Luck absolutely plays a factor in every person's condition. If Kobe was 5'6" he wouldn't be playing in the NBA. He could have put quadruple the practice time in during elementary school and he wouldn't have smelled an NBA career.
I'd reckon many of us on this forum are lucky due to our intellect (which is a very important trait in making money). Intellect is pretty intrinsic to our being, being dictated by genetics and early environmental influences (both out of our control).
First off, luck is only 1/2 of the equation. How many people out there are 6'6" in taller and NOT playing in the NBA? Luck has nothing to do with it. Was he born with the foundation to make it big in the NBA? Yes. But he could have sat on his ass, ate potato chips all day long and never even try out for basketball. But he didn't, he took what nature gave him and made the most of it. He's not the tallest, fastest or strongest guy in the NBA, so why then is he one of the best? Because he works his ass off and can do things other people can't. Plus I bet if he was 5' 6" and put the same drive, dedication and determination into going to med school instead of basketball, I bet he'd be a successful doctor. It's not what you are born with, it's what you do with it. And you know what? There are plenty of tall people out there who could have a chance at the NBA, but we'd never know because they were too either too lazy or never wanted to put in the effort. Just like how I know plenty of people who want to get to work late, leave early and half ass their job or education. They aren't going to become wealthy, and they won't make the NBA. I don't care if you are born with the biggest brain or the highest vertical, it's still up to you to work your ass off. We are all born with some ability to succeed; for some it is putting a ball through a hoop, for others it is saving lives, for some it is inventing something. I've seen cases of handicapped and disabled people becoming wealthy. It's up to you to find that ability, work your ass off, and make the most of it. Unfortunately most people don't have that drive.
Plus the arguement of the sports star/actor/famous person is ridiculous. Yes, some people are blessed, but some people win the lottery. They only represent a VERY TINY fraction of those who have become very wealthy. I work in several industries and have come across a LOT of self made millionaires. I can tell you for every sports athlete you can name, I can name 10 self made millionaire. And I'll tell you that not all of them were the smartest, the tallest, best looking or the luckiest. In fact I would say luck had nothing to do with their success. The common trait was that they all work hard and/or worked smart. They made the most of life and opportunities. When others quit, they pushed on. When others took the easy way out, they took the hard way through. Next time you get a chance, read through the FORBES top 500 richest people. One thing you'll notice is they are not athletes or musicians or people who you call "lucky" and you won't know 90% of the names. Because they aren't the Kennedy's or the Hilton's. They are average people, self made from the ground up. The other thing you'll notice is that they all worked hard and turned nothing into something. And it's probably not anything that you, or I, or anybody else couldn't have done ourselves if we just applied or sacrificed the same as those people did.
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