🏝Why Billionaires Cannot Survive Longer Than Anyone Else Stranded On An Island

Even if they own one or a dozen, doesn’t mean they can control it for long. 

Soon enough they will be asking for something.

I heard something the other day that initially shocked me then I stopped, thought about it, and realized how true it must be.

Believe it or not, or go ahead and test it out yourself somehow, if the wealthiest people alive were placed on an island, they would not survive for nearly as long as everyone else.

Why?

The elites and those at the top of the ladder got there not because of their freakishly remarkable skill sets, expertise, or anything else that Masterclass preaches, they got there because of good fortune, luck, and timing. They are extremely reliant on others to run their obscene lifestyles. Without their assistants, millions of employees, or truck drivers, they would be toast.

At the start, same deal. Without their parents’ funding, lack of debt, and connections, they wouldn’t have gotten nearly as far.

Up to a certain net-worth, for those who are considered above-average with their earnings, over 80% of it was accumulated due to luck. It works harder than hard work since it works in your favor when you need it the most.

Thank goodness you cannot buy time, luck, or friends, or else we would be in trouble.

Luck accumulates when you start producing. Taking action is the hardest point in the journey yet the fear of regret stings more than the regret of failure. We are more upset about the risks we don’t take than the fallout from the ones we did.

We cannot deny the expertise and talent these folks have but it would be foolish to forget the number of people they’ve relied on, the mentors they leaned on, funds they’ve fundraised, and the timing in the Valley that worked in their favor.

Through unwavering commitment and dedication, anything is possible yet there are still those that ‘work’, a subjective term as hard as the so-called ‘hardest’ working people, our icons, that don’t get nearly as far since they didn’t meet the right people at the right place.

Ironically one of the most striking lessons I’ve ever learned in college was when I peeked into the career center.

Image by Unsplash

There was a sign that said: “Technical skills will get you through the door, people and soft skills will seal the deal.”

This couldn’t be more true. It’s not about what you know but who you know!

Every transaction is business and every business is negotiation. Not between robots, but between people. Convincing them you are the best for the job. Nothing is set in stone and rules are meant to be broken otherwise they wouldn’t exist in the first place!

No wonder school smarts don’t translate to street smarts. There is countless evidence that proves those that are known to be diligent whiz kids at school don’t tend to be the successful ones in life since there’s no rule book, A-F system, or one solution to a test.

It’s your way that works and only one needs to work .

The majority of self-made founders pitched to investors, met the right people, and launched their startup at an opportune time when there was an actual need, when the market was saturated, the product offerings were simpler, and when the world was actually excited for something new.

At the end of the day, we are all humans and crave the basic necessities in life. Security, food, love, pleasure, and stability. They may be seen as geniuses since they take us to space when there’s really no need to or addict us to an ad unicorn but don’t forget their secret weapon that helped them get there: luck, luck, and dependence on it and others.

Surviving on an island is no easy task for anyone yet if you’re always trained to rely on others to help you survive, I wouldn’t count on making it out alive. The only person you should depend on is yourself.