from min-wage staff to CEO of a multi-billion $ company is where they are because they have been "resting on their laurels"?

It's unrealistic. It happens - but rarely - and it can ONLY be rarely, because a relatively small and finite number of these high-paying positions exist at all. Certainly not enough for every hard-working fresh-faced newstart to get there. There are obviously other elements involved. Personal gifts like exceptional charisma, something that not everyone can learn no matter how hard they work, would be one element. Another is simple dumb luck and that's something that, for some reason, people just don't like to admit. Being at the right place, working in the right store, getting to know the right people who happen to be there, all play a part for "ladder climbers".

I'm saying you don't have to be a minimum wage drudge forever. You can better yourself, you can get qualified to do better things, you can work hard. Or... you can stay in a dead-end, minimum wage job and moan about it. The only person who can change your circumstances is yourself.

[user104658]

Originally Posted by Livia

I'm saying you don't have to be a minimum wage drudge forever. You can better yourself, you can get qualified to do better things, you can work hard. Or... you can stay in a dead-end, minimum wage job and moan about it. The only person who can change your circumstances is yourself.

Ahh yes, the fictional world of opportunity we live in eh.

[Livia]

Originally Posted by Toy Soldier

Ahh yes, the fictional world of opportunity we live in eh.

I don't understand what you mean. Are you saying that people shouldn't bother trying to do better because opportunity is fictional? If you want to do better, you will. If you don't, you won't. That's been my experience. But one thing's for sure, nothing's going to fall into your lap and sometimes you have to give up things to gain things.

Some people are happy bobbing along the bottom. Good for them.

[user104658]

Originally Posted by Livia

I don't understand what you mean. Are you saying that people shouldn't bother trying to do better because opportunity is fictional? If you want to do better, you will. If you don't, you won't. That's been my experience. But one thing's for sure, nothing's going to fall into your lap and sometimes you have to give up things to gain things.

Some people are happy bobbing along the bottom. Good for them.

No I'm saying exactly what I said: that there's more to it, and that the premise of this thread is dodgy.

Yes, this guy worked there at 17... while living with and being funded by his parents and having the opportunity to attain a Masters Degree from University which allowed him to leapfrog the corporate ladder into higher level management where he advanced to CEO.

Let's say there's another guy who started with him at 17. His parents aren't interested in him and kick him out at 18 and he needs every cent of his shelf-stacking wage to pay his rent and buy food. Realistically... is THAT guy getting attending University and getting a Masters? How would that even be feasible? Where does the money come from? Where does the TIME come from for a person who has to be working long hours in a **** job just to survive?

The reality is that true rags-to-riches stories are very rare and you'll find the roots of most of them in dumb luck. This fellow in the OP is not a rags-to-riches story. There are no rags here.