Winning an uphill battle

“The neighborhood in which you grow up is a major determinant of your economic success as an adult. That’s been known for a while, but new research suggests that the effects may be much larger than social scientists previously understood. “

This is an excerpt from a New York Times article written by Justin Wolfers, professor of economics and public policy at the University of Michigan.

Wolfers concludes the article by putting emphasis on the shortcomings of both, conservatives and liberals, in implementing effective programs to help those growing up in bad neighborhoods.

Winning the uphill battle
Over the years I’ve been fortunate to work with successful business men and women who, by their own admission, had less then desirable beginnings. They talked about times when it felt the odds were stacked against them.  But that only strengthened their resolve to win the uphill battle.

Motivation
My take on this issue?
In one word:  MOTIVATION.
I’m not going to argue with the research cited by Wolfers; or any other similar research.

Obviously poverty does have negative effects on children and their parents.
And it’s difficult growing up without good role models.

Yet, the people I’ve mentioned earlier are great examples of “where you are going it’s far important than where you are coming from.”
Outstanding individuals!

You design the life you want to have
Motivation is only one factor. The people you work with, the friends you hang out with, your family — any and all influence the outcome.

What is obvious is that YOU can influence the outcome by the CHOICES you make.

Ultimately, you design the life you want to have.

Mariana Fieraru

Mariana Fieraru, an Eastern European transplant, fell in love with her new home shortly after landing in New York. She "discovered" pizza! Years later she still loves pizza. And so do her two feathered-kids, Sunny and Flipper

Mariana worked on both, the east and the west coast.
Big or small, each project she worked on helped define the importance of gaining and sustaining a competitive edge in an increasingly complex business environment.

Business know-how, love of teaching and writing – all combined in 2006 to form OBI.
Its mission: to make learning fun! And easy.

Through its training, consulting, and publications OBI builds bridges of knowledge to take you from where you are to
where you want to go. Using a mix of serious, informal, analytical, and optimistic approach, OBI truly makes learning fun.

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