One of the favorite personal development narratives is that to achieve success, we must make sacrifices 💪. That if you put in the effort, anything is possible. But there's one part that's almost never mentioned: We don't all pay the same price for moving forward.
While some people sacrifice luxuries or comforts, others must give up essentials like their health, rest, food, or family time. 😔 Is this fair? Not so much.
⚖️ Inequality of Opportunity: Different Sacrifices, Unequal Impacts
For those living in difficult economic conditions, improving their situation involves an effort that goes beyond money and luxuries:
- 🕒 Endless work days
- 💤 Few hours of sleep
- 😷 I work in precarious conditions
And many times, they also have to abandon their studies 📚, which limits their personal development and reduces your long-term opportunities.
On the other hand, someone from an upper class who wants to "upgrade" themselves might just have to postpone a vacation 🏝️ or work a few extra hours from their comfortable office. All while maintaining access to quality education, private healthcare, and a network of useful contacts. Do you notice the difference?
It's worth mentioning that low-income people often carry an extra burden that is common in their lives: they themselves must keep their homes clean and tidy, take care of shopping and preparing food, and travel to different places using public transportation.
All of these efforts require a lot of extra time, which truly limits the lives of these people, highlighting the unequal sacrifices they make to achieve success.
🧠 Psychological Impact and Cognitive Burden of Poverty
From the psychology We know that poverty isn't just an economic issue, but also a mental one, and I'm not referring to positive thinking. Living under constant stress affects our ability to think long-term and make good decisions. 🧩
Studies such as those by Sendhil Mullainathan and Eldar Shafir explain how the cognitive load of poverty It produces mental exhaustion that weakens self-control, worsens emotional well-being and often perpetuates cycle of poverty.
This mental load has a direct impact on the decision making and in the possibility of projecting a better future.
💡 Does Effort = Success? Spoiler: Not Always
The idea that everything can be achieved with effort sounds motivating... but it's only half true. 😕
📉 Statistics show that the socioeconomic level at birth It remains one of the greatest predictors of a person's future. This reminds me of a quote posted on social media: "Being born poor was my first financial mistake."
🏗️ People from lower classes face structural obstacles, while those who have networks and resources They can recover more easily. This explains why some people who have gone bankrupt can recover in just a few years, thanks to these networks of contacts.
🛑 Effort Doesn't Always Matter
Yes, the sacrifice It's part of the journey. But to assume that we all compete on a level playing field is to ignore an uncomfortable truth.
It's similar to the quarantines experienced during the pandemic, when some people asked us to please stay home, saying we were all in the same boat.
The reality was that we were in the same sea, some on luxury yachts, others on rafts, and others swimming in the hope of surviving or having someone throw them a life preserver.
🔎 If we truly want a more just society, we must recognize that the economic and social context It matters a lot. And act accordingly:
- ✅ More equitable public policies
- ✅ Companies that value real effort
- ✅ Less romanticism about the meritocracy
This whole argument isn't a justification for remaining in poverty, much less a romanticization of it. It's a recognition of the reality of most people in a world filled with inequality and an ever-widening wealth gap.
🌱 The success It should be the fruit of effort, but it is also completely necessary access to real opportunities for all people, regardless of their social class or starting point.
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