Comments on: Luck did not play a big part in Bill Gates' success http://www.richardstjohn.com/blog/110/2009/03/10/ The 8 Traits Successful People Have in Common: 8 To Be Great Mon, 02 Jan 2012 07:02:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Kurt http://www.richardstjohn.com/blog/110/2009/03/10/comment-page-1/#comment-626 Kurt Fri, 25 Feb 2011 23:22:00 +0000 http://richardstjohn.com/blog/?p=110#comment-626 Bill Gates, when asked if luck played a role in his success: == Luck played an immense role. Some of it came after I entered the business world, but my lucky streak started much earlier than that. I was fortunate to have family and teachers who encouraged me. Children often thrive when they get that kind of attention. I was incredibly lucky to become boyhood friends with Paul Allen, whose insights proved crucial to the success of the company we founded together. Without Paul, there would have been no Microsoft. Our timing in setting up the first software company aimed at personal computers was essential to our success. The timing wasn't entirely luck, but without great luck it couldn't have happened. == Gates also writes: == "My friend Warren Buffett, who's often called the world's greatest investor, talks about how grateful he is to live at a time when his particular talents are valuable. "Warren says if he'd been born a few thousand years ago, he'd probably have been some animal's lunch. But he was born into an age that has a stock market and rewards Warren for his unique understanding of the market. "Football stars should feel grateful too, Warren says. ‘There just happens to be a game,' he says, ‘where it turns out that a guy who can kick a ball with a funny shape through goal posts a fair percentage of the time can make millions of dollars a year.' " == The above should not be taken to mean that efforts towards success are useless because it's all luck. I'm sure Gates would 100 percent disagree with that. As I see it, luck plays a larger and larger role the more "insane" a person's success is. In other words, luck probably plays a much larger role being a billionaire than it does in achieving a six-figure income. Bill Gates, when asked if luck played a role in his success:
==
Luck played an immense role. Some of it came after I entered the business
world, but my lucky streak started much earlier than that.

I was fortunate to have family and teachers who encouraged me. Children
often thrive when they get that kind of attention.

I was incredibly lucky to become boyhood friends with Paul Allen, whose
insights proved crucial to the success of the company we founded together.
Without Paul, there would have been no Microsoft.

Our timing in setting up the first software company aimed at personal
computers was essential to our success. The timing wasn’t entirely luck,
but without great luck it couldn’t have happened.
==

Gates also writes:
==
“My friend Warren Buffett, who’s often called the world’s greatest investor, talks about how grateful he is to live at a time when his particular talents are valuable.

“Warren says if he’d been born a few thousand years ago, he’d probably have been some animal’s lunch. But he was born into an age that has a stock market and rewards Warren for his unique understanding of the market.

“Football stars should feel grateful too, Warren says. ‘There just happens to be a game,’ he says, ‘where it turns out that a guy who can kick a ball with a funny shape through goal posts a fair percentage of the time can make millions of dollars a year.’ ”
==

The above should not be taken to mean that efforts towards success are useless because it’s all luck. I’m sure Gates would 100 percent disagree with that. As I see it, luck plays a larger and larger role the more “insane” a person’s success is. In other words, luck probably plays a much larger role being a billionaire than it does in achieving a six-figure income.

]]> By: satellitedirect review http://www.richardstjohn.com/blog/110/2009/03/10/comment-page-1/#comment-613 satellitedirect review Thu, 20 Jan 2011 13:20:00 +0000 http://richardstjohn.com/blog/?p=110#comment-613 Thank you for so many and much information. It was fascinating to read. Thank you for sharing all these ideas with us and and keep up the good work. Thank you for so many and much information. It was fascinating to read. Thank you for sharing all these ideas with us and and keep up the good work.

]]> By: the lottery black book http://www.richardstjohn.com/blog/110/2009/03/10/comment-page-1/#comment-607 the lottery black book Mon, 06 Dec 2010 04:28:00 +0000 http://richardstjohn.com/blog/?p=110#comment-607 I really love your articles, it is very useful. I will definitely follow it, thanks and keep up the good work. I really love your articles, it is very useful. I will definitely follow it, thanks and keep up the good work.

]]> By: how to win the lottery http://www.richardstjohn.com/blog/110/2009/03/10/comment-page-1/#comment-603 how to win the lottery Wed, 17 Nov 2010 14:21:00 +0000 http://richardstjohn.com/blog/?p=110#comment-603 i agree with you on billgates luck. but billgates's effort pass through luck. i agree with you on billgates luck. but billgates’s effort pass through luck.

]]> By: how to win the lottery http://www.richardstjohn.com/blog/110/2009/03/10/comment-page-1/#comment-601 how to win the lottery Sun, 24 Oct 2010 16:11:00 +0000 http://richardstjohn.com/blog/?p=110#comment-601 You don't become a multi-billionaire based on luck. Gates is a man who had a vision that had turned into a monopoly for most of 10 years. Good that he got out when he did as he accumulated $50 billion. Not bad based on luck ;) You don’t become a multi-billionaire based on luck. Gates is a man who had a vision that had turned into a monopoly for most of 10 years. Good that he got out when he did as he accumulated $50 billion. Not bad based on luck ;)

]]> By: How to win the Lottery http://www.richardstjohn.com/blog/110/2009/03/10/comment-page-1/#comment-581 How to win the Lottery Tue, 21 Sep 2010 15:58:00 +0000 http://richardstjohn.com/blog/?p=110#comment-581 Its not just all about luck. I mean not all things and the success that a person has right now is just because he/she got lucky. Yes it plays a part but it doesn't determined what we are and where we are now. If you feel that luck is on your side use it to your success and improve yourself in every way. That's how I see it. :) Its not just all about luck. I mean not all things and the success that a person has right now is just because he/she got lucky. Yes it plays a part but it doesn’t determined what we are and where we are now. If you feel that luck is on your side use it to your success and improve yourself in every way. That’s how I see it. :)

]]> By: Cindy http://www.richardstjohn.com/blog/110/2009/03/10/comment-page-1/#comment-308 Cindy Thu, 21 Jan 2010 09:03:43 +0000 http://richardstjohn.com/blog/?p=110#comment-308 THANK YOU. That was one thing in Outliers that really annoyed me. Too much credit was given to luck, and I've gotten in so many arguments over this. I am with you when you say that luck isn't a huge factor. Everyone has some type of experience or occurrence that is special and unique. It's whether you recognize it and do something with it that makes all the difference. But I wouldn't mind reading Wiseman and how luck can be learned. Although I'm skeptical, it sounds interesting. THANK YOU. That was one thing in Outliers that really annoyed me. Too much credit was given to luck, and I’ve gotten in so many arguments over this. I am with you when you say that luck isn’t a huge factor. Everyone has some type of experience or occurrence that is special and unique. It’s whether you recognize it and do something with it that makes all the difference.

But I wouldn’t mind reading Wiseman and how luck can be learned. Although I’m skeptical, it sounds interesting.

]]> By: Cindy http://www.richardstjohn.com/blog/110/2009/03/10/comment-page-1/#comment-539 Cindy Thu, 21 Jan 2010 09:03:00 +0000 http://richardstjohn.com/blog/?p=110#comment-539 THANK YOU. That was one thing in Outliers that really annoyed me. Too much credit was given to luck, and I've gotten in so many arguments over this. I am with you when you say that luck isn't a huge factor. Everyone has some type of experience or occurrence that is special and unique. It's whether you recognize it and do something with it that makes all the difference. But I wouldn't mind reading Wiseman and how luck can be learned. Although I'm skeptical, it sounds interesting. THANK YOU. That was one thing in Outliers that really annoyed me. Too much credit was given to luck, and I’ve gotten in so many arguments over this. I am with you when you say that luck isn’t a huge factor. Everyone has some type of experience or occurrence that is special and unique. It’s whether you recognize it and do something with it that makes all the difference.

But I wouldn’t mind reading Wiseman and how luck can be learned. Although I’m skeptical, it sounds interesting.

]]> By: Leszek Cyfer http://www.richardstjohn.com/blog/110/2009/03/10/comment-page-1/#comment-235 Leszek Cyfer Tue, 01 Sep 2009 09:19:39 +0000 http://richardstjohn.com/blog/?p=110#comment-235 Richard Wiseman in his research on luck found that it too can be learned. Read "Luck Factor" :) Richard Wiseman in his research on luck found that it too can be learned. Read “Luck Factor” :)

]]> By: Leszek Cyfer http://www.richardstjohn.com/blog/110/2009/03/10/comment-page-1/#comment-538 Leszek Cyfer Tue, 01 Sep 2009 09:19:00 +0000 http://richardstjohn.com/blog/?p=110#comment-538 Richard Wiseman in his research on luck found that it too can be learned. Read "Luck Factor" :) Richard Wiseman in his research on luck found that it too can be learned. Read “Luck Factor” :)

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