Want to be CEO? Arrange to be born in a month other than June or July, says a recent report in Economic Letters.
The reason, disappointingly, is not based on astrology, but in something called “relative age effect,” which basically means that how old we are compared to our classmates in school affects us for our entire lives.
“These results support the idea of academic ‘redshirting,’ or the logic behind parents holding kids back a year before starting kindergarden so that they have more time to develop,” writes Aimee Groth in Business Insider. Students who are older not only enjoy a maturity advantage but also a confidence advantage by default.”
Children born in June or July are less likely to start school later, as compared to, say, children born in October, which makes them less likely to get these advantages.
Of course, if you’re hoping that your kid grows up to be CEO, there’s more you need to take into account than just birth month. Your first-born is more likely to become a top executive, for instance. And if you can possibly arrange for him to be a tall, white, male named Peter, Bob, or Jack, that’s an advantage. (No, seriously.)
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