How The Matthew Effect is The Main Cause of Why Winners Always Win, While Losers Never Win

From early childhood, you might've realised that some children seemed to be having everything going their way. They perform well academically, outperforming everyone in sports, and come from a loving family with both parents. They are admired by almost everyone. They are basically living a soft life.

On the other hand, others are poor, they don't perform at school, they fail at any sport they attempt, and they live in dysfunctional families.

And often, as adults, both these different scenarios follow them. The one who grew up soft still enjoys the soft life in his adulthood. While the one who suffered is still suffering.

This is by no coincidence. It is the Matthew Effect in play.

The Matthew Effect was coined by sociologist Robert K. Merton, in which the meaning of it in simplicity is "the rich get richer, the poorer get poorer".

It is called the Matthew Effect, based on the bible verse Matthew 25:29, which states:

"To everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have an abundance; but from the one who does not have, even what he has will be taken away."

With the Matthew Effect, Merton puts much emphasis on cumulative advantage, which is what makes one person better or have an advantage over the other.

A child born in a loving home with both parents has an advantage over the one who was not.

A child growing up in a safe and healthy environment has an advantage over those who don't.

A child whose parents were sports players has an advantage over the one whose parents never played the sport.

These examples illustrate what Merton speaks of. These are the microadvantages that accumulate over time. Where these advantages eventually compound, thus making the child a successful adult, compared to those who did not have such advantages, who will likely remain poor even in their adulthood.

Those who grew up destitute and somehow became successful are an anomaly. They are very rare in comparison to those who grew up poor and are still poor in their adult lives.

Even so, the good thing is that this can be turned around by any individual who chooses to do so.

Here's how:

If you did not grow up with microadvantages, the aim should be to lead a life where you place your children in positions where they have these advantages. Providing them with the necessary resources to be able to compete with others, whether socially, academically, or otherwise. In doing so, you would be changing your family's life around. And using the Matthew Effect to work for you.

Sometimes, we struggle not because of our own doing, but because we were never afforded the microadvantages that others had. And in adulthood, when you have to compete, you'd still find it hard to compete and win against someone who started ten years before you. Who had all the advantages you never had, which have accumulated and ripened for him to be able to succeed in everything he touches.

This is how those who seem to always be winning stay winning, while those who lose always lose. Or if they win, they merely get the bronze medal, or the bread crumbs, while others took the whole bakery.

This proves the old-age saying that life is unfair. And that is a fact.

The onus is on each one to intentionally use the Matthew Effect to their advantage in their adulthood. Because even if you don't, it is always at play.

If you are not happy with your current affairs, create those microadvantages. Over time, they'll compound, and you and your children may live the soft life too.