This is a question my father and I used to talk about. Why is it some folk can make it out of bad situations and others don’t? Why do some folk manage to get out of the ghetto and find a new a better life while most seem doomed to repeat the family’s history there? Why do some folk stay in economically distressed areas such as Appalachia and others find the courage to move on to places of more opportunities? Why do some people seem to find it easy to succeed in whatever endeavor they try and others seems to always fail? Why do some appear to learn from the past and build upon it and others just continue to repeat it?
Same as with anything in life - combination of luck, perseverence, cleverness, attitude, the experience or education/direction to make optimal choices. I would also throw in nutrition and freedom from certain substance abuses also being significant factors. Some will insist it's all effort, or it's all luck, but the reality is that everything counts. Effort, brains, luck, experience -- things both within control and without.
ReplyDelete