For a long time, people thought there was only one way to get rich: get the best grades, go to a famous college, and be born a genius. But according to Lloyd Blankfein, the former CEO of Goldman Sachs, that old plan is not what CEOs are looking for anymore.
He ran one of the world’s most powerful banks for 12 years, and he wants to show that you don’t need a ‘super genius’ brain or a wealthy family to reach the top. Instead, he says the most successful people win because of a simple skill that many people forget. They keep their ears open and walk through ‘little doors’ of opportunity that other people just walk past.
Success is more accessible than you think
In a recent interview with CNBC International, Blankfein reflected on the thousands of high achievers he encountered during his career. His takeaway was surprising. While some were undoubtedly brilliant, many of the most successful leaders weren’t ‘geniuses’ in the usual way.
“They just applied themselves, they had their ears open, they had curiosity about the environment around them,” Blankfein explained in the interview with CNBC.
He further said that these individuals didn’t necessarily have a ‘charmed life.’ Instead, they were observant. They saw small opportunities, those ‘little doors,’ and had the courage to walk through them while others were busy looking for a grand entrance.
Blankfein’s own life is a testament to this ‘scrappy’ philosophy. He didn’t grow up in a mansion; he was raised in public housing in Brooklyn. He shared a bedroom with family members until he left for college. His high school was struggling so much that it was nearly shut down. Yet, he ‘battened down the hatches,’ worked harder than everyone else, and eventually made it to Harvard.
For Blankfein, the ‘chip on his shoulder’ wasn’t a burden; it was fuel. It made him more curious and less likely to take things for granted than his peers, who had been handed everything.
Why the best leaders focus on ‘human skills’ over IQ
Blankfein isn’t the only heavy hitter at Goldman Sachs who feels this way. Current CEO David Solomon shares a similar view. Solomon says he belongs to the ‘camp of smart enough.’
You need to be smart to work in big finance, but Solomon says being the smartest person in the room can actually be a bad thing if you don’t have ‘human skills.’ When he hires people, he looks for those who can bounce back from failure, stay determined to finish a job, and know how to work well with others.
On Sequoia Capital’s Long Strange Trip podcast, he explained that real-life experience is much more important than what you learn in a textbook. A fancy degree doesn’t give you the wisdom to stay calm and make tough choices when things go wrong.
Why CEOs are looking beyond the Ivy League
The shift away from ‘pedigree-only’ hiring is becoming a trend across the business world. Even Warren Buffett, the legendary leader of Berkshire Hathaway, has famously stated that he doesn’t care where a candidate went to school.
In his 2025 annual letter to shareholders, Buffett wrote that some of his best managers attended less prestigious schools or didn’t finish school at all. He pointed to icons like Bill Gates as proof that a diploma isn’t a requirement for world-changing success.
Similarly, Blackstone President Jon Gray recently told new analysts that the secret to success in a tough job market isn’t complicated: “Work harder and care more.” He encouraged young professionals to think like entrepreneurs and treat people with respect.
The message from the top of the corporate ladder is clear: If you believe that success is reserved only for the ‘brilliant’ or the ‘elite,’ you’ve already lost.
Blankfein’s career proves that while luck and opportunity play a role, the real differentiator is a combination of curiosity and grit. By keeping your ‘ears open’ and having the work ethic to back it up, the path to the C-suite becomes not just a dream, but a reachable goal. As Blankfein puts it, these opportunities are ‘more accessible than you think.’