The Interplay of Success, Luck, and Action

For years, I held the conviction that success was purely a product of talent and personal capabilities. This belief was so ingrained that I often debated it with my friend Alessio. I insisted that anyone with the right motivation and action could achieve any result. Alessio countered with the sobering reality that being born in an African village severely limits one's chances of achieving success as commonly defined.

My perspective was likely shaped by a series of fortunate coincidences that had led me to a certain status. However, I never considered these coincidences as factors in my success. It wasn't until things began to turn in the opposite direction that I started to reevaluate my initial idea - that talent is neither the sole nor often the primary element of success.

The Role of Luck in Success Stories

Analyzing the stories of highly successful individuals reveals how their paths often originate from particular strokes of fortune. Take Bill Gates, one of the world's most successful individuals. In 1968, Gates attended Lakeside, a prestigious school that happened to be one of the very few with a computer. Out of approximately 36 million people in the United States at the time, Gates was one of only about 300 students who had access to this technology. This stroke of luck - a one in a million chance - gave him privileged access to the world of computing, allowing him to position himself early in a nascent market.

My own story echoes this theme of fortunate circumstances. Having an engineer for a father granted me early access to computers, enabling me to develop skills ahead of the curve and be prepared when opportunities arose. Similarly, a chance encounter with a startup group led to a meeting with Federico, which opened my mind to new modes of interaction, comparison, and entrepreneurial development.

Learning from Setbacks

However, subsequent experiences brought errors and setbacks. Tracing these to their origins, I discovered a lack of foundational knowledge and skills in the world of investments, a limited network, and a low aptitude for sales. These realizations underscored the importance of a broad base of skills and connections in achieving success.

I'm reminded of a high school teacher who once cautioned that doing many things was the surest way to do them all poorly. Yet, in retrospect, this advice seems at odds with the nature of success and opportunity.

Mitigating Risk Through Action

Success, it turns out, is dictated by many elements that can be broadly categorized as "luck." However, this doesn't mean we're powerless. By increasing our actions, we can mitigate the risk of misfortune and increase our chances of success. Each action we take is like buying a ticket in the lottery of opportunity - the more tickets we have, the higher our chances of winning.

This perspective doesn't diminish the role of effort in success. Rather, it suggests that success is the fruit of effort multiplied by opportunity. Our efforts create a foundation and readiness that allow us to capitalize on lucky breaks when they occur.

The Paradox of Diversification

Contrary to my high school teacher's advice, doing many things - when approached strategically - can actually be a pathway to success. It's not about doing everything poorly, but about creating multiple avenues for opportunity and growth. This diversification of effort and experience can lead to unexpected synergies and open doors we never knew existed.

Conclusion

In the end, success is neither purely deterministic nor entirely random. It's a complex interplay of personal capabilities, persistent effort, and fortuitous circumstances. While we can't control luck, we can control our actions and preparations. By continually expanding our skills, knowledge, and experiences, we create a broader surface area for luck to strike.

The key is to remain active, curious, and open to opportunities, while simultaneously developing the skills and mindset needed to capitalize on them when they arise. In this way, we don't just wait for success - we actively cultivate the conditions that make it possible.