It’s a commonly held belief that “it’s all about mindset and attitude” when it comes to success.
While having a positive mindset and attitude can certainly support success, the idea that it alone determines one’s level of success is misguided.
There are many external factors that also play a role, such as socioeconomic status, race, gender, access to mental healthcare, and other resources. An individual’s mindset and attitude may impact their ability to navigate these obstacles, but they do not negate their existence or influence.
Additionally, there is often an inherent privilege in being able to view success solely through the lens of one’s own mindset and attitude. Dismissing other factors as insignificant means disregarding the challenges faced by marginalized communities and the systemic barriers they must overcome.
So let’s take a closer look at some of the external factors that can impact an individual’s level of success.
Socioeconomic Status
One’s socioeconomic status is often determined by their family’s income, education, and occupation. Those from lower socioeconomic backgrounds may have less access to opportunities and resources, which can make achieving success more difficult.
Low-income families often lack the resources to support their children’s education, healthcare, and mental healthcare needs. As a result, those from lower economic backgrounds have less access than others do which impacts not only school success but also overall wellness of these students as they grow up into adulthood.
The unfortunate reality is that there are still substantial barriers in place for disadvantaged youth seeking an equal opportunity at life despite how much time you spend trying desperately hard or being lucky enough where your parents can afford it.
Racism
The racial wealth divide in America is a large and growing problem that needs to be addressed immediately. The 2016 study by Color Of Change, an organization dedicated towards combating racism throughout the country, reported on how White people hold 10 times as much wealth than Black or Hispanic counterparts.
This imbalance can largely be attributed due to structural racism including discriminatory policies/practices preventing those who aren’t deemed “worthy” from accumulating any sort of assets whatsoever — not just financial ones.
I’d like to take a moment and share a story with you, of a woman named Amahle:
It was another oppressively hot day in the city and the humidity was suffocating. Amahle, who was born and raised in this very neighborhood, had seen it all. The dilapidated houses, the struggling businesses, the ever-present drug dealers on every street corner.
But what she couldn’t get used to, no matter how long she lived here, was the way that some people seemed to have everything while others had nothing at all.
She went to get her mail and saw that a letter had been sent to her house on behalf of the bank, and inside was an ominous notice that her home was being seized. She didn’t know what to do; she’d always paid her mortgage on time, and never missed a payment.
The only thing she could think of was that it must have been a mistake. She quickly called the bank, but they told her there was nothing they could do; the decision had been made by their corporate headquarters and there wasn’t anything they could do about it.
Desperate, Amahle turned to her friends and family for help, but no one could offer any solutions. Finally, she reached out to a lawyer who told her that the bank probably decided to seize her home because she was Black.
It turns out that Amahle’s neighborhood had been targeted by the bank because it was considered “risky.” They were interested in seizing homes from Black and Hispanic families so they could resell them at a higher price.
Amahle fought back, and after a long legal battle she finally won back her home. But not everyone is as lucky as she was; many families have lost their homes simply because of the color of their skin. America has a wealth gap that is growing at an alarming rate, but it doesn’t have to stay this way.
Gender
While there are many factors that lead to success, gender plays an important role in determining who will succeed.
The wage disparity is a significant issue, and it still exists even if you look just within US companies alone.
In fact according to McKinsey & Company’s study “When It Comes Down” (to) executive positions like CEO where women make up 50% but hold only 5%, they earn 79 cents on each dollar made by counterpart males which shows there are severe gaps in earnings power for females at all levels of leadership despite efforts put forth over time.
This issue is not only faced by women in America, but globally as well. A study done by the International Labor Organization found that women make up 43% of the world’s agricultural labor force, yet they only earn 10% of the world’s income and own 1% of the world’s land.
It’s also worth noting that transgender individuals often face greater challenges.
The challenges that they face in their everyday lives can be more severe than those of other groups. They often experience discrimination both outside society at large, as well inside the workplace — and this is something we need to take seriously because it has painful consequences for individuals who go through such struggles without any support or understanding from anyone around them except maybe a few.
So, while it’s important to have a positive mindset and attitude, we must also acknowledge the other factors that can impact an individual’s level of success.
We cannot simply tell people from marginalized communities to “think positively” and expect them to overcome systemic barriers. Economic mobility, the ability to move up in the economic ladder, along with equitable access, are also important factors in determining whether someone will be successful.
We must work to dismantle the systems of oppression that continue to hold them back. We must also continue to destigmatize mental health so that those who are struggling can get the support they need.
It’s time to move beyond the simplistic belief that mindset is everything when it comes to success. Let’s create a more nuanced and holistic understanding that includes all the factors that play a role. Only then can we create real change.
BeGetStay® Involvd®