--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: People talk about overnight successes…" description: "\"People talk about overnight successes, and ultimately, there's a certain amount of, you want to call it luck or fortune or good fortune, or whatever, b..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/db8/damon-lindelof-6799_amount_people-talk-about-overnight-successes-an_622850.jpg" --- # People talk about overnight successes, and ultimately… ![“People talk about overnight successes, and ultimately, there's a certain amount of, you want to call it luck or fortune or good fortune, or whatever, but when your moment arrives, you have to have been at a point where you paid your dues, or done your 10,000 hours or have the requisite talent or…” quote by Damon Lindelof](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/db8/damon-lindelof-6799_amount_people-talk-about-overnight-successes-an_622850.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/db8/damon-lindelof-6799_amount_people-talk-about-overnight-successes-an_622850.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/db8/damon-lindelof-6799_amount_people-talk-about-overnight-successes-an_622850.jpg) > “People talk about overnight successes, and ultimately, there's a certain amount of, you want to call it luck or fortune or good fortune, or whatever, but when your moment arrives, you have to have been at a point where you paid your dues, or done your 10,000 hours or have the requisite talent or whatever.” [Damon Lindelof](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damon-lindelof/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. True success combines preparation, skill, and perseverance; luck alone isn’t enough. **In simple terms:** Success = preparation + talent + effort. Key Takeaway Invest time and develop talent before opportunity arrives. Themes hard work preparation talent Mood reflective inspirational Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - career advancement - creative projects - skill development - networking Key Concepts deliberate practice growth mindset Questions to Reflect On - What skills are you building now? - How do you measure your progress? A Different Perspective Overemphasis on luck can undermine effort. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Fortune](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fortune/) [Good fortune](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-fortune/) [Luck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/luck/) [Moments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moments/) [Overnight success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/overnight-success/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/) [Talent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/talent/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Wealth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wealth/) ## Related quotes > [Somehow over the years people have gotten the impression that Wal-Mart was...just this great idea that turned into an overnight success. But...it was an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/somehow-over-the-years-people-have-gotten-the-impression-that-wal/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Pixar is seen by a lot of folks as an overnight success, but if you really look closely, most overnight successes took a long…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/pixar-is-seen-by-a-lot-of-folks-as-an-overnight-success-but-if-you/) [Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) > [Nobody is an overnight success. Most overnight successes you see have been working at it for ten years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-heinemeier-hansson/nobody-is-an-overnight-success-most-overnight-successes-you-see-have/) [David Heinemeier Hansson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-heinemeier-hansson/) > [Everything valuable takes time, there are no overnight successes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-canfield/everything-valuable-takes-time-there-are-no-overnight-successes/) [Jack Canfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-canfield/) > [There are few overnight successes and many up-all-night successes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-ashton/there-are-few-overnight-successes-and-many-up-all-night-successes/) [Kevin Ashton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-ashton/) > [“Luck and fortune are always on the side of the persistent.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-redhead/luck-and-fortune-are-always-on-the-side-of-the-persistent/) [Steven Redhead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-redhead/) > [“The thoughtless, the ignorant, and the indolent, seeing only the apparent effects of things and not the things themselves, talk of luck, of fortune,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-allen/the-thoughtless-the-ignorant-and-the-indolent-seeing-only-the/) [James Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-allen/) > [I remember when I was younger I used to write in my diary: I want my luck to be spread. “Never give me anything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-pattinson/i-remember-when-i-was-younger-i-used-to-write-in-my-diary-i-want-my/) [Robert Pattinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-pattinson/) > [I've found that luck is quite predictable. If you want more luck, take more cahnces. Be more active](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/i-ve-found-that-luck-is-quite-predictable-if-you-want-more-luck-take-2/) [Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/) > [I've found that love is quite predictable. If you want more luck, take more chances, be more active, and show up more often.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/i-ve-found-that-love-is-quite-predictable-if-you-want-more-luck-take/) [Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/) > [Overnight successes are generally years in the making. And most progress is made in isolation, far from the public eye.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-yang/overnight-successes-are-generally-years-in-the-making-and-most/) [Andrew Yang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-yang/) > [I've found that luck is quite predictable. If you want more luck, take more chances. Be more active. Show up more often.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/i-ve-found-that-luck-is-quite-predictable-if-you-want-more-luck-take/) [Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/) > [“Some folks want their luck buttered.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hardy/some-folks-want-their-luck-buttered/) [Thomas Hardy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hardy/) > [Some folk want their luck buttered.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hardy/some-folk-want-their-luck-buttered/) [Thomas Hardy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hardy/) > [I worked 18 years to become an overnight success. Now MagicPlace.com will short circuit that process for people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-angel/i-worked-18-years-to-become-an-overnight-success-now-magicplace-com/) [Criss Angel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-angel/) ## More by Damon Lindelof > [I make no distinction between writing and storytelling; I've always wanted to tell stories.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damon-lindelof/i-make-no-distinction-between-writing-and-storytelling-i-ve-always/) [Damon Lindelof](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damon-lindelof/) > [I've always believed that a good twist is one that, when it is presented to the audience, half of them say, 'I saw that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damon-lindelof/i-ve-always-believed-that-a-good-twist-is-one-that-when-it-is/) [Damon Lindelof](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damon-lindelof/) > [I'll never be immune to criticism, and that's okay, and I'm very comfortable with that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damon-lindelof/i-ll-never-be-immune-to-criticism-and-that-s-okay-and-i-m-very/) [Damon Lindelof](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damon-lindelof/) > [I don't think anybody wants to see a dour 'Star Trek' movie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damon-lindelof/i-don-t-think-anybody-wants-to-see-a-dour-star-trek-movie/) [Damon Lindelof](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damon-lindelof/) > [There is a reason behind life. 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I stand by it, but there are a lot of people out there who hate it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damon-lindelof/i-love-the-lost-ending-i-stand-by-it-but-there-are-a-lot-of-people/) [Damon Lindelof](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damon-lindelof/) > [You can watch an episode of Friends or an episode of Law & Order and just drop in, but you're not going to in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damon-lindelof/you-can-watch-an-episode-of-friends-or-an-episode-of-law-order-and/) [Damon Lindelof](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damon-lindelof/) > [Michael Arndt, that guy - you're just supposed to say nice things about other writers, but I worship Michael Arndt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damon-lindelof/michael-arndt-that-guy-you-re-just-supposed-to-say-nice-things-about/) [Damon Lindelof](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damon-lindelof/) > [The interpretive element of 'Lost' - the fact that you immediately need, as soon as the episode is over, to seek out a community…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damon-lindelof/the-interpretive-element-of-lost-the-fact-that-you-immediately-need/) [Damon Lindelof](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damon-lindelof/) > [Star Wars' is a galaxy a long time ago, far, far away. 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