Is success luck or hard work?

[PedroDaGr8]

https://youtu.be/3LopI4YeC4I

I think this video is by far one of the best I've encountered on this topic. It does an absolutely excellent job at diving into this topic and explaining it in a very scientific and rational manner.

Sent from my LG-LS998 using Tapatalk

[bigsky]

I always tell people my age to GenX that my story is Blanche DuBois not Horatio Alger. I dont know cultural references after that. But the kindness of strangers counts more than do it yourself, although both must be.

[Catfan73]

Good video, thanks Pedro. Success is where hard work and luck intersect and there is much out of our control but I also believe there’s something to the notion that one makes their own luck thru hard work. Well, not really luck since by definition luck would be randomness out of our control. More like opportunity.

[kingcat]

Donna and I just took our second honeymoon to the Smokey's. It was her (and subsequently mine) number two goal to see a bear in the wild.

You see, since my daughter had married we have vacationed there together multiple times and our son-in-law has never seen a bear. In 15 years, although I have personally.

Up until then it was not at all uncommon for us to see one when we were there. But for whatever reason since he joined the family we've been disappointed every year.

And so, this time Donna was intent on seeing one and capturing it on film to show Andrew (That's him) I put in an extra two hundred miles in the mountains trying to accomplish our goal to no avail. On our last day, Thursday, we took the drive to Cades Cove. No bear sighting again. Then under my breath i asked the lord to please allow Donna to see a bear even though i pointed out I realized the request was frivolous given the rest of the worlds needs. But still I asked if he found a moment if he would nudge a bear out in the road for her benefit.
So after we left there we decided to make a trip to the Chimneys and go in the picnic area, which we did. We sat there a while but nothing, and then decided to drive to the lookout where NC and Tennessee meet. There was no bear sighting so we decided to head back down as it was nearing dark.

On the way down I decided to go back into the Chimneys picnic area which was closing in around a half hour at dark.
While leaving there a ranger climbed the hill at the edge of the park just at the exit. He was yelling what I thought was a name. Maybe someone lost hiking in the park we thought, so I decided to stop the engine and wait. He yelled about three times very loudly and then I began to wonder why blowing a car horn would not be a better option.
Oh well, we decided to head on and get a nights rest before heading home. When we left there we made it slowly down and around that part of the mountain with no traffic either in front or behind us. That was not at all usual for the day let me tell you.

Just then I saw a large bear, crossing the road in front of us. As I yelled for her to get the camera, well, its just a wonder there was not a car anywhere around or we would have likely run them off the road. Mass hysteria and confusion as she finally got the photo op she had dreamed of as the old fellow slowly crossed the road and stopped with only his rear visible in the tall grass.

Mission accomplished!

My point is, it takes both faith and works to accomplish a goal. And faith is only a true and strong faith when its tested to its limit. Then you will get your result if it's according to God's will for us.
I know God agreed with allowing our faith to reward us with a bear sighting, as trivial as that might sound, and that his chosen angel was a park ranger who ran a hungry bear away from the picnic ground that particular evening before they closed the park.

Things can also happen by virtue of chance but there is seldom a sure thing or an exact desire being met.

But faith is the substance of things hoped for, and the evidence of things not seen. And works, even if its driving a lot of miles in the mountains, will net the desired result if God does not object.

Behold.. God's Bear!

9640
We have not because we ask not. And often our faith fails us by lack of patience or asking for the wrong things.

https://youtu.be/3Jx76D7c9nA?t=118

[dan_bgblue]

Is success luck or hard work ?

YES

[BigBluePappy]

But faith is the substance of things hoped for, and the evidence of things not seen. And works, even if its driving a lot of miles in the mountains, will net the desired result if God does not object.

He is in time, on time, every time, in His time; and sometimes we confuse no with not yet...
Thankful it was a safer trip than last time.

[Darrell KSR]

Great story and picture, Kingcat.

If it doesn't derail the thread too much, your story gave me a chuckle, as it reminded me of a story from my childhood. Mom and dad took us to the Smoky Mountains, maybe Cades Cove, maybe North Carolina, I don't really remember. Anyway, we saw a bear when we were out in the car. Dad got out, and back in those days he smoked a pipe. He was trying to get a picture of the bear with our camera, and mom kept telling him to get closer. He was getting closer and closer, and the bear took a swing at his pipe and knocked it out of his mouth. He got scared and started running back to the car. Mom, who I now wonder if she had ulterior motives, locked all the doors to the car because she got scared for her boys. So Dad was locked out of the car, and running around the car with the bear semi chasing him. Mom figured out that she needed to unlock door, and did and Dad got in safely, and the bear went away, but it was a story we left about for years afterward. I had not thought about that story in a long time, and I am very glad you posted your story to remind me of that.

[VirginiaCat]

https://youtu.be/3LopI4YeC4I

I think this video is by far one of the best I've encountered on this topic. It does an absolutely excellent job at diving into this topic and explaining it in a very scientific and rational manner.

Sent from my LG-LS998 using Tapatalk

IMHO the answer is yes. Especially if you start at bottom or middle.


I worked my butt off. 40 hours on average during college except the year playing basketball.

I put in all the hours I could when I was a young professional and made an impression on our CPA firm client.

But I also had luck. A Bank Exec knew me from my baskeball days and knew my effort and my family. But I got the CPA firm interview because he knew me. Luck.

I got my step to Bloomington because a headhunter was looking at my boss..and he gave them my name.

It takes both.

[kingcat]

But faith is the substance of things hoped for, and the evidence of things not seen. And works, even if its driving a lot of miles in the mountains, will net the desired result if God does not object.

He is in time, on time, every time, in His time; and sometimes we confuse no with not yet...
Thankful it was a safer trip than last time.

Yes it was!


Great story and picture, Kingcat.

If it doesn't derail the thread too much, your story gave me a chuckle, as it reminded me of a story from my childhood. Mom and dad took us to the Smoky Mountains, maybe Cades Cove, maybe North Carolina, I don't really remember. Anyway, we saw a bear when we were out in the car. Dad got out, and back in those days he smoked a pipe. He was trying to get a picture of the bear with our camera, and mom kept telling him to get closer. He was getting closer and closer, and the bear took a swing at his pipe and knocked it out of his mouth. He got scared and started running back to the car. Mom, who I now wonder if she had ulterior motives, locked all the doors to the car because she got scared for her boys. So Dad was locked out of the car, and running around the car with the bear semi chasing him. Mom figured out that she needed to unlock door, and did and Dad got in safely, and the bear went away, but it was a story we left about for years afterward. I had not thought about that story in a long time, and I am very glad you posted your story to remind me of that.

Also a great story Darrell. Did he get his pipe back?

[bigsky]

Other people believing in me. Mentor! Mentor! Mentor!

[KSRdallen]

From the philosopher Seneca, “Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.”

One needs to put oneself in a position to have luck.

[Doc]

https://youtu.be/3LopI4YeC4I

I think this video is by far one of the best I've encountered on this topic. It does an absolutely excellent job at diving into this topic and explaining it in a very scientific and rational manner.

Sent from my LG-LS998 using Tapatalk

Was/is a good link, and interesting. Of course the next question is what exactly is "Luck"? Was Shaquelle "lucky" he was 7'2"? Was MJ lucky he went to a school that put zero academic pressures on him? Or is “Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.” ? Was one of John Wooden's famous quote (taken from Seneca)...and was Wooden LUCKY to have Sam Gilbert as a UCLA booster? Was I lucky I got into vet school on my fourth time applying...or was that persistence? IMO, I believe people who put in hard work put them in a place to be lucky. If you don't put in the work then luck is a nonfactor, because it is a small but important part. IMO luck plays in to the degree of success, not whether you are successful or not. I believe you make your own luck. Heck, I was lucky to find a business partner that I did but had I not I am sure I would have still been successful by a different path. Likewise, in the video, those 8.4 astronauts that luck played a part, no doubt would have been successful in some other area. In fact, it is possible that had they been "unlucky" in the astronaut field, they may have gone into another field and been more successful..such that the unlucky could in fact be lucky!

[Doc]

From the philosopher Seneca, “Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.”

One needs to put oneself in a position to have luck.

Well, I guess I should have read the entire thread before posting...........

[Doc]

Donna and I just took our second honeymoon to the Smokey's. It was her (and subsequently mine) number two goal to see a bear in the wild.

You see, since my daughter had married we have vacationed there together multiple times and our son-in-law has never seen a bear. In 15 years, although I have personally.

Up until then it was not at all uncommon for us to see one when we were there. But for whatever reason since he joined the family we've been disappointed every year.

And so, this time Donna was intent on seeing one and capturing it on film to show Andrew (That's him) I put in an extra two hundred miles in the mountains trying to accomplish our goal to no avail. On our last day, Thursday, we took the drive to Cades Cove. No bear sighting again. Then under my breath i asked the lord to please allow Donna to see a bear even though i pointed out I realized the request was frivolous given the rest of the worlds needs. But still I asked if he found a moment if he would nudge a bear out in the road for her benefit.
So after we left there we decided to make a trip to the Chimneys and go in the picnic area, which we did. We sat there a while but nothing, and then decided to drive to the lookout where NC and Tennessee meet. There was no bear sighting so we decided to head back down as it was nearing dark.

On the way down I decided to go back into the Chimneys picnic area which was closing in around a half hour at dark.
While leaving there a ranger climbed the hill at the edge of the park just at the exit. He was yelling what I thought was a name. Maybe someone lost hiking in the park we thought, so I decided to stop the engine and wait. He yelled about three times very loudly and then I began to wonder why blowing a car horn would not be a better option.
Oh well, we decided to head on and get a nights rest before heading home. When we left there we made it slowly down and around that part of the mountain with no traffic either in front or behind us. That was not at all usual for the day let me tell you.

Just then I saw a large bear, crossing the road in front of us. As I yelled for her to get the camera, well, its just a wonder there was not a car anywhere around or we would have likely run them off the road. Mass hysteria and confusion as she finally got the photo op she had dreamed of as the old fellow slowly crossed the road and stopped with only his rear visible in the tall grass.

Mission accomplished!

My point is, it takes both faith and works to accomplish a goal. And faith is only a true and strong faith when its tested to its limit. Then you will get your result if it's according to God's will for us.
I know God agreed with allowing our faith to reward us with a bear sighting, as trivial as that might sound, and that his chosen angel was a park ranger who ran a hungry bear away from the picnic ground that particular evening before they closed the park.

Things can also happen by virtue of chance but there is seldom a sure thing or an exact desire being met.

But faith is the substance of things hoped for, and the evidence of things not seen. And works, even if its driving a lot of miles in the mountains, will net the desired result if God does not object.

Behold.. God's Bear!

9640
We have not because we ask not. And often our faith fails us by lack of patience or asking for the wrong things.

https://youtu.be/3Jx76D7c9nA?t=118

Speaking of bears.... this video was shot 5 days ago by my next door neighbor to the house we are building in CO


https://www.facebook.com/rsball/videos/3364762443545117

[kingcat]

A much healthier version. That’s a big ole Barr.

[MickintheHam]

Is success luck or hard work?

Neiqther! It’s white privilege.