The idea of being self-made is a myth. It’s a nice-sounding story, sure, but when you really break it down, no one achieves anything entirely on their own. Every success story is built on community, on the people who came before us, on those who support us, and on the systems that shape our opportunities. We are, at our core, community-made.
Think about it. Before you could even work hard for anything, someone taught you how to read, how to think critically, how to navigate the world. Someone grew your food, built your roads, and maintained the internet you use to learn and connect. Even in personal achievements, like running a marathon or building a business, there are coaches, mentors, friends, and even competitors who push us to be better.
And then there’s the bigger picture. The privileges or obstacles we face aren’t random. They’re shaped by history, by the struggles and efforts of those who came before us. Every opportunity we have, whether it’s access to education, safe neighborhoods, or professional networks, exists because someone else fought for it, built it, or maintained it. Acknowledging this doesn’t take away from our own hard work. It just makes us more aware of how interconnected we really are.
Being community-made doesn’t mean we don’t put in effort. It means recognizing that success isn’t just about grinding in isolation. It’s about the collective contributions that allow us to thrive. When we shift our mindset away from self-congratulation and toward gratitude and responsibility, everything changes. We start to see how we can pay it forward, how we can uplift others, and how true success is never just personal—it’s communal.
So the next time someone tells you they’re self-made, ask them who helped them along the way. Because none of us do this alone.