It is sometimes argued that one’s success is a story of luck, with personal effort and commitment doing little impact. Despite acknowledging the rationales behind this viewpoint, I largely oppose.
At one end of the spectrum are those emphasizing the role of luck. They contend that this element dictates favourable career paths, interpersonal relationships, and even superior productivity. These facilitators, on this side, allow individuals to excel in some moments and enjoy short-term benefits in performance. However, it is important to note that not everyone has favourable conditions to evolve, adapt, and overperform others, and real success requires more than fortune alone. If the privileged cannot make good use of rare opportunities, it is just a meaningless gift granted for them. A student achieving good results in an exam may feel proud of themselves thanks to memorizing learned knowledge, but whether their yield can be maintained is an entirely different question. This is to say that fortune is just a small factor defining short-term value, because success is inherently elusive.
In reality, even those with disadvantaged backgrounds can determine their own achievements without relying on external factors. This is when other crucial qualities, namely commitment, exertion, and hard work prove their power. Thomas Edison, a well-known scientist, devoted thousands of hours to researching, experimenting and accepting failures to make a light bulb for humanity, although he typically experienced declined motivation and frustration in that process . Without self-discipline, inner curiosity, and a strong determination, luck is a random gift for one to gain immediate edges, but not a solid metric for one’s success. Authentic objectives are therefore achieved by valuable qualities and cultivated abilities accumulated through life experiences. In that path, luck is not the defining factor but a tool to gain momentum, and overvaluing its relevance in determining personal success is short-sighted and impractical in contexts where meaningful values control productivity.
In conclusion, to lay lucky elements as the foundation for the ability to achieve ambitions or targets in life is not realistic because real success is complex by nature. Rather than clinging to it, individuals should be well aware that only they can determine who they are tomorrow, whether they can materialize their dreams, and luck is finally just a treasure fostering further progress.