Clojurians Log v2

I would like to propose that 99% of those people who are called 'smart and get things done' by Spolsky are also nothing special just lucky and willing to work.

by nothing special, I mean I do not believe in innate special abilities that somehow raise some people above others. It's mostly an illusion.

I don't think he's saying what you think he's saying. The approach he outlines in that little book is specifically a departure from the "find the rock stars" approach, that you're apparently attributing to him.

Luck is much more of an illusion, though. Except in the sense of "the harder you practice, the luckier you get." I.e. it's about the work you put in.

I am not sure why you think I was talking about rockstars?

anyway, not here to argue but happy to continue this in private if you feel like it 🙂

Apologies if I misunderstood you.

probably 🙂 and I count being born in a large family that can support their kids learning through their teens, can buy equipment and other stuff as "exceptionally lucky"

Perhaps "fortunate" rather than "lucky" -- so that we can all view "luck" as "random positive outcome"? 🙂

I am not sure what's wrong with the word luck here, is there a connotation that doesn't apply and I am not aware of it?

As a non-native speaker I am very much open to broaden my language skills 🙂

You were "exceptionally fortunate" that your family could support their kids and you can buy equipment etc.

"luck" would be nearly dying of a childhood disease but surviving against all odds.

I wish I were so lucky but I wasn't. I am more in the category of having survived multiple extremely serious childhood health issues

anyway, i guess it was a 'global' you,

your definition suggest that in order to be lucky, you have to be unlucky first

That's why I prefer "fortunate" over "lucky" 🙂 I nearly died at six weeks old but a brand new surgery was able to save me (hence giving that as an example of "luck" since several things happened just the right way for me to get diagnosed quickly and be close enough to a surgeon that knew the procedure and then to survive the process).

but you were unlucky more than lucky

the true luck is to avoid such situation in the first place

this is akin to my relatives saying how God healed them from illnesses...

Hahaha... you'll get no religious comments from me! And, yeah, I'd say a combination of being "fortunate" and "lucky" over the years has gotten me to where I am and I would have a hard time picking between those for some things that have happened to me.

Heh, I am sorry, perhaps it wasn't the best example. The religious part of it was not the most important aspect for me. I just seen the structure that the initial misfortune is although necessary, it is discounted.

But even with that definition, I just realized, that since most people do not have this luck to being born to such family, you can safely say that you have evaded a worse situation 🙂 I admit this is a bit pessimistic, since it points out that one could argue that being born is a form of unluck. As some eastern philosophies do 🙂.

The "accident of birth".

Bringing this all back on topic-ish: there's definitely an element of pure "luck" around the whole job/hiring process since so many things have to fall into place for you (global) to get a specific job you want. And a lot of people who are unhappy in their current job (for myriad reasons) but are "unlucky" enough not to be able to find/move into something they'd like better.