Pull yourself up by your bootstraps
/pʊl jɔːˈself ʌp baɪ jɔː ˈbuːtstræps/neutralUS
What does “Pull yourself up by your bootstraps” mean?
Pull yourself up by your bootstraps means to improve your circumstances through your own efforts, with little or no outside help.
This phrase can praise someone who succeeds through their own effort. It is often used about work, money or recovering from a difficult start.
It can also be critical. Telling someone to “pull yourself up by your bootstraps” may ignore the help they need or the obstacles they cannot overcome alone.
When do people say it?
Use it about self-reliance, often in discussions of opportunity, money or whether success is possible without support.
“She is tired of being told to pull herself up by her bootstraps when she already works two jobs.”
Is it formal or informal?
Register: neutral. It is most at home in both everyday conversation and professional writing. Most common in US.
Where does it come from?
Bootstraps are loops used to pull boots on. You cannot lift yourself off the ground by pulling them, which helps explain the joke when people use the phrase critically.
Origin confidence: Disputed; treat with caution
How do you say “Pull yourself up by your bootstraps” in other languages?
Related idioms
- Make ends meet, Have just enough money to live on
- Go the extra mile, To make an extra effort.
Last updated 2026-09-16