Skip to content

Dumb luck Quote by David G. McAfee

“Sometimes chance is on the believer’s side and he or she does resolve the problems after praying or otherwise petitioning the supernatural, and that’s actually when the false connection between faith and good fortune (by definition a superstition) is fortified. The believer thanks their god or…” quote by David G. McAfee
Download Open image
““Sometimes chance is on the believer’s side and he or she does resolve the problems after praying or otherwise petitioning the supernatural, and that’s actually when the false connection between faith and good fortune (by definition a superstition) is fortified. The believer thanks their god or spiritual force of choice and thinks it can be counted on in the future. Furthermore, when someone credits their accomplishments to a god or other mystical force—whether it’s for helping them overcome an addiction or achieve something great—it pushes them further from reality. It not only takes away from the individual’s hard work that is likely responsible, but it also implies that person was somehow more important than anybody else who may have failed to accomplish the same feat. If you are considering expressing gratitude to an unseen and unproven force for positive developments in your life, remember that it can be equally (if not more so) rewarding to thank those who truly helped you accomplish whatever the positive action is. If it was your own hard work, acknowledge that. If it was someone else’s, let them know they are appreciated. If it was dumb luck, don’t count on it in the future but take advantage of it while it’s there. This is the beauty of reality.””

David G. McAfee

About This Quote

Source Essay: The Beauty of Reality, 2023

Attributing success to unseen forces can undermine personal effort and distort reality; gratitude should focus on tangible contributors.

In simple terms: Credit real effort, not superstition.

Key Takeaway

Acknowledge hard work and real help.

Themes

faith gratitude reality superstition effort

Mood

reflective critical

Type

philosophical motivational

When to use this quote

  • career achievements
  • personal recovery
  • team projects
  • unexpected opportunities

Key Concepts

psychology social influence attribution bias

Questions to Reflect On

  • How do you differentiate luck from skill?
  • Who truly helped you succeed?
A Different Perspective

Overemphasis on faith may discourage critical self‑assessment.

4.7 out of 5 (8 ratings)

More by David G. McAfee

Explore all 56 David G. McAfee quotes

More Dumb luck quotes

Browse all 42 Dumb luck quotes