Do Better, Be Smarter, Work Harder
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In high school, Yang participated in student government and worked in an attorney’s office because he felt his calling was to help people. He decided that the only way to accomplish this dream on a large scale was through politics, so at age 21, he accepted a job as the campaign manager for Mark Martin: the first Republican Secretary of the State since 1874. After that, Yang started his own company, American Dream Strategies, that specializes in helping other politicians get elected. Yang attributes much of his success to having good mentors, but he emphasizes that amazing mentors and fortunate opportunities don’t just fall into your lap: “You need to go and get what you want.”
This mindset of ambition and dedication helped Yang land a job working on the presidential campaigns of Newt Gingrich and Mitt Romney. Working at a national level helped to shift his perspective. He mentions that “everyday politics can seem small compared to electing the next leader of the free world.” Yang also stressed the importance of dedication at such a high level. Even though these campaigns happen on the national level, they have a relatively small team behind them. “If you don’t want to work hard, you’re out … There’s a long line of people that want your spot. You have to go the extra mile.”
Yang’s remarkable success did not come without obstacles and hardships. He acknowledges right away that “racism exists”; he knew he had been treated differently in certain instances. Yang recalls one specific example: one of his college professors had given him a B, simply because he had expected Yang to do better as an Asian. This experience taught him that he had to do better, be smarter, and work harder to even be on the same level as others. While these biases do play a role in shaping how society views Asian-Americans, to succeed, they must be able to use it to their advantage. “You have to be internally strong and deal with the blows. My dad always told me that if someone else gets a 95, and you get a 95, you lose. This desire to always be the best is crucial in politics.” Yang pointed out that many politicians aren’t married because their dedication to their job takes up all of their time. He himself works sixteen to eighteen hours a day to get the job done.
Yang attests that in order to change preconceived biases, Asian-Americans must assimilate into American culture. He points out the historical “competition or pride amongst Asian groups” and suggests that they try to be more cohesive as a people. He knows that, as Asian-Americans, we take great pride in our culture, our heritage, and our background. However, we also have to take part in American culture if we want to feel accepted: “There will be people who refuse to accept us as Americans, but the majority of [society] is made up of amazing people who are not racist and will stand with us.
