The Case Against Luck

"Luck has a very short résumé. Effort has a very long one."

The court will now hear the case against Luck, accused of taking credit for the work of others.

Exhibit A: the silent years.
Before anyone knew his name, the violinist practiced through four winters in a rented room. Luck was not in that room. Luck does not turn up for practice.

Exhibit B: the obstacle.
A wall blocked her road, and the sensible thing was to turn back. She studied it instead, found the one loose stone, and learned something about walls that no one on the easy road ever learned. Obstacles are strange teachers: they charge a high fee and give you what you cannot get anywhere cheaper.

Exhibit C: the comfort zone
The defendant's whole argument rests on one claim: "People stay where they are because the world is unfair." Partly true. But the comfort zone does not lock from the outside. It is a warm room you rent each day by not trying the unfamiliar thing.

Exhibit D: the question of blame.
Here the court gets quiet. Excellence begins on the day you stop asking "whose fault is this?" and start asking "what is mine to fix?" You cannot control the cards you were dealt, but you are fully responsible for how you play the hand.

The verdict: luck may open a door once, only effort keeps you in the room.

Luck is free to leave, but you are not. Go back to your work.

Your mind is wiser now, share this piece to enrich the mind of your people.