Quote:
Originally Posted by Barefootsies
Right. "Luck" doesn't mean much. It is an opportunity. It can be an realized or unrealized chance to make a difference, build a business, develop an idea or concept. As the saying goes, 'chance favors the prepared mind' as those individuals knew how best to take advantage of that opportunity when presented. The rest is on you and that requires work and ambition.
I see you're basically just playing devil's advocate in this thread, and that's fine. But my responses additionally will be along that line as I think you're simply trying to keep the discourse going on this subject playing a side you do not believe in based on your post history on similar topics.
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There's no question I'm OTR here that I believe achievement comes from hard work. But I'm also OTR as trying to keep a realistic outlook. I think what McCartney stated in the special coincides with what I've read, particularly in the book "Outliers". Luck is not something to count on, it doesn't take the place of hard work and perserverance. But, for me, to not include it isn't realistic.
Bill Gates is a good example, he was lucky to be born at the time he was, to the parents he was and in the environment he was. If he were born in the 1800s, he would not have been a software mogul, i.e, he was lucky in his birth, the book goes into this.
There's a reason I don't gamble or play the lottos, etc. That's because I don't believe in getting lucky as a way to make it. But again, as you point out, luck counts, to what degree it translates to fortune and fame is dependent.