I think a lot of the hobby obsession is because since industrialization we've been moving away from work that feels meaningful and towards things that are either menial or overly repetitive, or worse, both. So its a hopeful motion that you might be able to someday do the thing you actually enjoy doing and have spent huge amounts of your own time to be proficient at. It's a fairly common way to try to reject being a cog in the machine.
Interesting perspective. I think that if you find a hobby that you really love, you will eventually become really good at it. Some days you will be obsessed and others you will just want to take a break. Different from a job is totally fine if you lets say, don't play guitar for a week. And finally, if you started something 20 years ago I hope that you became somewhat proficient on it.
Wow, 8:00 The drive to turn hobby into hustle comes partially from "the desire to find meaning and purpose in our lives through increased human perfectionism" - I FEEL CALLED OUT
This episode really helped me understand why I find that engaging in a hobby as a means to relax after doing a bunch of work doesn't feel like I'm relaxing as I get older. Thanks for providing context to a facet of my life that I regularly don't think too much about (unless I'm trying to force it as a means to relax from working).
Interestingly medieval hunters, in Europe, were advised to learn to swim so that they could get their hounds back if they got to the other side of a river and would not return. During the Tudor period it is said that one of the reasons for high rates of drowning was that most sailors could not swim.
I seriously love the way these videos are structured, the amount of research done for each one, the speed of the narrative and the injection of humour wherever she finds possible, it's just absolutely wonderful, thank you for another great video!
This is so interesting! I took a cake decorating class with my mom to learn how to make nice cakes for my sons... Fast forward 9 years and I’m making cakes for people, teaching cake decorating classes and have my own RUclips channel with tutorials. It all started with a hobby.... Mind you, I still have my 8-5 job! 🤣
Do you all ever meet people who tell you that you should tell your hobby work? It's annoying because I'd be making about 10 cents an hour for the knitting and about $1/hour for the watercolors according to what they say they are willing to pay.
I get it a lot, but mainly for my drawings. And I'm not really good enough or motivated enough to make a living out of it. I am, however, motivated to sell my crochet stuff. To you I recommend making smaller things as well as big ones and sell them on etsy. The bigger ones you sell for a bit less and the smaller ones you sell for a bit more. That's how big fashion designers do it. And if you put a larger price tag on them, people will naturally assume that it's high quality and deserves that price.
I love how you use that globe to hold paintbrushes, nail polish and a camera instead of alcohol. I always wanted one of those globe things (figured I could put soda pop in it) but I NEVER thought of using one to hold things like those previously mentioned.
As an engineer, my hobbies fall into some specific categories. 1. Work-related things I love doing, but don't get to do enough of at work. 2. New tech I'm interested in, but isn't (yet) relevant to work. 3. Skills that once were needed at work, but are now obsolete, yet represent a substantial investment of time effort, and fun on my part. 4. Things unrelated to engineering and work that help make me a more complete person (exercise, music, reading, creative writing, etc.). 5. Weird shit. Like learning basic greetings is 13 languages. Because I love saying "Hi" to people. 6. Pure entertainment and social activities. Dancing, group singing, volunteering for charity and institutions, board and card games.
I love crafting but severely dislike when people suggest I sell it. I would rather give it away as gifts or just to strangers that would appreciate it.
First video I’ve seen on this channel. Great presentation of a fascinating subject that is very dear to me. I have 2 hobbies I’m quite involved in, woodworking and model airplane building. My primary motivations are being passionate about the activity and subject matter, having an outlet for creativity, and engaging my brain in challenging yet fun pursuits. I also derive great satisfaction from a sense of accomplishment. IMHO, this is so much preferable to sitting in front of the TV, which is often a cultural wasteland and a waste of time.
My dad says your day job is just to pay for your hobbies. I say hobbies are what keep you sane. Very few people actually have the opportunity to work in a job they love. So they work to pay the bills and their hobbies are what give them purpose.
I see a link between productivity and approval (feeling accepted) in contemporary hobby culture which can lead to the desire to 'stand out', encouraging competition. Funny how we separate ourselves from others in an attempt to be worthy of inclusion. Wonderful video, thanks!
A while back--20 or 30 years ago, there was this concern about the world becoming "high tech--low touch" (less face to face contact, etc) and how that contributed to the rise of "old fashioned" crafts and activities like knitting and crafting. I feel people really do need to express themselves creatively and if their normal work day doesn't do that (and they have the time/energy/money to do so) they will be drawn to some sort of outlet. Thank you for your show. I enjoy your topics and style.
My hobby is very niche, but I love bird photography and Hawaiian birds and turned it into a Instagram page focusing on the history, conservation, and cultural significance of the birds of Hawaiʻi.
we did a year of vlogging, really fun and very tough project. to any one with kids I really recommend it 😊 just remember to ask their permission to put them. publicly online
I've recently started up a YT channel about my hobby, screenwriting. Otherwise, my hobbies are learning and geek culture, and my driving passion is my faith.
When I was younger it was less expensive to make clothes than to buy them. So, my daughter and I wore home made clothes. Same for knitting. Now sewing isn’t how you save money for kid’s clothes, it’s how you make a quilt for the church auction. And knitting is what I do to keep sane in the epidemic isolation.
I know this is late, but I have conflicted opinions on Marijuana, and would really appreciate a video on the History of Cannabis. I really enjoy how this channel tells the history of many things.
Hi from France ! I discovered your channel last week, and I absolutely love it . Once again, i've learned something interessant haha I don't know about English-speaker community on RUclips, but in France, it is still rare to see women make anything different than beauty or lifestyle channels in the plateform whereas it would be so refreshing to see everyone share their passion regardless of their gender ! Anyway, I saw recently two french videos about the impact of agriculture and transport on our societies, and I thought both could be good subjects for you ;)
I hadn't considered that Hobbies didn't exist before the revolution... My hobby is art. Although I'm an art student, traditional art is my hobby while Digital art is my work. @westie_q is my instagram where I post most of my stuff. I recently did a piece talking about our digital revolution, funny how this episode came out right as I finished it!
I feel like a big part of the weekend was glossed over: unions. The reason the weekend (& child labor laws & many other benefits of working) came about was in large part due to workers unionizing and demanding it. Other than that, hella informative.
I would add that hobbies in the USA are not only tied to work but in some ways tied to a patriotic/self-sufficient national identity that goes back to victory gardens and now can be seen as part of the perceived identity of gun collectors.
One hobby includes listening to OoE while doing some video editing! Hey how about an episode on the history/origin of a call for reparations in America?
So i've been running recently, but now that i think about it, i never really saw it as a hobby. It was merely out of embarrassment of always being last to finish the warm up at school
I do a lot of 3D art work. Like scalping, carving, and building stuff. Hopefully I will start a business in the next 3 years, but for right now it’s just a hobby 😊
The idea that the definition of a hobby included NOT earning money from it seems to have held on. This seems especially true for artists. It's like art is one of the few areas where people still think that "it's just a hobby" no matter how good you are or how much work you put into it. I see people being called arrogant (among other things) for even daring to mention prices for their artwork. It always blows my mind when people gush over an artists work, but would never even consider paying them to do that work.
And here I am sitting at work while also partaking of a hobby (Cross Stitch) because on 3rd shift no one minds as long as I find a way to stay awake. And when not doing this my 'real' hobby is painting miniatures... I have a problem lol
I think the hobby to hustle phenomenon can also ba partially attributed to the fact that we nowadays more and more people want a job they love or pursuing a passion so they turn to a profitable hobby instead.
Thanks for the interesting video! I crochet, and do many other crafts, and record it all on Instagram (@earlgreycrochet) and RUclips. Its kind of overwhelming how many other people do the same!
This makes a lot of sense. I've always loved crafting and this also answered my question as to why crafting is usually deemed a feminine thing. Funny enough sewing was never a hobby of mine, until I became cheap and wanted to make things for myself and my friends. Which lead to me perfecting my craft like you said which lead to me marketing it when I saw a hole in for this need. But now that I do it for a living I've never been sure whether I can call it a hobby or not. Because in my spare time I do other things but I also look into how to expand my art forms, perfect those, and market that with a general theme. You can check out my store here: Etsy.com/shop/queennerdco It is the result of playing with cameras for years, teaching myself how to sew with MANY tutorials online, exploring cosplay and conventions, and diving deeper into some of my nerd loves.
We, as humans, need to actually do stuff. We can't just stare at a wall all the time. That drive has helped humans since forever get shit done or to be a productive worker.
Lots of people get mad about how times are changing to fast and every one is so competitive but everything comes and goes. In 100 years there might be no such thing as hobbies or workplaces. Everyones hobby will be their work. And in another 100 there will be no hobbies or work.
It just isn't hobbies. Volunteerism also contributes. I volunteer at a local NPR station and for my church. Between the two of them, a lot of my free time is consumed. My various skills improve in the process, I learn new skills, and through the volunteerism I contribute to my communities.
I'm an artist and I have a BFA but I don't have an art job yet. So I guess it's a hobby for now. I'm crying on the inside. I'm @space_moggy in Instagram.
It is about those who have nothing to do sometimes do bad things to other people out of boredom. Most of the people can't handle this feeling, just because of how intensive it can get. People are doing everything not to feel bored, while also boredom makes you see the entire world in the negative light, similar to the way anger or depression does. Where I am from, public transportation is where teens get bullied on their way to school by the older women. They are so bored with their pensioner lives that complaining to the barely awake kid for daring to sit in the bus is fun to them. It is not just for not moving away as soon as one entered inside. You sit on the empty seat and then get yelled on because of that. There is also a scientific research about crime that says a lot of it is done by the people who would not do that if they were not bored. Also, people who feel like they have nothing to do with their lives are those who do hate crimes and sometimes join terrorist organizations. Old people knew.
Timely video considering the Critical Role Kickstarter, and how they've turned their tabletop gaming hobby into a legit business. I wonder what percentage of the Fortnite dev team makes half a million a month, and if perhaps he ought to contribute some of his impressive earnings to the game that's enabled him to become so successful.
I think a lot of the hobby obsession is because since industrialization we've been moving away from work that feels meaningful and towards things that are either menial or overly repetitive, or worse, both. So its a hopeful motion that you might be able to someday do the thing you actually enjoy doing and have spent huge amounts of your own time to be proficient at. It's a fairly common way to try to reject being a cog in the machine.
Yes! You got that right!
Yeah, hobbies are actually VERY good evidence against the idea that "humans wouldn't wanna work if it wasn't for wages", we literally do
Interesting perspective. I think that if you find a hobby that you really love, you will eventually become really good at it. Some days you will be obsessed and others you will just want to take a break. Different from a job is totally fine if you lets say, don't play guitar for a week. And finally, if you started something 20 years ago I hope that you became somewhat proficient on it.
so ted kazsinski was right, this is basically his thesis
"So let's just skip over the tiny horse part of hobby's history"
...
Okay. But get back to that sometime.
Yes. Henry's hobbies are worth a video themselves.
Wow, 8:00 The drive to turn hobby into hustle comes partially from "the desire to find meaning and purpose in our lives through increased human perfectionism" - I FEEL CALLED OUT
I can't believe I just now learned the origin of the weekend!! Thanks. :D
My hobby is to comment on RUclips videos.
This was information I didn't know I needed. Thank you. And originauts... I see what you did there :)
My favourite hobby is fishing 🎣 and i never ever can catch one , but I enjoy holding a stick.
This episode really helped me understand why I find that engaging in a hobby as a means to relax after doing a bunch of work doesn't feel like I'm relaxing as I get older. Thanks for providing context to a facet of my life that I regularly don't think too much about (unless I'm trying to force it as a means to relax from working).
So much fun content this season! I love it. I watch with my VERY curious 8yr old daughter
Aww educational and interesting
I'm interested in the history of swimming. When did we start doing that as a leisure activity?
Huh...
I want to see this too
Was swimming ever a non-leisure activity?
Interestingly medieval hunters, in Europe, were advised to learn to swim so that they could get their hounds back if they got to the other side of a river and would not return. During the Tudor period it is said that one of the reasons for high rates of drowning was that most sailors could not swim.
@@SmithMrCorona yes.
I seriously love the way these videos are structured, the amount of research done for each one, the speed of the narrative and the injection of humour wherever she finds possible, it's just absolutely wonderful, thank you for another great video!
This also helps explain a lot of whsg i thought my hobbies were. I love that clear definition and explanation of things on this channel *kudos*
You and It's Ok To Be Smart are two of my favorite RUclips channels and coincidentally both PBS
This is so interesting! I took a cake decorating class with my mom to learn how to make nice cakes for my sons... Fast forward 9 years and I’m making cakes for people, teaching cake decorating classes and have my own RUclips channel with tutorials. It all started with a hobby.... Mind you, I still have my 8-5 job! 🤣
Why would anyone dislike is has content and a likable energy in her presentation. Very informative.
Do you all ever meet people who tell you that you should tell your hobby work? It's annoying because I'd be making about 10 cents an hour for the knitting and about $1/hour for the watercolors according to what they say they are willing to pay.
I get it a lot, but mainly for my drawings. And I'm not really good enough or motivated enough to make a living out of it. I am, however, motivated to sell my crochet stuff. To you I recommend making smaller things as well as big ones and sell them on etsy. The bigger ones you sell for a bit less and the smaller ones you sell for a bit more. That's how big fashion designers do it. And if you put a larger price tag on them, people will naturally assume that it's high quality and deserves that price.
I've had that before. Never went into it, as I suck at deadlines. Unhappy clients aren't good for business.
My hobby is this RUclips! I like making theory videos.
I love how you use that globe to hold paintbrushes, nail polish and a camera instead of alcohol. I always wanted one of those globe things (figured I could put soda pop in it) but I NEVER thought of using one to hold things like those previously mentioned.
As an engineer, my hobbies fall into some specific categories.
1. Work-related things I love doing, but don't get to do enough of at work.
2. New tech I'm interested in, but isn't (yet) relevant to work.
3. Skills that once were needed at work, but are now obsolete, yet represent a substantial investment of time effort, and fun on my part.
4. Things unrelated to engineering and work that help make me a more complete person (exercise, music, reading, creative writing, etc.).
5. Weird shit. Like learning basic greetings is 13 languages. Because I love saying "Hi" to people.
6. Pure entertainment and social activities. Dancing, group singing, volunteering for charity and institutions, board and card games.
I have never missed an episode of Origin of Everything! Love this show!
I appreciated learning about structured leisure. I am obsessed with the Host she is very talented. I watch these videos just to listen to her.
Those bookshelves are everything
I wants
Hobbies origin and weekend origin! WOW
I’m enjoying this channel more & more! Everything you always wanted to know about nothing that really is something!!
I love crafting but severely dislike when people suggest I sell it. I would rather give it away as gifts or just to strangers that would appreciate it.
First video I’ve seen on this channel. Great presentation of a fascinating subject that is very dear to me. I have 2 hobbies I’m quite involved in, woodworking and model airplane building. My primary motivations are being passionate about the activity and subject matter, having an outlet for creativity, and engaging my brain in challenging yet fun pursuits. I also derive great satisfaction from a sense of accomplishment. IMHO, this is so much preferable to sitting in front of the TV, which is often a cultural wasteland and a waste of time.
Butt-a-face cookies....*dying*🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣💀
I think it was actually "butter face."
My dad says your day job is just to pay for your hobbies. I say hobbies are what keep you sane. Very few people actually have the opportunity to work in a job they love. So they work to pay the bills and their hobbies are what give them purpose.
Strange hobby, but theology is one of mine. Music is another and Cosplay a third. 😁
Something like that. Professionally, I am an educator for special needs students. 😁
Steven Gelber was one of my favorite professors at Santa Clara University! So cool to hear him cited on of my favorite RUclips channels!
I see a link between productivity and approval (feeling accepted) in contemporary hobby culture which can lead to the desire to 'stand out', encouraging competition. Funny how we separate ourselves from others in an attempt to be worthy of inclusion. Wonderful video, thanks!
This video was great! I thought it was even more interesting than most of the other videos. Perhaps I found it more personal, or something like that.
A while back--20 or 30 years ago, there was this concern about the world becoming "high tech--low touch" (less face to face contact, etc) and how that contributed to the rise of "old fashioned" crafts and activities like knitting and crafting. I feel people really do need to express themselves creatively and if their normal work day doesn't do that (and they have the time/energy/money to do so) they will be drawn to some sort of outlet.
Thank you for your show. I enjoy your topics and style.
Great content and delivery. I have subscribed. Thank you.
Thank you! Very informative and enjoyable to watch.
Hobbies of mine is watching and making RUclips videos, reading, doing math, playing with my cats, drawing, yoga, and meditating.
Great video! Beautifully written and adeptly presented. Kudos Ms Bainbridge
My hobby is very niche, but I love bird photography and Hawaiian birds and turned it into a Instagram page focusing on the history, conservation, and cultural significance of the birds of Hawaiʻi.
This is a great channel. I might like it more than PBS Idea Channel. Mike Rugnetta was great, but this presenter is pretty good.
Phenomenal video!!!
THANK YOU SO MUCH & I LEARNED SO MUCH!!!!
Very good insights....
Great video,it amazing to know the origin of everything
we did a year of vlogging, really fun and very tough project. to any one with kids I really recommend it 😊 just remember to ask their permission to put them. publicly online
I've recently started up a YT channel about my hobby, screenwriting. Otherwise, my hobbies are learning and geek culture, and my driving passion is my faith.
When I was younger it was less expensive to make clothes than to buy them. So, my daughter and I wore home made clothes. Same for knitting. Now sewing isn’t how you save money for kid’s clothes, it’s how you make a quilt for the church auction. And knitting is what I do to keep sane in the epidemic isolation.
Started as a division of labor, ie,blacksmiths, nurses, artists. We have more relaxtion time to enjoy what we like!
I know this is late, but I have conflicted opinions on Marijuana, and would really appreciate a video on the History of Cannabis.
I really enjoy how this channel tells the history of many things.
Cool hobbies are something everyone needs
Hi from France ! I discovered your channel last week, and I absolutely love it . Once again, i've learned something interessant haha
I don't know about English-speaker community on RUclips, but in France, it is still rare to see women make anything different than beauty or lifestyle channels in the plateform whereas it would be so refreshing to see everyone share their passion regardless of their gender !
Anyway, I saw recently two french videos about the impact of agriculture and transport on our societies, and I thought both could be good subjects for you ;)
0:42 I swear to god I have a cousin that looks exactly like that guy
I have two hobbies, making music by singing and playing instruments, and cooking.
@Anton R. Georgiev i like people with those hobbies.
I hadn't considered that Hobbies didn't exist before the revolution...
My hobby is art. Although I'm an art student, traditional art is my hobby while Digital art is my work.
@westie_q is my instagram where I post most of my stuff.
I recently did a piece talking about our digital revolution, funny how this episode came out right as I finished it!
I crochet stuff and I teach high school kids to crochet.
Gail Lewis why did I laugh so hard at this.
I do speed builds of builders games. Currently I'm focused on Planet Coaster, but I will always try something out to see if I like it 😁
I am who has to many hobbies and interest. For me creativity is a way of expression
Danielle is the best. That’s all.
I really like this topic of your video. thanks!
I feel like a big part of the weekend was glossed over: unions. The reason the weekend (& child labor laws & many other benefits of working) came about was in large part due to workers unionizing and demanding it. Other than that, hella informative.
My hobbies are making tutus and crochet (mainly amigurimi and hats)
Thanks! Looking at this subject trough your lens did me a solid. I don’t need nor want a hobby. Paid labor is enough for me. 🤪🧐
I have what I'd call a hobby-business Small Bark Holiday Care (looking after dogs) it would be a dream come true if grew well enough to support me!
Who is the one person who disliked the video ? Do they have no hobbies? 😂
I'm with no hobbies.
I love your icon❤
What do you call a recreational activity for the rich?
A snobby Hobby.
What happens when someone steals your craftwork?
A Hobby Rob'ry
Okay i'm done.
Lol
I would add that hobbies in the USA are not only tied to work but in some ways tied to a patriotic/self-sufficient national identity that goes back to victory gardens and now can be seen as part of the perceived identity of gun collectors.
One hobby includes listening to OoE while doing some video editing!
Hey how about an episode on the history/origin of a call for reparations in America?
I'm watching this while working on my side hussle...sewing.
So i've been running recently, but now that i think about it, i never really saw it as a hobby. It was merely out of embarrassment of always being last to finish the warm up at school
I do a lot of 3D art work. Like scalping, carving, and building stuff. Hopefully I will start a business in the next 3 years, but for right now it’s just a hobby 😊
I am told there is a fine line between a hobby and an obsession.
The idea that the definition of a hobby included NOT earning money from it seems to have held on. This seems especially true for artists.
It's like art is one of the few areas where people still think that "it's just a hobby" no matter how good you are or how much work you put into it. I see people being called arrogant (among other things) for even daring to mention prices for their artwork. It always blows my mind when people gush over an artists work, but would never even consider paying them to do that work.
My hobby is software development
Hobbies are the universal cure for all mankind.
Please don’t leave us 😢
Great video!
how u speak and portray urself is exemplary.
With robocalls being a big problem lately, you should do one on the history of telemarketing. Just a thought...
And here I am sitting at work while also partaking of a hobby (Cross Stitch) because on 3rd shift no one minds as long as I find a way to stay awake. And when not doing this my 'real' hobby is painting miniatures... I have a problem lol
I think the hobby to hustle phenomenon can also ba partially attributed to the fact that we nowadays more and more people want a job they love or pursuing a passion so they turn to a profitable hobby instead.
My hobby is watching RUclips videos. I'm very good at it.
Danielle, I love your outfit today! I'm watching this video at the end of winter, and your spring style makes me smile.
My hobby is BookTube videos, and it is always fun when people I meet ask me if I make a lot of money doing them and I laugh in their faces.
Q: Why do we have hobbies?
A: Because work isn't fun (that's why they pay us to do it).
Hobbies are work that we enjoy (which is called "play").
I wanted to hear more about small horses.
Thanks for the interesting video!
I crochet, and do many other crafts, and record it all on Instagram (@earlgreycrochet) and RUclips. Its kind of overwhelming how many other people do the same!
You do get paid by hobbies, you get payed with FUN!
Can’t help but listen to the song plight by the minutemen
Cool Charlie Brown hat!
This makes a lot of sense. I've always loved crafting and this also answered my question as to why crafting is usually deemed a feminine thing. Funny enough sewing was never a hobby of mine, until I became cheap and wanted to make things for myself and my friends. Which lead to me perfecting my craft like you said which lead to me marketing it when I saw a hole in for this need. But now that I do it for a living I've never been sure whether I can call it a hobby or not. Because in my spare time I do other things but I also look into how to expand my art forms, perfect those, and market that with a general theme.
You can check out my store here: Etsy.com/shop/queennerdco
It is the result of playing with cameras for years, teaching myself how to sew with MANY tutorials online, exploring cosplay and conventions, and diving deeper into some of my nerd loves.
Very nice
Can we circle back to the tiny horse part?
We, as humans, need to actually do stuff. We can't just stare at a wall all the time.
That drive has helped humans since forever get shit done or to be a productive worker.
Lots of people get mad about how times are changing to fast and every one is so competitive but everything comes and goes. In 100 years there might be no such thing as hobbies or workplaces. Everyones hobby will be their work. And in another 100 there will be no hobbies or work.
It just isn't hobbies. Volunteerism also contributes. I volunteer at a local NPR station and for my church. Between the two of them, a lot of my free time is consumed. My various skills improve in the process, I learn new skills, and through the volunteerism I contribute to my communities.
I'm an artist and I have a BFA but I don't have an art job yet. So I guess it's a hobby for now. I'm crying on the inside.
I'm @space_moggy in Instagram.
Collecting Funko pops and films are two of my hobbies I'm also attending college to get a degree in animation that's what I want to do next for work
I have wondered if it might have connections with the term "idle hands do the devil's work"
If you had a hobby you're hands weren't idle.
It is about those who have nothing to do sometimes do bad things to other people out of boredom. Most of the people can't handle this feeling, just because of how intensive it can get. People are doing everything not to feel bored, while also boredom makes you see the entire world in the negative light, similar to the way anger or depression does.
Where I am from, public transportation is where teens get bullied on their way to school by the older women. They are so bored with their pensioner lives that complaining to the barely awake kid for daring to sit in the bus is fun to them. It is not just for not moving away as soon as one entered inside. You sit on the empty seat and then get yelled on because of that. There is also a scientific research about crime that says a lot of it is done by the people who would not do that if they were not bored. Also, people who feel like they have nothing to do with their lives are those who do hate crimes and sometimes join terrorist organizations. Old people knew.
I really like you as a host
Ninja was a bad example considering he used to be a competitive eSports gamer before Fortnite.
Timely video considering the Critical Role Kickstarter, and how they've turned their tabletop gaming hobby into a legit business.
I wonder what percentage of the Fortnite dev team makes half a million a month, and if perhaps he ought to contribute some of his impressive earnings to the game that's enabled him to become so successful.