Business is 90% luck and 10% hard work, but don’t try it without the 10%.
Personally, I thank my lucky stars every day. For my parents, for my country, for my health, for my wife, for my kids, for my friends, for my business successes, for my business near-death-misses.
I think luck deserves enormous credit in my life, so I don’t walk around with a sign on my head saying, “I’m self-made”.
No one is entirely self-made, everyone had some luck along the way.
Having said that, true entrepreneurs never say “luck is everything”. That’s a fatalistic way of looking at the world. Worse, it can be a crutch for excusing why you’re not successful.
When you read the stories of successful entrepreneurs, men and women, they all say the same thing: “Luck is where opportunity meets preparation.”
Some people spend their whole life preparing and never come across opportunity. That’s real bad luck. And that’s why you should do what you love. At least then if the dice don’t fall in your favour you won’t have wasted your life.
Accept that luck plays a big role in all our lives, and then put your head down and work.
“Opportunity dances with those already on the dance floor.” Jackson Browne
“The more I practice the luckier I get.” Gary Player
“Luck, that’s when preparation and opportunity meet.” Pierre Trudeau
“I say luck is when an opportunity comes along and you’re prepared for it.” Denzel Washington
“I think luck is the sense to recognize an opportunity and the ability to take advantage of it… The man who can smile at his breaks and grab his chances gets on.” Samuel Goldwyn
“Any fool can have bad luck; the art consists in knowing how to exploit it.” Frank Wedekind
“Luck is a dividend of sweat. The more you sweat, the luckier you get.” Ray Kroc
“People often remark that I’m pretty lucky. Luck is only important in so far as getting the chance to sell yourself at the right moment. After that, you’ve got to have talent and know how to use it.” Frank Sinatra
“Diligence is the mother of good luck.” Benjamin Franklin
“I’ve found that luck is quite predictable. If you want more luck, take more chances. Be more active. Show up more often.” Brian Tracy