#1 ·
I was thinking about this today while watching some old sports clips. We always talk about "grind" and "talent" like they are the only two things that matter. We love the narrative of the underdog who works harder than everyone else and finally breaks through, but I can't help but feel like there's a massive element of timing and being in the right place at the right time that people just don't want to admit.
If you're a kid with massive potential, but you end up in a system that doesn't see you, or you get injured right before a big scout shows up, does all that hard work even matter? It feels like there's this invisible "luck" factor that acts as a gatekeeper. You can be the most disciplined person on the planet, but if the stars don't align to put you in a position to actually be seen, you're just spinning your wheels.
It’s a bit cynical, I know, but it makes me wonder how much of our success is actually earned versus just being a beneficiary of a lucky break. Do you think it's possible to be truly self-made, or is everyone just riding a wave of circumstances they didn't control?
If you're a kid with massive potential, but you end up in a system that doesn't see you, or you get injured right before a big scout shows up, does all that hard work even matter? It feels like there's this invisible "luck" factor that acts as a gatekeeper. You can be the most disciplined person on the planet, but if the stars don't align to put you in a position to actually be seen, you're just spinning your wheels.
It’s a bit cynical, I know, but it makes me wonder how much of our success is actually earned versus just being a beneficiary of a lucky break. Do you think it's possible to be truly self-made, or is everyone just riding a wave of circumstances they didn't control?