Is success in life more a matter of luck than anything else?

[sasguru]

This message is hidden because Cyberman is on your ignore list.

[EternalOptimist]

You make your own 'luck' in this world. Too many people seem to think that the taxpayer owes them a cushy existence. Put in the effort and you will get your rewards eventually. Too many people sit back and make no effort whatsoever, and get their 'just' rewards.......state benefits

You wont be saying that when the new doctor sticks his sonic screwdriver up your valve seating

[gingerjedi]

You make your own 'luck' in this world. Too many people seem to think that the taxpayer owes them a cushy existence. Put in the effort and you will get your rewards eventually. Too many people sit back and make no effort whatsoever, and get their 'just' rewards.......state benefits

You haven't bothered to read anyone else’s replies have you?

You worked hard not to be born in tuliphole country did you?

[Bagpuss]

No doubt he was linking luck to his choice of Government as he's a follower not a leader.

[sasguru]

Please try not to quote the Cretin. He's on my ignore list for a reason

[Mich the Tester]

I was born in a third world country, but luckily my parents were British. That meant that instead of a short life of malnutrition, war, labouring in a sweat shop and no education, I had access to free education, healthcare, clean water and plenty of food. I was lucky enough to be provided with the means to make my own luck.

[Cyberman]

You haven't bothered to read anyone else’s replies have you?

You worked hard not to be born in tuliphole country did you?

No... you're all on my ignore list

[EternalOptimist]

What we need here is a really good thought experiment.


Like two identical twins, same education, same work experience , etc . suddenly seperated at 30 years old.
One becomes an IT geek and innovator, one becomes a bell ringer at Notre Dame

that type of thing. which is the lucky one ?

[Jog On]

Successful entrepreneurs are the outliers. For every successful one, maybe 100 were unsuccesful. They don't tell you that when they extol the virtues of starting your own business.
And it could be that the successful ones were simply lucky e.g. made the right deal at the right time, like Bill Gates licencing DOS.

"If you'd been in Bill gate's position back then would Microsoft be where it is today?" - Question from a business start up course I'm doing.

The reality of being a successful entrepreneur is keeping going where many others will give up - and the vast majority won't even go in the first place because they're too risk averse and/or too lazy.

A favourite quote of mine on this topic is when Robert Kiyosaki was challenged by an interviewer when he was promoting the idea of starting your own business - the interviewer said "Statistically 9 out of 10 new businesses fail - what do you say to that?"

"So build 10 businesses then and one of them will succeed"

Opportunities abound everywhere. Some folk pick up on them, most don't. Is it really luck, or is it just "look". In other words, if you keep looking for opportunities you will find more of them than if you don't look for them.

Of course spotting an opportunity means nothing if you don't gamble and try to take advantage of the opportunity. This is where the hard work comes in.

Are they lucky? Or have they refined their "look" to spot ideas, and then put in the graft?

No - the vast majority of people won't change their perception and look for opportunities then take action to exploit them - they buy lottery tickets.

How many permies have you seen who get together by the water machines or outside smoking fags or wherever and b1tch about how much they hate their job/boss/salary etc but do nothing about it?

People who confuse success with luck and begrudge 'lucky' people will never become 'lucky' themselves.

[Purple Dalek]

"If you'd been in Bill gate's position back then would Microsoft be where it is today?" - Question from a business start up course I'm doing.

The reality of being a successful entrepreneur is keeping going where many others will give up - and the vast majority won't even go in the first place because they're too risk averse and/or too lazy.

A favourite quote of mine on this topic is when Robert Kiyosaki was challenged by an interviewer when he was promoting the idea of starting your own business - the interviewer said "Statistically 9 out of 10 new businesses fail - what do you say to that?"

"So build 10 businesses then and one of them will succeed"



No - the vast majority of people won't change their perception and look for opportunities then take action to exploit them - they buy lottery tickets.

How many permies have you seen who get together by the water machines or outside smoking fags or wherever and b1tch about how much they hate their job/boss/salary etc but do nothing about it?

People who confuse success with luck and begrudge 'lucky' people will never become 'lucky' themselves.

Well, the Bill Gates one is a bit of a red-herring, if my mum played bridge with a top bod at IBM I'm sure it would make a difference too.

I think someone like Michael Sugar is a more appropriate example.