What’s Gotta Stay

The harder I work, the luckier I get.
– Samuel Goldwyn

I have always valued the work ethic my parents brought me up with. Not only is there the good feeling you get when you work hard and accomplish something, but there is the sense of personal well being you get from having earned what you have.

There are days when I get down on myself, looking back at the missed opportunities in my life, where my choices or simply my lack of timing has caused me to miss out on things. I think of this most when looking at others around me that have hit the big winning ticket when it comes to a financial windfall in the business world. I have worked hard, and tried to work smart, but have yet to get any big payout from my entrepreneurial efforts. Usually at that point in my thinking I have to give myself a mental kick in the rear and remind myself that I have had a better than average living and a lot of great experiences along the way.

Another quote that is in line with Goldwyn’s, and perhaps one that he had in mind when that was coined:

Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.
–Roman philosopher, mid-1st century AD

So, any time I am feeling unlucky I try to remind myself that I need to keep working hard to be prepared and alert for those upcoming opportunities.