None of the successful people I know had a single "big break". It took a handful, but more importantly it took the willingness to take risk or do without. 1.

None of the successful people I know had a single "big break". It took a handful, but more importantly it took the willingness to take risk or do without. 1. Did you study in high school while everyone else was having fun? 2. Break - get into good school 3. Did you graduate with a difficult degree? This is pure tenacity. 4. Did you do interesting projects on the side in college? Tenacity. 5. Said degree + projects lead to job. Sort of break. 6. Moving across the country for a better job - tenacity. 7. Switching jobs many times to move up - tenacity 8. Promotion to management/lead/whatever. Tenacity + break because you have a boss that likes you 9. Large jump in salary by jumping to a company on the way up - break. 10. Several years with low medical bills, no divorce, whatever so you can save $50k+ per year. Break with slight tenacity for not splurging on stuff