--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We say success in America is about hard…" description: "\"We say success in America is about hard work and character. It's not really. Most of success today is about how good you are at certain tests and what ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/da8/andrew-yang-3669_family_we-say-success-in-america-is-about-hard_2474002.jpg" --- # We say success in America is about hard work and… ![“We say success in America is about hard work and character. It's not really. Most of success today is about how good you are at certain tests and what kind of family background you have, with some exceptions sprinkled in to try and make it all seem fair.” quote by Andrew Yang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/da8/andrew-yang-3669_family_we-say-success-in-america-is-about-hard_2474002.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/da8/andrew-yang-3669_family_we-say-success-in-america-is-about-hard_2474002.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/da8/andrew-yang-3669_family_we-say-success-in-america-is-about-hard_2474002.jpg) > “We say success in America is about hard work and character. It's not really. Most of success today is about how good you are at certain tests and what kind of family background you have, with some exceptions sprinkled in to try and make it all seem fair.” [Andrew Yang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-yang/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Success is often portrayed as meritocratic, but systemic advantages and test performance heavily influence outcomes. **In simple terms:** Hard work isn’t the only factor for success. Key Takeaway Recognize and address structural inequities. Themes meritocracy inequality education social mobility Mood critical reflective Type analytical political When to use this quote - college admissions - job hiring - policy reform - career advancement Key Concepts sociology systemic bias privilege Questions to Reflect On - How do you define success beyond wealth? - What policies could level the playing field? A Different Perspective Ignores individual agency and effort. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Character Really](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character-really/) [Family](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/family/) [Family background](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/family-background/) [Good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good/) [Say Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/say-success-424654/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/) [Success America](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success-america-791473/) [Success Today](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success-today-336204/) [Today](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/today/) [Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work/) ## Related quotes > [“Lord give us success today.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/lord-give-us-success-today/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [Don't let your success of today lay you into complacency for tomorrow. For that is the worst form of failure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/og-mandino/don-t-let-your-success-of-today-lay-you-into-complacency-for-tomorrow/) [Og Mandino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/og-mandino/) > [Do not measure success by today's harvest. Measure success by the seeds you plant today.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-louis-stevenson/do-not-measure-success-by-today-s-harvest-measure-success-by-the/) [Robert Louis Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-louis-stevenson/) > [On an emotional level, success in America would be terrible for me; it would be insane. I really, seriously, never want to be famous…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robbie-williams/on-an-emotional-level-success-in-america-would-be-terrible-for-me-it/) [Robbie Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robbie-williams/) > [Having success in America is the cherry on the sundae for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lara-fabian/having-success-in-america-is-the-cherry-on-the-sundae-for-me/) [Lara Fabian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lara-fabian/) > [Success in America - what I find with my homeland, nothing lasts very long. Europe is different. You're right there with them until you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tina-turner/success-in-america-what-i-find-with-my-homeland-nothing-lasts-very/) [Tina Turner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tina-turner/) > [“Success in America doesn't require any special talent or any kind of extra effort. You just have to be consistent and not fuck up.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-moore/success-in-america-doesn-t-require-any-special-talent-or-any-kind-of/) [Christopher Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-moore/) > [The traditional American family has always been the foundation for success in America.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-o-reilly/the-traditional-american-family-has-always-been-the-foundation-for/) [Bill O'Reilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-o-reilly/) > [“Success in America comes in over a million flavors... all you have you have to do is try one.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnnie-dent-jr/success-in-america-comes-in-over-a-million-flavors-all-you-have-you/) [Johnnie Dent Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnnie-dent-jr/) > [For a while I was on the cover of every Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue, which was regarded as the pinnacle of success in America.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elle-macpherson/for-a-while-i-was-on-the-cover-of-every-sports-illustrated-swimsuit/) [Elle Macpherson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elle-macpherson/) > [We need our president to be successful because our futures are all tied to the success of America, which means America's government, which means,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bloomberg/we-need-our-president-to-be-successful-because-our-futures-are-all/) [Michael Bloomberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bloomberg/) > [I was fortunate enough to have the success in America, and the fact that I write a lot of songs helps.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-morrison/i-was-fortunate-enough-to-have-the-success-in-america-and-the-fact/) [Mark Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-morrison/) > [What makes us different? Well, besides our skin color and our nationality and maybe our religion, nothing. We all want the same thing, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herm-edwards/what-makes-us-different-well-besides-our-skin-color-and-our/) [Herm Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herm-edwards/) > [A postsecondary education is the ticket to economic success in America.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arne-duncan/a-postsecondary-education-is-the-ticket-to-economic-success-in-america/) [Arne Duncan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arne-duncan/) > [“This day and age is a day of Achievement & age of Success! Today is a Gift, we call it Present”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anyaele-sam-chiyson/this-day-and-age-is-a-day-of-achievement-age-of-success-today-is-a/) [Anyaele Sam Chiyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anyaele-sam-chiyson/) ## More by Andrew Yang > [When I graduated from Brown, I had a very limited conception of jobs, careers, and what I wanted to do. Basically, I figured I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-yang/when-i-graduated-from-brown-i-had-a-very-limited-conception-of-jobs/) [Andrew Yang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-yang/) > [The vast majority of companies don't go public and mint dozens of millionaires. And most companies don't go around doling out stock options; private…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-yang/the-vast-majority-of-companies-don-t-go-public-and-mint-dozens-of/) [Andrew Yang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-yang/) > [I have started or run several companies and spent time with dozens of entrepreneurs over the years. Virtually none of them, in my experience,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-yang/i-have-started-or-run-several-companies-and-spent-time-with-dozens-of/) [Andrew Yang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-yang/) > [A company can set off in one direction, figures out that it's not the right way to go, and then go in an entirely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-yang/a-company-can-set-off-in-one-direction-figures-out-that-it-s-not-the/) [Andrew Yang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-yang/) > [I've always believed that talking about something is not the same as doing something about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-yang/i-ve-always-believed-that-talking-about-something-is-not-the-same-as/) [Andrew Yang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-yang/) > [Unfortunately, hardworking, academically gifted young people are kind of lazy when it comes to determining direction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-yang/unfortunately-hardworking-academically-gifted-young-people-are-kind/) [Andrew Yang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-yang/) > [Silicon Valley is like Wall Street in that it will fill and pursue market opportunities to their logical extremes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-yang/silicon-valley-is-like-wall-street-in-that-it-will-fill-and-pursue/) [Andrew Yang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-yang/) > [If you can't pay your bills, it has a really tough effect on your mental state.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-yang/if-you-can-t-pay-your-bills-it-has-a-really-tough-effect-on-your/) [Andrew Yang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-yang/) > [Starting a business is similar to an athletic endeavor, like serving a tennis ball. Telling you how to do it is useless. You actually…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-yang/starting-a-business-is-similar-to-an-athletic-endeavor-like-serving-a/) [Andrew Yang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-yang/) > [I'm a capitalist, and I believe that universal basic income is necessary for capitalism to continue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-yang/i-m-a-capitalist-and-i-believe-that-universal-basic-income-is/) [Andrew Yang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-yang/) > [Technology companies tend to operate in winner-take-all spaces and thus adopt a very high-commitment culture.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-yang/technology-companies-tend-to-operate-in-winner-take-all-spaces-and/) [Andrew Yang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-yang/) > [After a couple of years in a professional setting, you'll get used to dressing presentably, preparing for meetings, speaking appropriately, showing up on time,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-yang/after-a-couple-of-years-in-a-professional-setting-you-ll-get-used-to/) [Andrew Yang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-yang/) > [I try not to bring my phone to the gym - it's too tempting to play with it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-yang/i-try-not-to-bring-my-phone-to-the-gym-it-s-too-tempting-to-play-with/) [Andrew Yang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-yang/) > [Back in 2001, my first start-up was mentioned in the 'New York Times' and 'USA Today.' I figured that would drive thousands of visitors…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-yang/back-in-2001-my-first-start-up-was-mentioned-in-the-new-york-times/) [Andrew Yang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-yang/) > [Building a successful business requires a combination of human capital, financial resources, market opportunity, persistence, community support, and even luck.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-yang/building-a-successful-business-requires-a-combination-of-human/) [Andrew Yang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-yang/) [Explore all 125 Andrew Yang quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-yang/) ## More Family quotes > [I was 3-years-old - to this day it is a vivid memory. My family and I were on a boat, catching fish. As one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joaquin-phoenix/i-was-3-years-old-to-this-day-it-is-a-vivid-memory-my-family-and-i/) [Joaquin Phoenix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joaquin-phoenix/) > [One can put some trust in the gratitude of a sovereign, and also in that of his family; under certain conditions, one can even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/otto-von-bismarck/one-can-put-some-trust-in-the-gratitude-of-a-sovereign-and-also-in/) [Otto von Bismarck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/otto-von-bismarck/) > [Social responsibility above the level of family, or at most of tribe, requires imagination-- devotion, loyalty, all the higher virtues -- which a man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/social-responsibility-above-the-level-of-family-or-at-most-of-tribe/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [“ever day Maureen is Selfish To her friend and Family One she get mad at her friend and family and She need to Grad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-andeson/ever-day-maureen-is-selfish-to-her-friend-and-family-one-she-get-mad/) [Maureen Andeson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maureen-andeson/) > [Our concept of a family holiday was going to a guest house in the Lake district or Wales where walking was part of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-bannister/our-concept-of-a-family-holiday-was-going-to-a-guest-house-in-the/) [Roger Bannister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-bannister/) > [“So Jace is my actual family," Kit said. "But I can't go live with him, because him and his hot girlfriend are going off…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/so-jace-is-my-actual-family-kit-said-but-i-can-t-go-live-with-him/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [I have friends and family that identify as LGBTQ.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-mace/i-have-friends-and-family-that-identify-as-lgbtq/) [Nancy Mace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-mace/) > [Her dignity consists in being unknown to the world; her glory is in the esteem of her husband; her pleasures in the happiness of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-jacques-rousseau/her-dignity-consists-in-being-unknown-to-the-world-her-glory-is-in/) [Jean-Jacques Rousseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-jacques-rousseau/) > [It's not just that families can't buy a home or start a business without some savings tucked away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-cooper/it-s-not-just-that-families-can-t-buy-a-home-or-start-a-business/) [Jim Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-cooper/) > [“She knew how to play him so very well. He slipped his hand around hers. "Friends," he repeated roughly. Her smile was bright enough…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathryn-smith/she-knew-how-to-play-him-so-very-well-he-slipped-his-hand-around-hers/) [Kathryn Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathryn-smith/) > [As a family, we all loved the Flyers. To me, rooting for the Flyers were how I bonded with my dad especially.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-f-goldberg/as-a-family-we-all-loved-the-flyers-to-me-rooting-for-the-flyers-were/) [Adam F. Goldberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-f-goldberg/) > [The people have always been family to me here in Las Vegas. The people have always been very, very kind to me, and it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randall-cunningham/the-people-have-always-been-family-to-me-here-in-las-vegas-the-people/) [Randall Cunningham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randall-cunningham/) > [“Your relationship with your brother will be, in many ways, the most complex and bewildering of all the interpersonal connections you will form. An…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-currie-jr/your-relationship-with-your-brother-will-be-in-many-ways-the-most/) [Ron Currie Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-currie-jr/) > [I've long believed one of the mainsprings of our own liberty has been the widespread ownership of property among our people and the expectation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/i-ve-long-believed-one-of-the-mainsprings-of-our-own-liberty-has-been/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [Family over friends, because real friends are family](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/family-over-friends-because-real-friends-are-family/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 36,913 Family quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/family/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We say success in America is about hard work and character. It's not really. Most of success today is about how good you are at certain tests and what kind of family background you have, with some exceptions sprinkled in to try and make it all seem fair.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Andrew Yang" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-yang/we-say-success-in-america-is-about-hard-work-and-character-it-s-not/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Family" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-yang/we-say-success-in-america-is-about-hard-work-and-character-it-s-not/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/da8/andrew-yang-3669_family_we-say-success-in-america-is-about-hard_2474002.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/da8/andrew-yang-3669_family_we-say-success-in-america-is-about-hard_2474002.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/da8/andrew-yang-3669_family_we-say-success-in-america-is-about-hard_2474002.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“We say success in America is about hard work and character. It's not really. Most of success today is about…” — Andrew Yang", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Andrew Yang", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-yang/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "We say success in America is...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-yang/we-say-success-in-america-is-about-hard-work-and-character-it-s-not/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-yang/we-say-success-in-america-is-about-hard-work-and-character-it-s-not/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```