10 Lies Your Parents Told You About Success

We're not saying that your parents are terrible people. We're just saying that they've been wrong about a lot of things. And the truth is, success doesn't come in one particular shape or form, and your journey will be totally different to your parent's because they were two totally different people with their own unique set of strengths and weaknesses.

In other words, there really is no "right way" to reach success but it also doesn't mean you can get there by taking unnecessary risks either. It's true: there are a lot of lies we've been told about what it takes to succeed and some new research on millennials might just have debunked them all for good.

1. You have to go to a good school to make it in the workplace

Not only does going to a good school only guarantee your parents a decent income, it actually doesn't even guarantee you will be able to get a job. While it might have been sensible advice for your parents' generation, it's not true anymore. According to the economist John Schmitt, "Graduates from the top 25 percent of schools are no more likely to end up in elite jobs than graduates from the bottom 25 percent." He adds that attempting to break into any industry "is risky regardless of your skills."

2. There is only one way to succeed

It might sound like an insult, but "follow your passion" is the only advice worth paying attention to. If you're passionate about what you do, chances are it'll be difficult for you to avoid pursuing a career that suits your passions. The best way to decide what those are? Figure out what you actually enjoy doing don't assume that just because one thing turns you off that you're going to hate everything else and focus on what will help you get there.

3. You can't succeed if everyone expects it of you

You never have to even try hard if everyone expects success from of you. The world would be much easier if everyone just followed our parents' advice and worked hard just because they're expected to. According to recent research, people who don't believe they can succeed "are often more driven by their own sense of entitlement and feel that there is 'something wrong with them.'"

4. You have to look a certain way to succeed

Just because you look like a certain kind of person, doesn't mean you'll be accepted in that kind of environment. The best thing you can do for your future is fit in with the crowd but only if your personality suits a workplace atmosphere. The most successful workers are those who want "to surround themselves with people who are similar and who share their interests. They excel only when they have like-minded colleagues."

5. You need a lot of money to be successful

According to Schmitt, "The 25 richest people in the world have a combined net worth of $2 trillion and they make their money through working." So while it might seem like you'll be better off if you can earn as much as possible to buy your parents' life on a beach the truth is, it's all about what you put into your work. "If you put in enough time, effort and commitment, or 'sweat equity,' that financial reward will follow," he explains.

6. Most people won't even notice what you're doing

It's not fair to your parents to assume that they don't care about the things you do because whether or not they admit it, most strive to be successful and will always be paying attention. According to the authors of Outliers: The Story of Success, "In life we all have ambitions which drive us on and provide a big part of the motivation for our success." It makes sense that this motivation is there, since who wouldn't want to have an impact in their community?

7. Money alone will make you happy

When you're young, it might seem like your parents are living a dream life. But the truth is, if money was the only thing that made you happy, then you would have no reason to be dissatisfied with your own life.

According to the folks over at 99u, "the happiest people on Earth aren't those who win Forbes' annual list of the 500 richest people in the world. They are individuals who live in communities and economies that foster excellent experiences for all members."

So even if you're not rich, you can still make it work by being satisfied with what you have instead of constantly obsessing over what's next until your entire life feels like a string of disappointments.

8. You can't be successful if you're not in a prestigious job

If you're not in a prestigious job, then are you really successful? According to Schmitt, "Successful people who didn’t go to elite colleges do just as well as those who did. Meanwhile, CEOs of large and small companies who don’t have an MBA from Harvard or Stanford make the same amount of money." So the idea that you can't be successful unless you go to a super-prestigious school is only impacting your career it doesn't actually mean anything for how you'll do in your career.

9. Working in a cubicle is the only way to success

It might sound like work should be your only priority, but you shouldn't make the mistake of neglecting your personal life as well. According to Schmitt, "The most talented people do not choose a career in which they will spend all their waking hours also to get ahead." This means that even if you do want to focus on your career, you can still find other ways to make yourself happy.

10. You have to be an extrovert if you want people to notice you

Sounds good for introverts... but Schmitt points out that the "best leaders are neither introverts nor extroverts but rather 'empathizers. They are people who are interested in and understand the experiences, feelings and thoughts of others.'" That can be done by working on your communication skills, which will give you the opportunity to make new connections with the people around you, so even if you're not an "outgoing" person it's important to seek those connections out.

Finally

If you really want to succeed, it's important to believe in yourself and know that you're doing your best. According to the New York Times, "An individual who feels confident of her competence, who believes she is doing a good job within a job at which she excels and who does what she does well will do better than the person with the same skills and ability but who forgoes these beliefs." So although you might not end up being the next Bill Gates or Oprah Winfrey, at least you'll have a solid foundation that's more than enough to get by.