Not really. When I was 4-5, my father took me to the arcades. Playing games there I had the lightbulb moment where I said 'That is what I want to do'. At 11 I

Not really. When I was 4-5, my father took me to the arcades. Playing games there I had the lightbulb moment where I said 'That is what I want to do'. At 11 I was reading the Turbo Pascal manual trying to figure out how things work (mind you, this was before Internet access was a thing and before I was playing with the ZX spectrum playground). From there to C/C++ (DJGPP anyone?) to VB when at 16 I started doing payed work. At 19 I wrote a book on C++ and games and from then on, games, insurance, banking, industrial processes, etc etc. I did 1 year at university before I realised I preferred to be working. This didn't mean I didn't learn (I have a library that I'm sure some small schools envy). But you know what my turning point in my career was?? Boxing! Boxing was what gave me the discipline and hardwork to go through whatever it was thrown at me. Not sure if that is relevant to 'background in something else' but hardwork, dedication is 80% of the path, the 20% left, well... that is just luck (this coming from someone that isn't really 'smart' by usual standard) ps: I'm slightly tipsy so I apologise in advance for the lack of coherence.