Upward Dynamism

Key Takeaways

1. Social mobility is about self-improvement and growth, not manipulating others or sacrificing ethical values
2. Hard work, determination, and the right strategies can help anyone improve their quality of life and achieve their goals
3. By reading and following this “travel guide”, you gain valuable insights and strategies to navigate the world of upward mobility and self-realization
4. The author experienced the challenges and opportunities of social mobility firsthand and shares his personal experiences and insights to empower others
5. Future articles cover relevant topics like “upward mobility 101”, networking, personal branding, negotiating, mentorship, and balancing work and personal life etc.

Welcome to my “travel guide”! From now on, I’ll be your “companion” for navigating the world of upward mobility. In this blog, I’ll share my personal experiences and insights on the success factors of social mobility.

In this first article, we’ll set the ground stones by introducing this blog’s overall aspirations, topics, structure, and a sneak peek on what’s on the horizon and how you can best benefit from all of this.

What’s this “travel guide” all about? What’s in it for you?

Upward social mobility can be negatively connotated with egotistical or manipulative behavior “thanks” to some infamous “social climbers” (who we do not associate with). However, I see it as a journey of continuously improving your standard of living. Nobody must compromise their ethical values for that.

Au contraire, there is something noble to this quest, especially if it aims at elevating the standard of living for your surroundings, too. As the creator of this “travel guide”, my ambition is to empower you to empower yourself. Or as one of my teachers used to say: I can only put you on the pot, you must sh*t yourself!

What’s in it for me? I will learn a lot in the process of creating this comprehensive resource. Plus, I’ll be able to give back to the world with this project. I remember how frantically I searched for a guide like this when I was younger but couldn’t find anything. I had to search in many places, and now I’m consolidating all my key learning into this one resource to share.

But the benefits reach beyond me. If you read and follow this blog, you can stand on my shoulders and enjoy the kind of kick-start to your upward journey that I wish I’d had.

Why should you listen to me?

I experienced the challenges and opportunities that come with upward social mobility. For example, I dropped out of school and university several times and wondered if I would ever be able to turn things around. But I didn’t give up. I worked hard, focused on my goals, and eventually passed my high school graduation with distinction and earned a spot at one of the best public Ivy universities.

Despite my struggles, I eventually graduated at the top of my class with a Master of Science degree and landed a rewarding job as an intrapreneur in a large multinational corporation, and I’m currently laying the foundations for more entrepreneurial endeavors in the future.

So, I speak from experience when I say that upward mobility is possible, even for those who come from less-than-fortunate backgrounds. I am not here to sell you snake oil or promise overnight success – but I do believe that with hard work, determination and the right strategies, anyone can achieve their goals and improve their standard of living.

Okay, now you’re on board: What’s next?

Now that we clarified the ambitions of this blog, let’s explore the roadmap of topics we’ll delve into soon:

• Building valuable connections: How to effectively network and cultivate a network of potential supporters that will help you achieve your goals.
• Developing New Skills: Tips and strategies for acquiring new skills that can help you stand out and advance “aloft the corporate ladder”. We’ll also cover the crucial role of and tips for lifelong learning.
• Presenting Yourself in a Positive Light: How to deploy techniques like impression management to shape how others (or you) perceive you and how this impacts our interactions and success.
• Personal Branding: Strategies for creating and sustaining a compelling personal brand that can open many doors for you, because people can only consider you for opportunities if you’re “top-of-mind” for them.
• Negotiating and Navigating Office Politics: Techniques for managing your way through office politics and communicating effectively to get what you want (and deserve!).
• Finding Mentors and Advisors: Tips for accessing the wisdom of those “who already went there” who can help you succeed: There’s no need to reinvent the wheel.
• Balancing Work and Personal Life: Work-life balance strategies that will allow you to achieve your goals without compromising your well-being: You’re worth it.

We will also cover “simple” day-to-day challenges like writing cover letters, filing tax returns, etc. – the kind of knowledge that is usually passed down from generation to generation in the upper class but is often lacking in the working class.

Our roadmap is heavily packed as you can see – so stay tuned for more. Please familiarize yourself with our main categories (click me) where you will find all (future) articles organized by themes (like the bullet points above). Also, as a (more or less) meaningful complement, I’m sharing personal reflections and experiences in my blog (click me) which may provide context to the rather “matter-of-fact” style articles in the other buckets.

Also feel free to share your experiences or questions and engage with me and the community in the comments. Let’s all learn from each other and grow together.

Cheers, John.

Recommended Reading for Aspiring Go-Getters

Here are some recommended resources for the curious minds to dive deeper:

• “The Talent Code” by Daniel Coyle – In this best-seller, Coyle explores the science of skill acquisition and offers practical strategies for developing your talents. If you want to acquire valuable skills strategically to achieve your goals, be sure to check out this book.
• “Never Split the Difference” by Chris Voss – Written by a former FBI hostage negotiator, this book teaches us how to communicate effectively and persuade others – a critical skill for up-and-comers.
• “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People” by Stephen R. Covey – This classic book stood the test of time for good reason. Covey covers timeless principles that can help you become more effective in all areas of your life.
• “The Lean Startup” by Eric Ries – This book is a must-read for anyone looking to start their own business or climb the corporate ladder (as an “intrapreneur”). Ries’ lean startup method teaches us how to test our ideas, pivot if needed, and make our businesses a success.