I recently unpacked this idea a bit and wrote about it, so it's fresh on my mind. I definitely think that success in business can be a game that is a combination of luck and of skill, and most people will say that you need the former more than the latter. Without a little bit of luck, your skill means nothing, because you will perpetually put it to use in a way that never results in success. But I think that's not the full picture, and success can also be a game of skill and determination.
Personally, I've been very unlucky in business. If you asked me if there was a catapult for my success, I would say there was none, though I tried to build multiple, and still do. They all failed, because like I said, I'm perpetually unlucky. But I've been very determined -- hardheaded, even -- and after nearly 10 years, I'm quite successful. Not quite above 7 figures yet, but that's really just a function of time -- and determination, of course.
Sometimes you may even feel unskilled simply because you feel unlucky, but time has usually shown that to be a false assumption. Waiting on luck would've made me give up a long time ago, while skill with relentlessness determination has paid off for me.
However, a hunger is not enough. You do need some skill, or at least some luck.
> do you believe some people are just naturally lucky and everything they touch turns to gold?
No. What I do believe is that all of us are surrounded by opportunity of all sorts, all the time, and we generally don't even see it. The trick is to be able spot the opportunities that are relevant and interesting, and to be able to follow them. Some people are much better at this than others, and that can look like luck.
> are you a firm believer that with enough resilience and perseverance you'll finally make it?
Resilience, perseverance, luck and skill are all necessary ingredients to success, but success is never guaranteed on any time scale.
> how much would you say luck or natural privileges make their way into someone's success?
Not sure how to answer that. Luck has significant impact, as does whatever additional resources you can bring to the table. But I don't think those are determinative. There are a ton of variables that go into this.
> do you think you could build a successful business above and beyond 6-7 figures just by working hard and not giving up?
No. You also have to be alert, perceptive, flexible, smart, and lucky.
I recently unpacked this idea a bit and wrote about it, so it's fresh on my mind. I definitely think that success in business can be a game that is a combination of luck and of skill, and most people will say that you need the former more than the latter. Without a little bit of luck, your skill means nothing, because you will perpetually put it to use in a way that never results in success. But I think that's not the full picture, and success can also be a game of skill and determination.
Personally, I've been very unlucky in business. If you asked me if there was a catapult for my success, I would say there was none, though I tried to build multiple, and still do. They all failed, because like I said, I'm perpetually unlucky. But I've been very determined -- hardheaded, even -- and after nearly 10 years, I'm quite successful. Not quite above 7 figures yet, but that's really just a function of time -- and determination, of course.
Sometimes you may even feel unskilled simply because you feel unlucky, but time has usually shown that to be a false assumption. Waiting on luck would've made me give up a long time ago, while skill with relentlessness determination has paid off for me.
However, a hunger is not enough. You do need some skill, or at least some luck.
> do you believe some people are just naturally lucky and everything they touch turns to gold?
No. What I do believe is that all of us are surrounded by opportunity of all sorts, all the time, and we generally don't even see it. The trick is to be able spot the opportunities that are relevant and interesting, and to be able to follow them. Some people are much better at this than others, and that can look like luck.
> are you a firm believer that with enough resilience and perseverance you'll finally make it?
Resilience, perseverance, luck and skill are all necessary ingredients to success, but success is never guaranteed on any time scale.
> how much would you say luck or natural privileges make their way into someone's success?
Not sure how to answer that. Luck has significant impact, as does whatever additional resources you can bring to the table. But I don't think those are determinative. There are a ton of variables that go into this.
> do you think you could build a successful business above and beyond 6-7 figures just by working hard and not giving up?
No. You also have to be alert, perceptive, flexible, smart, and lucky.