Trying to Catch Success
An immigrant father’s perspective on achieving our goals
“We are the fisherman. Opportunities are the fish.”
Standing in the raging river of life, we hold nothing more than a simple net.
All around us, fishes of different sizes and shapes rush past us — never stopping for a moment.
With our net’s handle gripped tightly in hand, we tense our bodies and bend our knees…
Todays’ fast-paced world loves to glorify achievement. From the immaculate social feeds of Linkedin and Instagram to the Ivy-League license plate you followed in traffic, we are constantly bombarded with the successes of others.
Undoubtedly, this reality pushes many of us to continually set higher and higher goals. Whether that goal is a promotion, an acceptance letter, or even a black belt, the path to success never seems straightforward.
Although I wish I knew the answer to success, I don’t. However, one of the most life-changing perspectives came from the man I respect most, my father.
A New Perspective
Time and time again, we hear the same mantras of hustle culture — work hard, work long, and you will become that self-made success story.
This methodology may work for many individuals, but I want to offer a novel perspective on achieving our goals.
The Role of Luck
“We don't always catch a fish.”
Modern media loves to claim hard work as the only prerequisite for success. Countless interviews of successful individuals all spew this same belief.
However, people often overlook the extreme circumstances required to make success stories real. We fail to remember the millions of failed endeavors for every successful one.
Luck plays a larger role in our achievements than we like to admit. From the families we’re born into to the opportunities we encounter, we have little choice in what hand we are dealt.
Take Jeff Bezos, one of the most successful and hard-working businessmen of our era. During his efforts to get Amazon off the ground, he was gifted an investment of $245,573 from his parents. This good fortune, combined with his immense work ethic, allowed Bezos to create the Amazon we know today.
Whether an opportunity presents itself as a lucky break or as a relationship, we can never plan for these moments. It is for this reason that we must appreciate and take advantage of opportunities we come across.
With the best fishing equipment, we are never guaranteed a catch. With the strongest work ethic, we are never guaranteed success.
The Role of Hard Work
“Find a way to get a bigger net.”
Although luck can never be tamed, we can increase its probabilities. This is the role of hard work.
A fisherman will use a larger net to capture more fish. Similarly, by dedicating extra efforts to our goals, we are expanding our ability to capture bigger and better opportunities.
By joining a new organization, we place ourselves in a position to build fulfilling relationships with like-minded individuals. By learning a new skill, we can stand out to potential employers who may have needed that extra bit of convincing. Even if we just continue to build on our current endeavors, we might finally catch the lucky break.
Regardless of how you dedicate yourself, good fortune may be around the corner. We just need to keep moving forward.
For my father, hard work meant persevering through unbearably long days as he juggled the challenges of learning English, attending college, working full time, and caring for his two young children. It meant days of standing outside the offices of potential employers to land an interview.
Through all his struggles and achievement, my father continues to preach the importance of hard work, while staying ever grateful to the opportunities he’s come across.
Catching Success
“The more fish the better.”
With more opportunities, we gain a better chance of one of them helping us achieve our desired goal.
Our efforts should help us grow in our discipline. It should place us in favorable positions where opportunities are plentiful.
By continuing to build upon our skills, knowledge, and experience, we increase our chances of being the right candidate at the right moment. By stepping out of our comfort zones, we increase our chances of finding that perfect moment.
Understanding the relationship between hard work, luck, and success is vitally important. It allows us to appreciate the exceptionally of our achievements while retaining a healthy view of our more extravagant goals.
When viewing the success of others, we can admire their immense work ethic while recognizing the amazing circumstances around them.
Most importantly, we can help increase the success of those around us. By understanding the role of luck, we can be that lucky break for our communities.
