While certainly the good old days of plentiful high-paid jobs at the auto plant are gone, it’s still possible to build a life in America if you graduate from high school, stay away from drugs and crime, wait until you’re married to have children, and show up to work every day. But if you slip on one of these points, say by dropping out of school, you are put into a deficit in life from which you may find it difficult to recover. Sadly this has affected a lot of people, who are now in a very difficult place.

The New Unemployables, by Aaron Renn

Simple and obvious:
1) Graduate from high school
2) Stay away from drugs and crime
3) Wait until you’re married to have children
4) Show up to work every day OR start your own business