The Myth of the “Self-Made” Individual

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We all love to hear stories about individuals who embody greatness, whether it is renowned scientists, elite athletes or celebrated artists. Their stories captivate us because they are inspiring, encouraging us to set and achieve ambitious goals, rethinking what we previously thought possible.

However, these stories of individual greatness are somewhat misleading: after all, no one succeeds entirely on their own. Such stories make us forget that an exceptional drive and work ethic alone are not enough to reach the top of any field. They leave out the fact that what distinguishes exceptional individuals from all of the rest is their ability to assemble talented teams around them, without whose help their seemingly impossible goals would remain out of reach.

A few months ago, I wrote about Kati Karikó, the scientist whose work paved the way for the development of vaccines against Covid-19. A careful read of her story reveals that close collaboration with trusted colleagues was essential to her success. Later, the path from her successful research to the deployment of the vaccine itself was possible only thanks to the work of thousands of additional people, who completed additional research on the basis of Karikó’s initial work, carried out clinical trials, financed research and development, engineered the chain of production, developed logistics for delivery, and more.

Every idealised story of “self-made” individuals obscures the work of numerous people in similar ways, giving the erroneous impression that it is ever possible for an individual working in isolation to reach the loftiest heights in any field. This creates unnecessary pressure for many people who think that it is not only laudable but necessary to do everything themselves, without ever demanding help from anyone at all. Such a belief could ultimately lead a person to give up on a project when they might have succeeded by simply partnering with others.

Of course, one must often look within to find the energy, inspiration and countless other resources necessary to succeed in one’s work. And of course it is problematic if you are unable to do your core work without constantly asking for help.

However, if you:

  • ask someone else’s opinion on your work;

  • engage in collective thinking to find the best solution for a problem; or

  • ask someone else for help to complete a project

It is not that you are weak or incapable: it is that you have the strength and wisdom to recognise that human beings’ unique strength derives from the fact that we are social animals. We have succeeded in fashioning our world to respond to our needs thanks to our unique capacity to bring together our collective strengths and act in concert to address problems, rather than having to struggle on individually to complete every task.

How might more effectively leveraging your network lead you to greater professional accomplishments? Get in touch with Jon here to discuss your professional goals and how working together could help you achieve them. If you would like to learn a little bit about him first, take a look here.

 
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