Success… does it depend only on luck or hard work?

  After so much disappointment with empty motivational speeches and toxic ideas of meritocracy - as discussed in the first part - the question arises: so what is in our hands? Is it even worth trying?
  Interestingly, there’s a more hopeful answer than it seems - and it comes from real studies, not catchy phrases designed to sell online courses.
  In a very interesting study, participants were divided into three groups and asked to think of something good that had happened to them recently. After that, each group received a different task:

·       The first group was encouraged to reflect on their personal qualities or specific actions that had led to the good thing.

·       The second group had to think about external factors - that is, things outside their control that had contributed to the positive outcome.

·       The third group simply listed all the factors involved in the situation, without focusing on any particular type of cause (this was the control group).

  After this reflection, all participants were told they would receive one dollar. However, they were given the option to donate part or all of it to a charity. And what happened was revealing: the participants who reflected on external factors were 25% more generous than those who attributed their success to personal traits or effort.
This study shows something powerful: when we believe that everything we have is solely the result of our own hard work, we start to see the world as fair. And when we see the world as fair, we tend to blame those who are left be
hind - as if they simply didn’t try hard enough. That makes us less empathetic, less generous, and less willing to help - even if we’re not fully aware of it.
  The problem is that this way of thinking ignores a simple truth: there are many people who work just as hard - or even harder - and still don’t make it. Because success also depends on being in the right place, with the right resources, surrounded by the right people - or simply on being born in the right country. It’s a harsh truth, but one that needs to be said: the place where you’re born strongly influences your chances of success in life. And if those who made it don’t acknowledge the luck they had - and give back - the next generation starts even further behind.
  So what can we do?
  Recognizing luck doesn’t mean dismissing effort. Success is - almost always - a combination of hard work and opportunities that show up, even if you didn’t do anything in particular to deserve them. And that’s precisely why it’s worth trying. Because each attempt is a new door that might open. Every project, every conversation, every gesture could be the one that puts you on the radar of the right person. And once that happens, your effort will finally get its chance to shine.
  So, this text isn’t here to demotivate you - it’s here to give you awareness. To help you understand that if you’ve been trying for a long time and still haven’t been seen, you’re not the problem. And if you’ve already achieved something, maybe it’s time to thank the luck you had… and pay it forward.
Because in the end, the real question is:
What if you are someone else’s luck today?

Part 2/2