To think some people will never really get on in life no matter what?

[Powtayto]

Im getting old now (40!) and looking back at the people I know in my community/ family/ school, it's got me thinking about the ones who have done well and those that haven't. By well, I mean getting a good job, not necessarily some £100k job or anything but a decent wage, living in better housing than they grew up in, providing their children opportunities that perhaps they didn't have. Basically gone up on the socioeconomic ladder even if its just one rung. Having a better quality of life.

It's really varied, as to be expected I suppose. Some people who were really poor to average students have done really well with jobs and have had successful careers. On the contrary, others who were very bright are now doing dead end low paid jobs. Some really lovely people have married awful people. Some nasty bullies have now married some really nice people.

It seems a little unfair I guess, how some people do well and and enjoy life and others just sort of have a shit, poor life and stuck. Life seems so bloody weird. You don't know how the hell it's going to turn out.

Some of it is just random. The people you meet along the way can have a massive impact on your life, for good or ill. You can work hard but fail to get a job that matches your qualifications, or you can coast along and land a decent job by being in the right place or knowing the right people.

I don't like the expression 'work hard' as people work hard in all walks of life and not get ahead

But people need to make certain choices, if a general you marries to someone not good they made that choice, if they work in a job and stick with the job and don't make choices to progress study or change jobs then they will becin that job, that will suit some people and not others

Health, unexpected things, other people's choices as in things out of people control may happen but people also need to own their choices

But also some people are genuinely happy with their lives even though to others it may not make sense to them

It depends on how you measure success doesn't it?

Some people are happy and content with what appears to be very little, i.e. low paid or menial job, basic housing, etc.

Other people are unhappy and depressed who have big houses, "nice" lifestyle, good jobs, etc.

Like the OP, I know a guy who was "bright" at school and I confidently expected him to "do well", but in reality, he's a caretaker at the local school, living in his parent's run down house, crap old car in the drive, etc., but he always seems to be happy enough with his life, got lots of friends, etc.

As for the OP's idea of "success" being measured as better than their parents, well that's simply impossible for everyone, as it's impossible for everyone to live in better housing than their parents, better jobs than their parents, better off financially than their parents, etc., especially when we live in an era of ever increasing population and living on a planet with limited natural resources!