Effort Is Far More Important than Luck
Reviewed and approved by the psychologist Sergio De Dios González
It’s common knowledge that in order to achieve something you desire with all of your heart, the first step is always to have the initiative to work hard for it. Luck can influence our achievements, since we’re surrounded by conditions and consequences of other actions, but effort will always be the main factor.
The willpower we add to our intelligence, creativity or work, for example, will make whatever we set out to do a little bit more within our reach. It will allow us to perform the projects we most desire. Luck can always help, but only if we’re willing to take advantage of its arrival.
Attitude, effort’s best friend
Thinking that if we work hard we’re going to be successful is as wrong as thinking that luck alone will do the hard work for us. In other words, it’s very beneficial for us to accept right off the bat that we can fail despite having worked harder than anybody else.
“If you have a positive attitude and constantly strive to give your best effort, over time you’ll overcome your immediate problems and find that you’re ready for bigger challenges.”
-Pat Riley-
Nowadays, we’re more likely to think that everyone else gets things effortlessly, simply by luck. And that’s why many people tend to conform with what life wants to give them. Conformism arrives when you accept that luck is more important that effort.
“Our reward can be found in the effort we put in and not in the results. Total effort is a complete victory.”-M. Gandhi-
Just as Gandhi could see, our biggest victory lies in knowing that we put forth our best effort. The outcome is important, but our personal development is too.
Not believing in the power of our own effort to achieve our dreams only leads to conforming with a type of person we don’t really want to be. A person that hasn’t reached their full potential.
Discipline and education in children: the keys to valuing effort
One of the foundations of these notions can be found in the way that you teach and instill the discipline to work hard in children. These are the main keys to the individual and collective growth of society: educating a child about the principles of effort will give him the necessary tools to always improve himself as an adult.
“We all have dreams. But in order to turn your dreams into reality, you need a great amount of determination, dedication, self-discipline and effort.”-Jesse Owens-
Examples are always one of the most useful ways of teaching. So if we as adults believe in the power of effort above that of luck, we’ll be able to transmit that belief to children. Thus, they will learn to face their difficulties, be less whimsical and more consistent, and to understand the value of desire for improvement, etc.
This text is provided for informational purposes only and does not replace consultation with a professional. If in doubt, consult your specialist.
