That's amazing. But luck is still important. I have a non tech background and got my first tech job through a friend I knew from a completely unrelated hobby.

That's amazing. But luck is still important. I have a non tech background and got my first tech job through a friend I knew from a completely unrelated hobby. Less than a year later, our startup was acquired, making my unvested options well in the money, and within five years I had earned more money than many if not most Americans earn in their lifetimes. Many people working at startups never get the kind of windfall I got within a year (and given the length of my tenure, I can hardly claim any credit for the company's success at the time of acquisition). I probably would have made good money eventually, but it easily could have taken far longer or not happened at all had I not known my hobby acquaintance. Of course luck isn't the only reason for anyone's success or failure, but it plays a huge role.