Yes. 100%. I don't think anyone likes to admit that very few things in life are actually within our control, which makes it desirable to ascribe success to har

Yes. 100%. I don't think anyone likes to admit that very few things in life are actually within our control, which makes it desirable to ascribe success to hard work, or intelligence, or whatever. I started a consultancy that failed, was part of a small team with a moderately successful product, and now am part of a small team with a much more successful product. All of that happened while former colleagues were working on much more successful products making a lot more money than I was. In none of those cases was the outcome related to hard work, skill, or desire. Sometimes you have the right people together in the right place at the right time. Sometimes you don't. --- None of which is to say that luck is the _only_ factor. Part of taking advantage of the luck is doing the best work you can, and honing your skills to the best of your ability, so that if the opportunity pops up you can grab it. But just because you haven't had the success you've wanted doesn't mean there's anything wrong with you at all.