Success is not a Matter of Luck

“Success is not a matter of luck, an accident of birth, or a reward for virtue…” — Nido R. Qubein

In case you are not clear on whether luck has anything to do with success, let me assure you, it does not. I agree it may seem as if someone is a lucky success, but this is not the case. On planet earth, everything is the result of the planting of seeds. If you have something, then either you, or someone else planted that seed, and though it may seem you are lucky, you were the recipient of the seed previously planted. As a matter of fact, I see the word LUCK as an acronym that stands for Laboring Under Correct Knowledge. I believe when you Labor Under Correct Knowledge, you do increase your chances of LUCK because of your own or someone else’s labors.

Let me also make it crystal clear, birth has nothing to do with success. Of course someone may be born into money or status, but that does not mean they are going to be a success nor does it mean they are going to enjoy a life of fulfillment. Money does not bring or buy happiness. As a matter of fact, money often brings much worry and lots of heartache. And, yes success can be a reward for virtue, but that would depend on your definition of success. Some people having no virtue may find themselves enjoying an incredibly affluent life. Their wealth may allow them to own their own plane, have a yacht, several homes and travel whenever and wherever they desire and yet, they have no virtue or morality. In other words, simply being moral and virtuous will not bring success.

On the other hand, if success is truly enjoying life, being surrounded by those you love and who love you, as well as giving to those less fortunate of what you have, though it may not be much, you can still be successful in your own right. Success is YOU controlling the circumstances rather than circumstances controlling you. It is YOU making life pay that which you desire as well as the ability to enjoy and be grateful for life at whatever level you find yourself in route. When you are in control of your life, then no one else can or will determine how well you live.

Success is responding correctly to that which is happening to and around you. This is better stated by saying, “Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% your response.” When we learn that life is ours to determine, we will come to know success isn’t a matter of luck, nor an accident of birth. It is something we decide we are going to become. Success is simply attracting what you want in the same manner a seed attracts what it needs to become that for which it was designed. When you learn to work harder on yourself than you do on your job, you will find you are becoming a better person and as such you will begin to attract what is necessary to fulfill your desires. It is a much simpler process. This is why I sign all my emails with that very saying: “Success is to be attracted by the person you become…”

Best of LUCK as you
Labor Under Correct Knowledge…

Respectfully,

Rick Cox