[SDMattG]

No way, man. Sure luck plays a role on some level, but I can tell you I spent seven plus years trying to get apps off the ground. And it wasn't until I started putting in the hard work that things began to turn around. Plain and simple. Drop the excuses!

[angularly]

Agreed, no way the equation is 95% luck and 1% hard work - as the article suggests (or as the article quotes a CEO saying).

Imho it's more like:

20% is the idea your startup is founded on, 30% stubornness, 30% hard work, and the last 20% is probably a mix of other minor factors including luck.

[jnevelson]

I think you guys are in agreement. Of course luck plays a role, but you have to put yourself out there to give yourself a chance to get lucky. The best entrepreneurs recognize lucky opportunities when they are presented - but they had to work to get to that position in the first place.

[kordless]

Great point. I wrote a post about this quite a long time ago: http://www.geekceo.com/entry/fooled-by-aquisition. I just reread it and other than the fact I make a few blanket blaming statements, I think my primary message still holds: success is enhanced by working hard and taking advantage of luck when it happens. More or less what you just said! :)

[pizza]

Can't tell if you're being serious... Surely someone who has been working for 7 years has had more opportunities for success than someone with less experience? That, and that you'd have a larger sphere of influence, more real-world experience, and possibly more determination. While you might work harder than your peers (and really, you have every right to be proud of your accomplishments if you do), I wouldn't discount the advantages you had over someone starting off who might put in the same level of effort.

[jonnybgood]

All you did was increase your luck.

[angularly]

No, he increased his chance of success by working hard. Luck != success.