| All your points are examples of luck compounded over time. Let's take your example of not being born in a hut in Tanzania. That bit of luck is called the birth lottery and has a major influence on one's life. It defines the resources you have growing up, including school systems, community, and medical care. Then, it extends into networks known by your parents, influencing where you get into college/university and where you start working. We can't control events to guarantee the right outcome. The best we can do is load the metaphorical dice. For example, you increase your chances of finding a life partner through good hygiene, mental health, social skills, etc. My meeting with my current partner is one of those luck stories. If I hadn't gone to that dating meetup, if I hadn't gotten the card for "German dungeon porn" in a Cards Against Humanity game, if there wasn't performative shock by all the pearl clutchers at the table, I probably wouldn't have said, “It's hard to be shocked by much after you discover your father is a cross-dresser.” That one statement taught my partner a lot about me (filtering skills, lack of pretense, humor, and confidence) and made me desirable in her eyes, setting another luck chain in motion. In my opinion, it was 80% luck and 20% skill. I'm not sure you can take pride in many things that have happened to you or outcomes you think you achieved because they are most likely luck. Whenever I discuss life and luck, I'm reminded of two phrases that sum it up beautifully: “There but for the grace of God go I.” and “If you want to make the gods laugh, tell them your plans.” |
This is ten percent luck, twenty percent skill Fifteen percent concentrated power of will Five percent pleasure, fifty percent pain