The Lucky Ticket
I
wrote the original version of this as a response to an argument on The Standard
(24-04-2012) about whether luck or hard work was the key to success in life. So it's a stream of consciousness rather than well thought-out, but it resonated and was promoted to a Guest Post. As with most things in life, I don't agree with
the either/or proposition of hard work and luck, as usual, nothing much us all or nothing, and do feel that success requires at least a
modicum of luck, and that ‘luck’ is easier to find the better the circumstances
a person is born into. All power to those who negate the circumstances of their
birth and go on to achieve success – however they wish to define that.
Okay... Does luck have anything to do with how well people succeed in life? Lets play with that a bit, and only play with the winners:
1. You won Division 5 by being born middle class. Lots of people share that, but more people don't win Division 5 than do.
2. Your win went up to being Division 4 by not having adverse events happening in your childhood. Every adverse event you missed out of (a catastrophic health event, car crash, divorced parents, parents who smack each other around or hit you around, strong family or community network, not moving around for seasonal work, not being a victim of random crime... shall I go on?) reduces the number of people you have to share the divisional prize with.
3. You win Division 3 when you got through school without being bullied, having a teacher that had high expectations of you, had a 'natural' talent at something, no dyslexia, parents who made sure you were school ready and did your homework, you didn’t have to stay home to look after the kids/mother/granny etc, or help out the parents with the cleaning business, takeaways when you were too young to manage it. Your parents took you to sports and class events. Once again the pot is shared with fewer people each time you can tick one of these off.
4. Division 2 comes in when you were good at a subject that pays well (or you were an awesome entrepreneur - most are only average or worse), or you managed to get accepted on the coveted course that will set you up for your path to wealth. You managed to get through your risky teens without an error that cost you dearly - think of anything teenagers/young adults do for narrowing the pool on that one. Bonus points if you actively made decisions to avoid all risky situations - because it only takes one bad decision - with a roll of the dice to come out of it without life-changing consequences.
5. Division 1 arrives when based on all the other wins you get chosen for the right job, with the right boss/mentor to ensure you excel if you work hard. You change jobs at the right time, the company doesn't go bust or hire a complete idiot to manage you... etc, etc, and there you go., the gold-plated lucky win.
6. Add to this you choose the right life partner, the right children, a house in the right area that doesn't get earthquaked, is not leaky home or something, and there you go – You’ve hit the Jackpot! And your kids share too, because you’ve learned from winning Division 1 and from not missing out on all those other divisions along the way.
1. You won Division 5 by being born middle class. Lots of people share that, but more people don't win Division 5 than do.
2. Your win went up to being Division 4 by not having adverse events happening in your childhood. Every adverse event you missed out of (a catastrophic health event, car crash, divorced parents, parents who smack each other around or hit you around, strong family or community network, not moving around for seasonal work, not being a victim of random crime... shall I go on?) reduces the number of people you have to share the divisional prize with.
3. You win Division 3 when you got through school without being bullied, having a teacher that had high expectations of you, had a 'natural' talent at something, no dyslexia, parents who made sure you were school ready and did your homework, you didn’t have to stay home to look after the kids/mother/granny etc, or help out the parents with the cleaning business, takeaways when you were too young to manage it. Your parents took you to sports and class events. Once again the pot is shared with fewer people each time you can tick one of these off.
4. Division 2 comes in when you were good at a subject that pays well (or you were an awesome entrepreneur - most are only average or worse), or you managed to get accepted on the coveted course that will set you up for your path to wealth. You managed to get through your risky teens without an error that cost you dearly - think of anything teenagers/young adults do for narrowing the pool on that one. Bonus points if you actively made decisions to avoid all risky situations - because it only takes one bad decision - with a roll of the dice to come out of it without life-changing consequences.
5. Division 1 arrives when based on all the other wins you get chosen for the right job, with the right boss/mentor to ensure you excel if you work hard. You change jobs at the right time, the company doesn't go bust or hire a complete idiot to manage you... etc, etc, and there you go., the gold-plated lucky win.
6. Add to this you choose the right life partner, the right children, a house in the right area that doesn't get earthquaked, is not leaky home or something, and there you go – You’ve hit the Jackpot! And your kids share too, because you’ve learned from winning Division 1 and from not missing out on all those other divisions along the way.
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