個案資料

Many successful individuals cite fate or luck as significant factors in their success. But is luck at the root of success? Or is luck a second-hand explanation that fulfills other psychological needs? The author argues that success is not primarily a question of the opportunities that present themselves to an individual, but of whether an individual, first, even recognizes them as opportunities and, second, is able to make the most of them. Research shows that extroversion correlates with an increased probability that someone will encounter unexpected opportunities and actively exploit them. The identification and exploitation of chance occurrences is also the result of certain personality traits and attitudes. When successful people point to luck, this often serves as an unconscious defence against envy. Someone who has just enjoyed a particularly sweet (and, for others, envy-inducing) success might shrug their shoulders and say, “So what, I was just lucky.” In doing so, they are seeking to neutralize the envy that may be directed against them by pointing to a random, unpredictable, and uncontrollable power (or combination of powers) that is responsible for favourable or unfavourable outcomes. However, for happenstance, luck, or coincidence to contribute to great success, they must meet an individual with the requisite tacit knowledge—one who is able to recognize the opportunity and seize it.

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