I think it's somewhat valid argument. Reduced to absurd for sure, but not absurd. It's not only about randomness, but also uniqueness of situation. You cannot

I think it's somewhat valid argument. Reduced to absurd for sure, but not absurd. It's not only about randomness, but also uniqueness of situation. You cannot become someone else. You cannot be where someone else was, when someone else was. And even if you can, it may not be the right place and the right time for you, as much as it was for someone else. Success cannot be copied. I really hate these "12 steps to becoming successful" recipes. It's well know phenomena that people tend to unrealistically attribute success to their personal traits and not luck. Success needs skills and knowledge, but also some luck. I doubt successful people really know why are they specifically are successful unlike hundreds of their competitors. This does not mean best practices do not exist. They do and they work. Only they work statistically. You may follow all best practices in the world and still fail miserably.