I'm also in the "both" camp. A new favorite quote of mine sums up my philosophy on the luck vs. hard work question:
"Destiny might lead us to the path, but the rest is up to us."
I am certainly willing to take credit for my desire to better myself, for recognizing good opportunities, for setting goals, and for working hard to achieve them.
However, I cannot deny the role luck has played in my life:
- I am lucky because I was not born without a debilitating mental illness, physical disability, or developmental disability.
- I am lucky because I was born where I was. If I had been born in the Congo, North Korea, etc. I would not be where I am today.
- I am lucky because I was born to a middle-class parents who valued education.
My life has not been perfect, but I know to be grateful for what I have been given out of sheer luck and not because of anything I did to deserve them.
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