Does the Place You Live Determine Your Success?

Not surprising that a recent study by the Israeli Ministry of Finance found that where you live has a major impact on your chances of success. According to their findings people who live in disadvantaged areas of Israel have lower chances of academic and financial success. The study also found that these people's chances of moving up from lower income jobs to higher ones—are also lower if they live in poorer areas of the country.

To improve their situation people usually move to more affluent parts of the country, where the environment encourages greater achievements and there are more opportunities. What this does is actually perpetuate the poor state of deprived areas. It's known that in Israel’s underprivileged areas, most people don't even consider the idea of academic schooling. Unless they think they are eligible for scholarships, and have a really supportive environment.

If young leaders can demonstrate how problems are solved by caring for the whole and cooperating with others, they will succeed, and the community will succeed with them.

Success Begins In The Home

The study suggests that the solution to this problem may be in developing young, local leaders who will create their own environment of success and lift their area to better achievements. This is good thinking, but the truth is that success begins in the home. If you're part of a family that encourages you to excel, and provides examples of success, your chances of success are much better than others.

On a personal note, I'd like to add that academic and business success is not enough of an example for parents to provide. Setting an example of healthy emotional intelligence would also be ideal. Growing up in a dysfunctional family really put me off following in my parents' footsteps. My father was genius level in mechanical engineering, and went on to be a very successful entrepreneur and businessman. But growing up in a toxic environment took up so much of our energy, there wasn't much left over for planning our future. So out of five kids, my oldest sister Lily became a social worker in Canada, and I (the youngest) finally gave in to peer pressure and signed up for university at the last minute here in Israel. All my friends that I grew up with in Ra'annana were signed up for studies. No one in my family helped me or guided me throughout the process - I was on my own. But my parents paid for everything including my car, my apartment near the university, and lots of other things.

No Massive Student Debt

Compared to studies in North America, in the 80's it was relatively inexpensive to get a higher education here. But based on the standard of living in Israel, it's very expensive for low-income families. Years of university studies are not funded on credit here like they are in the US, so we don't finish our degree with massive debt like in the US. The good news is there are many scholarships and other programs that enable students from disadvantaged areas to study at a fraction of the actual cost, or even at no cost. Many charities support this and even more so with all the focus on diversity nowadays. Many conscious leaders in the high-tech sector also support creating equal opportunities for new immigrants and marginal parts of society. So the problem is not really about whether people can afford it, but whether or not it's important to individual and their family to get out of the poverty cycle.

A Matter of Priorities

The first step toward success must begin at home, by creating an environment that really encouraged going to university. When families have that powerful environment, it can even offset or override a less positive external environment that doesn't see studies as a priority.

No matter where they're from, young local leaders can rise and lift the entire community. If they focus on the common good and try to improve the situation of society as a whole, and if they themselves set an example of success, they can do a lot of good.

Leadership development requires special programs and unique training. The leaders must first learn how to behave among themselves, and then with their community. They should not be raised to be politicians, but rather leaders that pave the way through personal example. If young leaders can demonstrate how problems are solved by caring for the whole and cooperating with others, they will succeed, and the community will succeed with them.