Have you ever wondered about luck? No, there is no need to rush away. I am not about to tell me my hard luck story or touch you for a loan. I know that the only interesting hard luck story to anyone is his own. I should actually rephrase that question because what I was really wondering about is who believes in luck.
Ever seen a phenomenally successful man express belief in luck? Say he has become a millionaire by winning a lottery, what do you think he will say? Obviously, it is a reward for persistent hard work and his genius in assessing the lottery ticket numbers with some mysterious app in his mind to pick the winning ticket. Luck? Luck is for losers. (You know someone who called it luck? Either the success has not been completely digested or you have met someone who belongs in the Guinness records).
I have a faint suspicion that this belief in systems to beat various probabilistic games must have come out of the fact that almost all the winners have achieved their wins not merely through their persistent hard work in applying themselves to these games but also by the application of their, no doubt, superior brains in making their choices. Such esoteric studies, though, I leave to academicians.
Naturally, when luck does not figure at all in even games of chance, it is even less likely to be a factor in other areas. The director, who noticed your acting in a school play and picked you for a role? If not he, someone else would have noticed. After all, genius scintillates. The chance that the only woman fool enough to fall in love with you happened to be the Chairman's daughter? Well, if not she, then someone else, after all you are Adonis and Casanova rolled into one. The chance of being catapulted into the only project that your company had on hand of which you knew something? You just cannot keep a good man down; if not this, then there would have always been something else.
There is no such thing called luck - it is all genius and hard work. It has to be, does it not, for otherwise what is to bask in success, if it is a consequence of luck?
On the other hand, ever heard of anyone saying he failed because of his own shortcomings? WHAT shortcomings? It is merely bad luck that the MD landed up in his section on one of those days when he came in two hours late, instead of the customary half an hour. Ill fortune is what causes questions in the exam to be asked from the only portions that he left off by choice. His time must be bad since the only customer for a big order had to be a cantankerous chap with whom it was impossible not to pick a fight. Only, and only, misfortune!
Effectively, then, there is nothing called good luck; it is invariably bad luck. Success comes from hard work, genius and persistence - with no admixture of luck in the mix. Failure is always a consequence of bad luck - it just has nothing to do with lack of ability or effort. And, what do you mean, maybe it requires a bit of both - ability and effort as well as luck? The world is black and white, don't you know that?
It, probably, would be better if the successful attributed the success to luck in their own minds - it will make it unnecessary for those around them to permanently wear sunglasses, even indoors, to avoid being blinded by the persistent glare of their success. If those who have not yet succeeded believed in effort and ability, it would make it less likely that their approach will make people feel like unfurling umbrellas to shield themselves from the copious flow of moisture that would follow; and, possibly, make it more likely that they succeed eventually. But, Humanity is a contrary species. Say that this way is best and everyone rushes to do the exact opposite.
Do I believe in luck, you ask? I do and I always will...till I succeed!
Ever seen a phenomenally successful man express belief in luck? Say he has become a millionaire by winning a lottery, what do you think he will say? Obviously, it is a reward for persistent hard work and his genius in assessing the lottery ticket numbers with some mysterious app in his mind to pick the winning ticket. Luck? Luck is for losers. (You know someone who called it luck? Either the success has not been completely digested or you have met someone who belongs in the Guinness records).
I have a faint suspicion that this belief in systems to beat various probabilistic games must have come out of the fact that almost all the winners have achieved their wins not merely through their persistent hard work in applying themselves to these games but also by the application of their, no doubt, superior brains in making their choices. Such esoteric studies, though, I leave to academicians.
Naturally, when luck does not figure at all in even games of chance, it is even less likely to be a factor in other areas. The director, who noticed your acting in a school play and picked you for a role? If not he, someone else would have noticed. After all, genius scintillates. The chance that the only woman fool enough to fall in love with you happened to be the Chairman's daughter? Well, if not she, then someone else, after all you are Adonis and Casanova rolled into one. The chance of being catapulted into the only project that your company had on hand of which you knew something? You just cannot keep a good man down; if not this, then there would have always been something else.
There is no such thing called luck - it is all genius and hard work. It has to be, does it not, for otherwise what is to bask in success, if it is a consequence of luck?
On the other hand, ever heard of anyone saying he failed because of his own shortcomings? WHAT shortcomings? It is merely bad luck that the MD landed up in his section on one of those days when he came in two hours late, instead of the customary half an hour. Ill fortune is what causes questions in the exam to be asked from the only portions that he left off by choice. His time must be bad since the only customer for a big order had to be a cantankerous chap with whom it was impossible not to pick a fight. Only, and only, misfortune!
Effectively, then, there is nothing called good luck; it is invariably bad luck. Success comes from hard work, genius and persistence - with no admixture of luck in the mix. Failure is always a consequence of bad luck - it just has nothing to do with lack of ability or effort. And, what do you mean, maybe it requires a bit of both - ability and effort as well as luck? The world is black and white, don't you know that?
It, probably, would be better if the successful attributed the success to luck in their own minds - it will make it unnecessary for those around them to permanently wear sunglasses, even indoors, to avoid being blinded by the persistent glare of their success. If those who have not yet succeeded believed in effort and ability, it would make it less likely that their approach will make people feel like unfurling umbrellas to shield themselves from the copious flow of moisture that would follow; and, possibly, make it more likely that they succeed eventually. But, Humanity is a contrary species. Say that this way is best and everyone rushes to do the exact opposite.
Do I believe in luck, you ask? I do and I always will...till I succeed!
True. But somehow, I, on the contrary seem to wonder if my successes are due to luck while failures make me doubt my basic capability and the quantum of effort I have put.
ReplyDeleteApply for entry into the Guinness Book of World Records :)
DeleteLuck or the hand of God... always responsible for the bad that happens. As for whatever little good has come out of my life, give me the credit.
ReplyDeleteHaving read your book, I consider you successful. So do you believe in luck?
--Nimi
www.NimiArora.com
Aha! So, it is about time I stopped believing in luck? :)
DeleteIf there are a few ideas that are of perennial interest to man, certainly Luck is one of them, maybe at the top of the list
ReplyDeleteQuite! Especially when you are still aspiring to succeed
DeleteNice topic Suresh.We believe in luck only when things go awry.
ReplyDeleteBtw my last post about the causes of failure is understandably not popular :(
You should have blamed it all on bad luck :)
DeleteAs a matter of fact, just this morning I was wondering that it seems it is fate that decides most things in life for us. After all, we are born where we are born and to our parents. Imagine if we were born elsewhere, how much of what we have done/achieved would really have been in our hands? Thought provoking as always. And of course, we are quick to claim credit for everything.
ReplyDeleteLuck, Fate, Happenstance - call it what you will - THAT plays a big role in how things pan out for us. From birth, as you rightly point out.
DeleteEven my case is similar to TF. I also always think I got lucky.. In fact, to the point that I actually need to work on it :D
ReplyDeleteYou guys want to destroy my thesis with anecdotal evidence? :P
Delete