| VAMatt said: Certainly luck is a thing. But, essentially nobody lucks into success. They work their way into positions to take advantage of lucky breaks. I consider myself pretty successful. I have busted my ass for 21 years to build a small business. I was lucky to have been raised in a wealthy part of the US (my family was dead broke, but I am in an area where there are people with money to buy what I'm selling). Simply being in the right place wouldn't have been enough. But, my work building a business was certainly aided by being in the right place. |
What about two brothers who both have the same opportunities, same family home, some education, same meals, same access to health services, same 1st world country etc. One succeeds one does not?
I too busted my arse off, sacrifices parties, my youth, my weekends where as my brother did not. That was the only difference between us. Now the only other factor that is different is I am older and I remember how much my parents struggled when we moved to Australia. So for me, the driver was never to end up like them and to ensure I would not have to rely on their money for too long as they worked multiple jobs to get us both through school. My brother on the other hand was younger and doesn't remember the struggle my parents had so he takes them for granted.
Even when I went to UNI, many of my friends refused because they did not want to accumulate a debt to pay off later. I saw this as a lucky break, fuck government paid for me to study what I wanted and I could pay it after I got a job. Was it a pain loosing 8% of your wage? sure was, but that took no time to pay and now I am debt free. If I worried about accumulating a debt, then I would have never gone to UNI.
This is why I said you make your own luck. You have to put yourself out there and try and try again and be positive when things do not work out. Networking is also key. One thing I learned about Australia is not what you know but who you know. Even when I lost my job, because I once attended a course with someone, the mentioned me to a recruiter. That recruiter rang me and said there is a perfect job for you in another state. Now I could have played it safe as I found a part time job where I was living, but I took the change rejected that offer, and moved for a high risk unknown and in the end it paid off. Last 10 years have bee great for me.
Another example, if you are a bum on the dole/welfare who openly says they rather be on that then work, then it is hard to better your life on luck alone.
Last edited by Cobretti2 - on 28 August 2020
