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Why smart hardworking people don't become successful (2018)

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Re: Why smart hardworking people don't become successful (2018)

#71
post #4

> But as I grew older, I realized that’s not necessarily the case. A few people I know who are intelligent and have a strong work ethic have gone on to do notable things, while many others are doing fine. Unfortunately, there are some that drift along, unsure about what to do. Not all who wander are lost. This post is terrible advice, it's like a sermon from the Church of the Silicon Bubble. Smart but not successful?…

> " Not all who wander are lost. " I'm not really sure that quote means what most think it does. The source seems to be: “ All that is gold does not glitter, Not all those who wander are lost; The old that is strong does not wither, Deep roots are not reached by the frost. From the ashes a fire shall be woken, A light from the shadows shall spring; Renewed shall be blade that was broken, The crownless again shall be…

Not all who wander are lost is a reference to Aragorn who as a Ranger wandered all over in his duties. The poem is about Aragorn ushering in the 4th age. So I'm not sure there are deep lessons here.

Re: Why smart hardworking people don't become successful (2018)

#72
post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Not to mention one of the most important factors of all: luck. But survivorship bias means we assume all successful people hold a unique skill and wisdom that, if we only did the same, we'd find similar success.

Would you agree that working hard will generate more opportunities to be lucky?

No. Or rather yes, but it also generates equally more opportunity to be unlucky. So the two cancel out.
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