On Success and Luck

When fortune grants us short spells of success, it is easy to mistake it for fate. Success has an irresistible pull to it that tends to cloud our minds. We easily get caught up in the delirium of glory. As Seneca wrote in one of his letters to Lucilius, we start misinterpreting the kindness of Fortune.

In his book The Laws of Human Nature, Robert Greene captures this well:

“Any success that we have in life inevitably depends on some good luck, timing, the contributions of others, the teachers who helped us along the way, the whim of the public in need of something new. Our tendency is to forget all of this and imagine that any success stems from our superior self.” — Robert Greene, The Laws of Human Nature

He further warns:

"Remember: the gods are merciless with those who fly too high on the wings of grandiosity, and they will make you pay the price." – Robert Greene, The Laws of Human Nature

A sobering reminder to divorce our success from undue grandiosity. It may be the case that our success came not just from our hard work, but also from the good fortune and other things beyond our control. Humility should be the default.