Put simply, being in the right place at the right time, and having connections, can be as important as having the skills and experience.
“Hello, I’m Eddie Murphy and I’m here to tell you the importance of a good education. I’m 20 years old and a high school graduate. I studied at Nassau community college for about two weeks. I have no formal theatrical training whatsoever yet I’m one of the stars of the new Saturday Night Live. I also make more in a week than most white people make in a year. Which leaves me to the conclusion that in 1981 a good education is just as important as a warm bucket of hamster vomit. That’s right, all you white kids in school are wasting your sweet precious time because life is luck. You’re either lucky or you’re a bum from the beginning. So stop kidding yourself, drop out. Go have some fun, drink some beer. Get each other pregnant and play Space Invaders. You know, you white kids take life so seriously. Quit school and be successful like me.”
Sammy: Excuse me Mr. Murphy, you’re limousine’s waiting.
Eddie Murphy: Thanks Sammy. Sammy went to Harvard.
themeatbridge@lemmy.world 1 week ago
I always tell my kids, you can try your best and still fail. Sometimes you will succeed without any effort at all. Luck will affect the outcome of anything you do.
But you have to be ready for the luck. You have to work hard to be in a position to take advantage. Hard work can mitigate your failures, and any effort you put into doing your best is never wasted because you’re trying to be the best version of yourself.
That’s why you try. Not because you might win and get wealth and fame and glory. You try because you want to be the person who tries.
See also, honesty, kindness, generosity, forgiveness. These are not things we do to be rewarded. The universe (not to mention other people) is going to let you down more often than not. You should still be honest and kind and generous and forgiving and hardworking because that’s the person you want to be.
ogmios@sh.itjust.works 1 week ago
One of my favourite Star Trek quotes
Reyali@lemm.ee 6 days ago
Talent, dedication, and luck. Spot on.
I am very successful in my career and earn more than my school-age self ever expected (tbf, I expected to be a teacher). I wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for all three, though.
Lucky points include:
I wouldn’t have gotten those opportunities if I didn’t also have the dedication and talent, but luck was a huge factor.
I have tried the metaphor that luck opened doors for me, but I had to get to and walk through them. I will never take where I am today for granted.
Late2TheParty@lemmy.world 1 week ago
What a great line from TNG!
CosmicTurtle0@lemmy.dbzer0.com 1 week ago
“Luck favors the prepared!”
- Edna Mode
AtariDump@lemmy.world 1 week ago
“NO CAPES!”
QuarterSwede@lemmy.world 1 week ago
And guest.
podperson@lemm.ee 1 week ago
This is my beef with religion. Many seem to push the core idea that you should be honest, kind, generous, and forgiving for the promise of future rewards (heaven, or whatever comparable idea, depending on the belief system) or the prevention of future punishment and suffering (hell, etc), not for the simple pursuit of being a better person or improving the world around you.
JSeldon@lemmy.world 1 week ago
That’s a point of view I had never considered before and makes negatice outcome less despairing (? can’t quite find the right word). Thanks a lot!