Success is often perceived in different ways—some attribute it to hard work, persistence, and strategy, while others dismiss it as mere luck. Many successful people appear lucky to others after they succeed. People ignore the years of struggle, failure, and effort behind the scenes. However, there is no denying that the idea of pure luck is comforting, as it allows people to explain away failures. But, when we consistently view others’ achievements as the result of sheer fortune, we unknowingly create a mental barrier that obstructs our own personal growth. This mindset can be detrimental in several ways.
Overestimating Luck and Underestimating Effort
This article is about how people overestimate luck and underestimate effort and how this adversely impacts our own growth. The following common ways in which people perceive and react to others' success illustrate how these perceptions impact our own success:
1. Undermining Effort and Hard Work
Assuming that someone’s success is purely a stroke of luck disregards the effort and dedication they put in. Behind every achievement, there are countless hours of hard work, discipline, and persistence. By focusing solely on luck, we risk becoming complacent, believing that effort does not yield results, which ultimately discourages us from striving for our own success.
2. Fostering a Victim Mentality
Attributing others’ accomplishments to luck can lead us to believe that success is beyond our control. This fosters a victim mindset where we feel powerless to change our circumstances. Instead of taking responsibility for our own progress, we may end up blaming external factors, which hinders personal and professional development.
3. Preventing Learning from Others
Successful individuals often follow specific habits, strategies, and mindsets that contribute to their achievements. If we dismiss their success as luck, we miss valuable opportunities to learn from their experiences. Instead of seeing them merely as fortunate individuals, we should analyse what they did differently and implement those lessons in our own journey to replicate their success.
4. Creating Jealousy Instead of Inspiration
When we perceive someone’s success as undeserved luck, it can lead to envy and resentment rather than motivation. This negative energy can drain us emotionally and mentally, preventing us from focusing on our own aspirations. Conversely, seeing others’ achievements as a source of inspiration can push us to work harder and improve ourselves.
5. Reducing Resilience and Growth Mindset
A fixed mindset assumes that success depends on uncontrollable factors like luck, whereas a growth mindset recognizes that progress comes through effort and learning. When we convince ourselves that success is purely random, we usually give up easily when faced with challenges—we do not develop resilience and persistence to these challenges.
The Reality of Success: A Blend of Hard Work and Opportunity
While some people might encounter fortunate circumstances, it is their preparation and ability to take action that determines whether they succeed or not. In other words, success is rarely the result of luck alone. It is often a combination of the following factors:
Hard Work – Consistent effort and perseverance.
Smart Decisions – Making the right choices at key moments.
Right inspiration – Learning from successful individuals
Resilience – Overcoming failures and learning from mistakes.
Opportunities – Recognizing and seizing the right chances.
A More Productive Perspective: Taking Control of Success
By focusing on what we can control, we empower ourselves to create success rather than waiting for it to happen. Instead of assuming that success is luck-based, we should adopt a proactive approach to learn from the strategies, habits, and decision-making processes of successful people.
1. Learning from Others’ Success
Rather than seeing success as an outcome of external luck, we should analyse the specific factors that contributed to it. Asking the following questions can provide valuable insights:
✅ What habits or strategies did this person use to succeed?
Did they follow a disciplined routine?
Did they focus on continuous learning or skill-building?
Did they take calculated risks at the right time?
✅ What can I learn from their journey?
What obstacles did they overcome, and how?
What choices helped them move forward?
What sacrifices or trade-offs did they make?
✅ How can I apply similar principles in my life?
How can I implement similar routines, habits, or mindsets?
What changes can I make to improve my work ethic and decision-making?
How can I create my own opportunities rather than waiting for luck?
2. From Passive Observer to Active Learner
When we view success as purely luck-based, we become passive spectators—believing that we have little control over our own outcomes. But by adopting a growth mindset, we shift from passively admiring successful people to actively learning from them and applying those lessons in our own lives. So, instead of saying “She was just lucky. I’ll never have that opportunity”, we can adopt a proactive approach and say, “She made smart choices and worked hard. What can I do to improve my chances of success?”
Conclusion: Taking Charge of our Own Path
By shifting our mindset from passive observers to active learners, we open ourselves to growth, improvement, and the possibility of achieving success through our own efforts. Recognizing that success is a blend of hard work, smart decisions, and sometimes fortunate circumstances, allows us to take charge of our own paths and strive for excellence.
Success isn’t something that happens to you—it’s something you create. In the words of Samuel Goldwyn — "The harder I work, the luckier I get."
Nice . Perfect
Valuable write up. Need of the time…
Wonderful
Beautifully written