How to Find Success in This World as a Minority

[Anonymous]

Let's start with the most basic point: Life...is unfair. It's unfair to you, it's unfair to the guy across the street. It's unfair to the person who cuts your hair. It just is. Once you fully acknowledge and accept that it's not just you who suffers, you'll probably be off to a better start to finding success in this world as a minority. Now, before I can even finish that sentence, if you're already huffing and puffing about racism this and racism that, what did I say? Life...is unfair.

Yes, life is unfair and racism exists, but racism should not be the end of your story, the end of your chapter, or the end of anything if YOU don't allow it to be. You see, there is racism that exists in the world that is meant to hold you down and keep you back, but then there is the other side of that coin, which is the enabler spirit. The enabler spirit says that because there is racism, life will never shake right for you. You'll never find success because you simply aren't xyz race. You blame all your "bad luck" on the fact you weren't born as a different skin color and instead of focus on your ACTUAL talent, your education, your abilities and skills, you figure, things won't ever be right no matter how hard you work.

The irony of racism is that it actually helps convince even some of the brightest people that they actually aren't good enough or won't get those opportunities. Yes, along the way, someone will say or you'll know because of your race, something didn't work out for you, but what you shouldn't let it do is stop you because racism and discrimination will probably unfortunately be here until the day you die, but what are you going to do in the meantime? Instead of always and forever fighting against "the man," you've got to realize you should equally be fighting that hard for yourself. Ask yourself, do you have the education, do you have the skills, do you have what it takes to rise, and if the answers are no, then perhaps those are the things that are holding you back much more than any racist out there.

Stop giving up on yourself or at the first no you hear or assuming all the time that it must always be because of your skin color. There are more doors out there if only you will look and open them or create new ones if none can be found. If you're taking a long hard look at yourself and you can say with all honesty that you are doing EVERYTHING you can to be successful, then you are whether you push through a door or not, but often times, a person is only doing the minimum or they don't look on paper what it actually takes to be successful at some place or some thing, they simply assume rather than know. It's not always about proving you're better than some other race. It should be about proving you've got what it takes on your own for you to be on top and to climb whatever ladder you want to climb.

Believe that you can do whatever you want to do in this world and go after it...HARD. It's not about being easy, because reaching the top rarely is. If you look to the minorities in top ranking positions in the world, life was unfair to them too in many many ways, but their stories often are no different than your own. They didn't listen to the noise above their own voice which consistently and powerfully reminded them that they are worthy, they need to work hard, they need to keep going and keep pushing, and be the best no matter what. If success were easy, everyone would have it, but it's those people who see "no" for whatever reason given, not as a stopping point, but as a challenge to rise who often are the most successful in life regardless of race or the obstacles before them.

[Unknownooo]

Work hard and always believe in yourself. The place where I come from... we are also judged by others because of our race. But, that shouldn't matter much. People come and go, what stays is... your motivation.

[micheal727jovanie]

You have to want to be successful and work your ass off. It doesn't just fall on your lap plain and simple...

[hellionthesagereborn]

How to find success: Don't have children before marriage, stay in school, have two parents, don't break the law, work hard. That's the only formula for success, it has nothing to do with minorities and quite frankly racism, at least in the western world, is a non issue for minorities. If it wasn't then the top five highest earning groups in the US wouldn't be Indian americans, Filipino americans, Tiawanese americans, Australian americans (nationality, not a race) and Jewish americans. In fact minorities fair better in the US then many "majority" groups. Nigerian and Ghanian americans make about 70 thousand a year, Pakistani americans make about that much as well. Irish americans make about 60 thousand a year, dutch about 54 thousand and French 52 thousand a year. Being a minority is not what is going to set you back, your behavior and actions however will.

[MichaelN1991]

Good points. But aside from race, you look @ history even ethnicities that are predominantly racially white, have been discriminated against. Italians, Ukrainians, Irish and Polish we're all discriminated against at some point in North America. What keeps these groups strong is their community and support for each other. It would not happen any other way. If you let racism get to you then it will be a self fulfilling prophecy. Racism and discrimination will never go away, but with support and hard work you will succeed.

[Nakoma]

Well said!

[BuchitaBuchys]

Blah. I thought you were going to give actual steps or advice.
Are you a successful minority who overcame adversity? If not, this is kinda like taking makeup advice from me. Hint, I never wear makeup, any advice I give is well intentioned, but generally not useful.

[Nakoma]

It's a LIMITING belief that your can't be successful for any reason. EVERYONE can be successful if they stop making excuses and start doing the work. Make a plan, stick to it, do the shit your don't want to do to make it happen.

Daymond Johnson always says that entrepreneurship is the great equalizer.

Grant Cardone, also says it doesn't matter if you are man or a woman, short or tall, skinny or fat, black or white... everyone can be successful.

[Nice_Guy_Last]

It sucks that people are bigoted. I know why: the human brain cuts corners to make up for inefficiencies, therefore, it uses identifiers to make snap judgements so as to make faster decisions. It’s something that saves our asses when in survival mode, but in society, it is part of what holds us back.

My message to people is to never assume anything, and treat each instance as completely unique unto itself.

[Anonymous]

what kind of success does one expect to achieve? becoming wealthy an/or famous like a celebrity or a ceo or manager at a company, or able to have a job that pays decently and can support themselves and their families? I guess success is not the same for everyone. set goals on what you want to accomplish and figure out what it is that you want to and is able to get done.

[Guanfei]

Want to find success "as a minority"?
Stop acting like you're a minority. And start acting like anyone else. Spotlighting your skin color is the best way for people to focus only on it and treat you like someone who think she deserves a special treatement for being non-white.

[Cosytoasty]

Well said, but it's just as hard for majority OR minorities to reach the top. Majority will have more people at the top because they have... well, more people overall, it's a simple concept.

[myTake Owner]

Statistics don't work like that. You take into a account that there are less people or more and you calculate in comparison based on each groups overall percentages.

[Jmcmanning]

I am a minority and I don't agree with what you wrote. I believe each person has the capability to achieve success regardless of race, gender, etc. It's your determination to want to succeed that determines your fate, nothing else.

[Anonymous]

How to be successful: stop blaming other people for your misfortunes and stop seeing yourself as a victim. It's not about race, it's your character that will open doors for you. Now minorities want handicaps so they can climb the ladder of success faster than anyone else. get over yourselves.

[jennifer_bloom]

I've never believed I was victimized for being Chinese.

[Giray]

I studien in American program in one central asia country and was the best student in history of this program so when stuff of councils started to harass me and harm me and try to damage my perfomance because my nationality is minority in this country, and I complained after that to americans this americans just got rid of me they said you can't come anymore, so it is fuckin impossible, it is not abiut your talent or how hard you work it is about your nationality

[Logorithim]

Very good points made here. Sometimes you will have to go someplace else to be successful, e. g., rural to urban migration or immigrating to another country.

[ScarletAngelic]

Actually the minority people are the ones who find success cause they do things differently then the average person. Successful people are often the unique ones.

[Anonymous]

Better motivational points can take the place of racism, racism is never good, stop writing MyTakes with "witty" arguments to attract attention and get featured only for the sake of points, it's becoming dull, seriously.

[Anonymous]

I'm prepared to work in a tough industry: VFX animation. I'll be relying on talent and determination alone but it is my ideal area of interest. My expectations aren't high, though. I know it won't be easy job-hunting.

[winterfox10]

You have to learn how to create your own opportunity. I wasn't given a job in the film industry, I created one, and then I took it.

[Ms_Meaghan]

Thanks for taking the time to share this with us the people of gag. :)

[disgustingweebtrash]

You do it by working hard not victimising yourself because you're not white

[COCOCHANEL]

why not move to the part of the world where you are the majority so you can stop thinking of yourself as a minority?