In some cultures, children are often told that they can achieve anything as long as they work hard. What are the merits and demerits of this message?

There is a very small line of difference between motivation and false hope. There are numerous cultures and ideologies which encourage the people to never give up hope because everything is achievable. While this kind of belief can do wonders for some, it can create a mirage for others. Such a mirage is based on pure imagination and not reality. Whether such kind of an ideology leads to success or failure depends on one's wisdom and intuition. For example, the well-known Stoic philosophy advises people to react positively to every situation. While some people are able to develop an optimistic outlook resistant to fear, others crumble because they aren't able to express their emotions. Therefore, it's important for everyone to understand their mental capabilities before dedicating themselves to such an ideology. Children are particularly vulnerable to this phenomenon. Since they have far-fetched aspirations for their future, they need to embrace hard work and the never-die attitude. Such kind of an attitude will provide a great source of motivation required to break the barriers. At the same, adults have the responsibility of making them acquainted with failure since it brings a learning curve in our lives. Someone who recognizes the importance of failure will always give it all because he or she can work fearlessly. For example, there are a number of entrepreneurs who commenced their business in their teenage years. One of the primary reasons behind their success was the fact that they didn't fear losing anything. Therefore, believing that anything is possible as long as it's supplemented with hard work comes with both merits and demerits. While thinking about the rewards, one should also be prepared to face failures and drawbacks during one's journey.