When I think of the term self-made, I see a person who has become successful on their own. They had a vision of where they wanted to be, and made things happen for themselves. These people had no help; in fact, others have rejected them when that person has taken the time to get to know an influential person, in hopes that (s)he will mentor him. This self-made person is tired of relying on others, so they decide to take their future in their own hands. "If no one will help me come up, I'll do it myself." Is being self-made a bad thing? Yes and No. Yes, because at some point, one must learn to rely on others for assistance. Sometimes (I hate that I have to say this, but it's true for the most part), you have to be told no, in order to get to your yes. Being told no shows you that everyone will not help you when you ask. No, because many times you have to encourage yourself. You have to dig deep, and not let naysayers deter you from your dreams. Many successful people are where they're at, because they didn't accept being told no. They pulled themselves up by their bootstraps and were driven to make their own way. Once they start to prosper, they can say "I did that. I had no help getting where I am now." There's a time to rely on others, and a time to do it yourself. If you've watched the entrepreneur show Shark Tank, the narrator announces the following self-made investors who are entrepreneurs: Mark Cuban, Daymond John, Robert Herjavec, Kevin O'Leary, Barbara Corcoran, Lori Greiner (Lori alternates with Barbara on some Shark Tank episodes). I think all of us are self-made to a degree, because there were times we had to rely on our abilities to make it, and times where we had to solicit support from a mentor. Self-Made is a term that elicits pride, a belief that you can achieve anything you put your mind to, no matter the opposition.
