August 15, 2013 at 7:35 am
FunkyDexter (8/15/2013)
I can't claim credit for any of that... I just got lucky.
Yours is a refreshingly honest self-appraisal... I often think people take far more credit for their success than they deserve. Many, many, many people work hard; many work far harder than I without ever getting any of the benefits I enjoy. No matter how much we'd like to think otherwise, very little of life is deterministic, and we simply cannot be certain that a particular effort will bring a particular result (unlike sql queries ;-)). That isn't to say 'don't work hard or strive for success'. Rather: 'do your best and accept the results. If you don't like the results try again or try something different.'
August 15, 2013 at 9:47 am
chrisn-585491 (8/15/2013)
Cuban is a real hard worker and smart, but he also had the luck of being at the right place in time to capitalize on his fortunes and make a larger fortune. And that's the story, put the work in, be smart, be prepared for opportunity.
There's the old adage "you make your own luck." Simply put, position yourself to take advantage of the opportunities that come your way. Sometimes they work out, sometimes they don't. That's life.
Or as my wife put it to me one time: "God feeds the sparrows, but He doesn't drop food into the nest."
As an aside, the IRS statistics in the original commentary about half of taxpayers making less then $32,000 a year is based on AGI - income after deductions, exemptions, etc. These days it's around $37,000 or so.
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Just my $0.02 from over here in the cheap seats of the peanut gallery - please adjust for inflation and/or your local currency.
August 16, 2013 at 2:24 am
DavidL (8/15/2013)
FunkyDexter (8/15/2013)
I can't claim credit for any of that... I just got lucky.
Yours is a refreshingly honest self-appraisal... I often think people take far more credit for their success than they deserve. Many, many, many people work hard; many work far harder than I without ever getting any of the benefits I enjoy. No matter how much we'd like to think otherwise, very little of life is deterministic, and we simply cannot be certain that a particular effort will bring a particular result (unlike sql queries ;-)). That isn't to say 'don't work hard or strive for success'. Rather: 'do your best and accept the results. If you don't like the results try again or try something different.'
Yes, great post FD, and pretty similar to my own trajectory, though I may not be quite as fortunate financially, I'm happy enough with my lot. I guess if people wish to come across the Charlie Big Potato, fair enough, but it generally is not something I will consider a positive attribute, or a sign such a person actually understands life at all.
August 19, 2013 at 5:52 pm
Rich is a state of mind not a state of being. Many have little and are rich beyond reason, and some have it all and have only the desire to have more. There is never enough if you focus on it. It is better that you work hard, love what you do, and provide for those you love. That might redefine rich.
<Exit Rant Mode>
Not all gray hairs are Dinosaurs!
August 21, 2013 at 11:31 am
Becoming financially wealthy isn't always just about working hard. It is also about the opportunities coming along at the right timing and jumping on them and making the most of them when they do. Sometimes, it is just simply being in the right place at the right time. I also agree with Miles that "being rich" isn't always defined in terms of how much money you have either. 😀
"Technology is a weird thing. It brings you great gifts with one hand, and it stabs you in the back with the other. ...:-D"
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