Image prompt: asked it to read the blog post and come up with a beautiful abstract cover image
[The following was copied and pasted from GPT-4 after I fed it a transcript of a 3 minute ramble I had recorded while walking just now and asked it to turn it into a 2000 word blog]
The sayings "Luck is when preparation meets opportunity" and "Knowledge is Ideas times Action" are more than mere catchphrases; they offer profound insights into the intricacies of success and fortune. These two ideas might seem unrelated at first, but they converge in a way that allows us to grasp the essential elements of luck and how to achieve it.
Preparation, in the most straightforward sense, is having a set of good ideas for what might happen next. These ideas are like the blueprints for building a house. For example, when you practice evacuating a building during a fire drill, you're converting an abstract idea—safety during a fire—into an actionable plan. You're not just thinking about safety; you're embodying it through action. By doing so, you're creating valuable knowledge, aligning perfectly with the Benth model that posits knowledge springs from ideas and action together.
The role of opportunity is similar to a keystone in an arch; it holds everything together. You can practice basketball shots until your hands are sore, but it's not until you're in an actual game—your moment of opportunity—that your preparation gets put to the test. And it's at that very moment that luck happens. Not just random luck, but a type of luck you've cultivated through preparation.
Yet, the relationship between preparation and opportunity isn't just about adding one to the other. They multiply together to create luck or success. If you're exceedingly prepared but devoid of opportunities, your readiness sits idle, like an unused tool in a toolbox. Conversely, if you're presented with a multitude of opportunities but lack the requisite preparation, those opportunities will flit by, unused and wasted. Both components—preparation and opportunity—must be robust and active for the magic called "luck" to occur.
And it is precisely this dynamic interplay that characterizes stories of "overnight successes." Those who suddenly rise to fame or fortune have usually been grinding away in obscurity for years. They are incredibly prepared due to their sustained dedication and hard work. But they also make their own opportunities rather than passively waiting for luck to strike. They actively seek out chances and capitalize on them, embodying the essence of both preparation and action.
We cannot overlook the fact that we exist in a networked society. This social interconnectedness acts as a catalyst for creating opportunities. The more people you know, the more doors that potentially open, reinforcing the idea that luck is seldom an isolated incident but more often a communal journey influenced by our relationships and social circles.
So when people say, "That person is so lucky," it's rarely just the hand of fate. That person has likely strategized, acted, learned, and seized opportunities for a long time. They've prepared with intention, acted with purpose, and grabbed hold of opportunities with both hands. Thus, "Luck is when preparation meets opportunity" and "Knowledge is Ideas times Action" serve as invaluable life guides. They remind us that we have a role in crafting our own destiny by marrying our preparation with proactive action, to seize or even create opportunities.