To think a lot of people earning 6 figures aren’t actually that smart, just lucky?

[SnarkyDenimFox]

I’ve met plenty of high earners and honestly, a lot of them don’t seem any sharper than the rest of us. Right place, right time, right connections. AIBU to think it’s often luck, not talent?

To add, it was however interesting as one of the books noted how some traits associated with psychopathy could be a real benefit for someone in a profession. E.g. it is far better that your surgeon is concentrating on the complex operation than getting really worried about killing you. Anyway, as I said, that obviously doesn't mean that everyone has those traits, and the percentage was still low. But higher than the general population.

Apart from being a bit younger most of this applies to me, I'm not at 6 figures but towards the top of my profession.

This is so true!

I grew up in abject poverty, since very young age (9 maybe) I was absolutely adamant to do well at school, get to great uni and get a job to break from this poverty, worked my arse off to get where I am now and to make sure my DC have secure lives.
In return they have very relaxed attitudes and don't have my drive even remotely, despite being exceptionally intelligent (much smarter than me). Go figure.

I do consider my childhood poverty as great advantage that made me who I am.

I'd say it's a bit of luck, a bit of hard work, a bit of personality and a bit of having opportunities, plus targeting a high salary in your decisions.

Someone I went to school with who was a high achiever academically but no more so than me, is the CEO of a company, probably at a guess earning ten times as much as me. But he chose to study business/economics, something I would have found as dull as dishwater. I chose to study a subject I was good at and enjoyed, which has led to employment for me but not high earnings. Also he had connections through family background and school background (old boys society) to get into the business he's in.

It's confidence and self belief, I have neither and have battled with depression and low self esteem all my life and fear of failing. I have also never felt worth earning a lot of money. I was always told how stupid I was by school and by one parent. Gave up at around age 15 and although I have passed every exam I have ever taken and done post grad qualifications there has always been this tiny voice in my head telling me I am thick and useless.

The only time, as I am aware, that my mother rowed with a neighbour was when said neighbour commented snarkily to my mother that I was very lucky to have done well in my 'A' levels. My mother let her have both barrels about how much time I'd spent in my room working and not hanging around clubs and pubs. The neighbour's daughter, a couple of years older, had been to the same grammar school but chose to leave at 15 because there was too much work and she couldn't go out.
There is an element of luck, especially if you know people who can give you a leg up, but don't dismiss hard work.

or they covered up the machivellian side, lets be honest they are hardly going to announance they were machivellian etc.

that said yes not all the time

This absolutely. There is no one thing and it certainly isn't all down to intelligence. DH earns six figures and it's been a mix of luck and personality more than anything. He is smart and he does, sometimes, work hard, but no harder than loads of other people who don't earn that much.

I agree with you. But to an extent. Because people are not always capable of that hard work. You obviously had a upbringing and mental health to put that in. What if you neighbour's daughter wasn't lazy (as I think you are implying), but had an undiagnosed learning disability? Or had a terrible home life or mental health issues that meant she just couldn't sit down and study? What if she was going out to avoid her abusive dad? I mean she could just be lazy/ bothered about boys, but for some people being able to work hard is the outcome of their privilege. (your neighbour was rude though)

Right qualifications OP. And that’s not lucky it’s decisions actively taken often. I wasn’t the smartest in my class by a long way. I suspect I am now one of the best paid. I was driven and actively made decisions that would increase my earning power. I was from a less privileged background than the majority of my classmates too.

Agreed. Obviously there are exceptions (doctors etc) but a lot of ones I’ve met are just mediocre arselickers. Being an arselicker tends to get people advanced more than talent in general, at least in my experience

This has put me in mind of a manager I had, easily the worst one ever, no people skills, no empathy, no particular in depth knowledge of what we were doing at the face to face to level but always kept well in with senior management. Knew the "right" thing to say to the "right" people I left ages ago but googled them recently, they are now the CEO and on 6 figures .

Also, I would say a lot of people who earn serious money are workaholics. They prioritise their jobs above all else. Some people may be clever, hard workers, privileged etc, but their main driver and/ or priority isn't work or money.

I agree. They are good corporate mouthpieces. I tried to explain this to DS who doesn't believe that if you want to get on and earn well in business, you need to show a blue-sky-thinking problem-solving or problem-ignoring personality. All the real talent I know remains at the grafting end of the business. The bland smiley ''So that's all good' types rise. DS thinks you should be honest about where the company is going wrong. I say - you can if you like but you won't get promoted and you might get laid off.

My Cambridge degree did a lot of the hard work for me in the initial stages of getting excellent jobs, and that was attributable to hard work and intelligence. After that, it's personality and forcing your way up! Also - maybe controversially, but not going part time when you have kids.

Are you implying that people in menial jobs don’t work hard? This is just nonsense.

I think a lot of it comes down to upbringing and having the confidence to push yourself forward. From what I’ve seen, a lot of kids from poorer backgrounds lack this confidence, and that’s what holds them back more than anything else.

I should point out that I am not talking about top medics or lawyers but business managers (in my experience in the Creative and Educational industries.) I do know razor sharp lawyers and almost no one can think and act as they do. The skill and the work ethic is in a different league.

I think must depend on industry. I have not met any hopeless 6 figure lawyers (apart from when fresh out of uni and training, but even then if they truly are crap they get managed out quickly).

Agree with a PP most high earners are willing to just work incredibly hard. Ruined weekends, cancelled foreign holidays, calls at midnight, clients screaming at you. Etc.

But I have met some estate agents who are .... Underwhelming but earn way more than most lawyers. They have the right personality and sales patter, true intelligence doesn't necessarily seem that key. I suspect a lot of influencers are also 'lucky' - beautiful, great body, have right 'look' and build a following quite quickly through lots of effort (but not exactly arduous work) and then sponsorships roll in.

It doesn't need to be highly skilled jobs with loads of qualifications like medicine and law. They are not the only six figures jobs. Management jobs in techy corporate companies pay like this. But like people have said you do need to talk the talk, be good under pressure etc. I, for one, would probably cry if I had to deal with some of DH's rude clients or pressures from CEO

Working class background here, worked my socks off and climbed the ladder. Worked weekends and all kinds of things. No lucky connections

It’s not about intelligence. It’s also not luck. A lot of roles, particularly managerial roles, are 95% about stakeholder management. Communication, confidence and like-ability are all you really need. I got my degree and started a grad scheme and in 7 years was on 6 figures. Same as my DP. We’ve above average intelligence, but our success is based on the attributes mentioned above.

My ExH earns 6 figures in the NW (which I imagine is harder than in London). He’s a knob to everyone but seems to get away with it because he’s very bright and quick thinking.

He got this job initially (not a 6 figure salary then) through connections made at private school so that element would be from having the good fortune of being born to wealthy parents.

Most of the time it’s personality, you have to connect well with others to get into those roles. I’m in a leadership role in a primary school but can’t see myself going and working for the trust in a high earning role as I can’t image fitting in with some of them! I already hate going to regional leadership meetings.

I think that depends on the industry - I know a few high earners in marketing/advertising and I wouldn’t describe them like this.

They can be charming when required but they’re mainly ruthless and extremely driven. They’re all from modest backgrounds though so I imagine they couldn’t have got where they were without being like thar.

I know a guy who is earning a lot of money about to move to the US to take a six figure job in an international bank. He isn't by any means the brightest although he is competent but he is very good looking, tall and genuinely a lovely person who was touched by god for his interpersonal skills. So it's not his brains that get him on but his likability, everybody who meets him loves him. I'd have given him the job as well.