I'm unmoved by the statement "Most start-ups fail", or "Most X fail/suck" for any X. Why should a bunch of people failing deter you, or make you think you are

I'm unmoved by the statement "Most start-ups fail", or "Most X fail/suck" for any X. Why should a bunch of people failing deter you, or make you think you are going to fail? Yes, doing a start-up means applying your personal resources in order to succeed where others have failed. So does publishing a successful book or song, or winning a medal in the Olympics, or succeeding at any "venture" or uncertain quest in life or trying to achieve any special recognition. Is succeeding luck or skill? The article basically claims it's all luck in the case of a start-up. This is a terrible attitude for anything involving skill! Successful people are often those who had confidence in their ability and applied themselves ruthlessly. What limits a competitor in the Olympics, their own ability or capacity to train, or the other competitors who will determine their rank? What limits a book's success, the skill of the author, or the fickle market? The more you understand the market, of course, the more you take what would otherwise be luck and turn it into an opportunity for skill. And if you know what kinds of scores you're competing against in the Olympics and have a sense of your own ability, competing in the Olympics is hardly a foolish idea. Different Olympic sports provide different kinds of competition. For sprinting, good genetics may give you a strong leg up. For figure skating, your confidence, grace, ability to function under pressure, and hours of training will make you a star. For start-ups in particular, it's ultimately quite silly to chock everything up to luck. A tech start-up is just good engineering plus good business (and marketing, design, etc.). If you focus just on the engineering, I'm sure it can feel like bad luck when a competitor overtakes you, and likewise if you focus on just the business side in an area requiring strong engineering. But put it all together and it's definitely something one can get good at. That said, the knowledge and ability to "keep trying" is an asset in itself, so more power to the author. Fortunately, there is much to learn and much skill to develop!