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Science Shows Most High Achievers Had Troubled Childhoods. Elon Musk’s Sister Just Explained Why He’s the Perfect Example
Look into the childhoods of many super high achievers, from Howard Schultz andMadonna to Oprah Winfrey and Eleanor Roosevelt, and you’ll notice a common theme: They weren’t very happy. In fact, a great many were downright tragic. Madonna lost her mother to cancer at age five. Roosevelt’s dad drank himself to death.
At first this might look like just random anecdotes, but science suggests there is something more to this observation. One classic study of 400 high achievers who had at least two biographies written about them (for positive reasons) found that an incredible 75 percent had experienced a difficult childhood.
Psychologists believe the huge over-representation of those who experienced tough times as children among overachievers is likely because of the skills a difficult childhood can teach. No one would wish trauma or abuse on any child, but those who do weather these storms tend to learn extreme resilience, an outsize capacity to handle stress, and a dismissive attitude toward negative feedback. And if you’re looking for a contemporary example of how this works, look no further than Elon Musk.
