The role of luck vs discipline in startups

When an individual eventually becomes successful at something, we've all heard the gossip that starts emerging about them which goes along the lines ...

"He just got lucky" — unknown person

"He's lucky his parents knew someone, and made it happen" — another unknown person

I absolutely hate this negative mindset as honestly there is no such thing as luck. It’s a gambling approach to get you to assume that you can be some lucky person to win, without ever considering any other approach. It’s like the Big Bang theory — that two atoms out of nowhere somehow, in the vastness of space, collided. It doesn’t account for where the atoms came from or how many atoms were in the vicinity that could have collided. I look at it differently, more to do with my faith in GOD and with our unknowing future and destiny. With regards to the Big Bang, I say yes, atoms collided and created everything, but it was more to do with GOD allowing — or as some say commanding — these atoms to exist and collide in the first place.

I’m sure many people will disagree but we are all entitled to our opinions.

In regards to luck, GOD, and destiny, it’s a bit more simple for me. If we roll a dice the probability is 1 in 6 to get a 6. If we roll several times and use more than one dice then we will increase our odds of getting a 6, which throws out the theory of luck and leans more toward probability. Every successful person didn’t just trip and become successful — they tried various things. Mark Zuckerberg had several projects before he made Facebook; I think one was called FaceMash or something. Elon Musk made a game when he was a child and sold it for $50k, well before the ZIP2 project. In fact, he was working and selling computers to fund his way into college without his parents, yet we still hear about his dad’s so-called "emerald mines." The number of stories I can tell you — from Apple to Zip2 (A–Z pun :P) — of founders experimenting or creating various things before eventually landing on their most successful project is endless. However, this all plays into what I suggested earlier: how all these experiments or early projects increased their odds and prepared them for when they were ready (or destined) to launch their major project.

Destiny is simply our purpose in the future — it’s every block we add to ourselves to build on what we might achieve later. Not everyone is destined for greatness, but there are some who strive to make just what’s around them great, and that propels them to new heights. We do not know what our destiny holds or what block we add now that will determine what we produce in the future. As Steve Jobs (GOD rest his soul) often quoted:

"You can't connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backward." — Steve Jobs

This is 100% true. There are blocks you add that seem out of place or irrelevant to the grand scheme of things, like in his case, learning Artistic Typography at college out of curiosity. That was before starting Apple, but somewhere down the line he decided that it would be a huge bonus for users to have the Apple I use fonts. So, they created the first font system for computers. That is connecting the dots. That is destiny. As if he had not attended that typography session, he probably would never have thought creating fonts for computers was even worthy of being done.

With regards to GOD, this is more personal opinion, since I believe in Tawakkul (Arabic: تَوَكُّل) — or more specifically Tawakkul 'alal-llah (التوكل على الله) — which in Arabic translates to "Trust in Allah" or "Reliance on Allah." This is a concept that emphasizes placing complete trust and faith in God’s plan and wisdom, while still taking necessary actions toward one’s goals. It’s about surrendering the outcome to Allah while striving diligently. So, for example, if I roll a dice the probability is still 1 in 6 to land on 6. More dice, the greater my odds. Nothing changes. The same if I create a project or several projects — the probability of being successful is still the same as before. So where is God in this equation?

God, for me, in the equation is like a mindset — surrendering the outcome to a higher power, and focusing my efforts on the job at hand. This mindset allows me to fail and not be upset or disheartened as this is "God’s will," which means I can pick myself up quicker and move forward and try again, without the feeling that I am a failure. And if I succeed, then again it’s "God’s will," and part of His plan, so I can quickly avoid inflating my ego thinking I am great — when in fact it’s God’s plan, and my success was part of a greater purpose. Maybe my success was part of a plan to help someone in need. I have no clue except to trust in God.

I’m sure many of you will read this and think, "What a load of rubbish," while others may take in what I’ve written about my trust in God. But again, that to me makes no difference as it’s all part of God’s plan for you. My part was probably getting this article out.

To conclude: LUCK is not a real thing. It’s probability. The more you try something the greater the odds of getting your desired outcome. However, doing the same thing and expecting different results is just insane. Maybe not the dice rolling thing — but definitely for everything else.

"he definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results" - Albert Einstein

Not everything someone else did is going to work for you, but you can learn from others and forge your own path to achieve your own goals.

Good Luck lol... I mean, may God be with you and ease your path to success.