--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: People tend to believe that good fortune…" description: "\"People tend to believe that good fortune consists of equal parts talent, hard work, and sheer luck. It's hard to deny the roles of the latter two. As t..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cd4/jack-mcdevitt-8429_believe_people-tend-to-believe-that-good-fortune_2194870.jpg" --- # People tend to believe that good fortune consists of equal… ![“People tend to believe that good fortune consists of equal parts talent, hard work, and sheer luck. It's hard to deny the roles of the latter two. As to talent, I would only say it consists primarily in finding the right moment to step in.” quote by Jack McDevitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cd4/jack-mcdevitt-8429_believe_people-tend-to-believe-that-good-fortune_2194870.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cd4/jack-mcdevitt-8429_believe_people-tend-to-believe-that-good-fortune_2194870.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cd4/jack-mcdevitt-8429_believe_people-tend-to-believe-that-good-fortune_2194870.jpg) > “People tend to believe that good fortune consists of equal parts talent, hard work, and sheer luck. It's hard to deny the roles of the latter two. As to talent, I would only say it consists primarily in finding the right moment to step in.” [Jack McDevitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-mcdevitt/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Success stems from talent, effort, and luck, but talent is often about seizing the right moment. **In simple terms:** Luck, work, and timing matter. Key Takeaway Be ready to act when opportunity appears. Themes luck effort talent timing Mood optimistic inspired Type motivational philosophical When to use this quote - career advancement - entrepreneurship - creative projects - sports competition Key Concepts probability opportunity skill development Questions to Reflect On - How do you prepare for unexpected chances? - What role does perseverance play alongside luck? A Different Perspective Overemphasis on luck can undermine preparation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Fortune](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fortune/) [Good fortune](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-fortune/) [Hard work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hard-work/) [Luck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/luck/) [Moments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moments/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Right moment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/right-moment/) [Talent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/talent/) [Wealth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wealth/) ## Related quotes > [You just have to find that thing that's special about you that distinguishes you from all the others, and through true talent, hard work,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-dre/you-just-have-to-find-that-thing-that-s-special-about-you-that/) [Dr. Dre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-dre/) > [Dear Kanye West. It is YOU who is so busy disrespecting artistry. You disrespect your own remarkable talents and more importantly you disrespect the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-manson/dear-kanye-west-it-is-you-who-is-so-busy-disrespecting-artistry-you/) [Shirley Manson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-manson/) > [The youths of Bihar are second to none when it comes to talent, hard work and perseverance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashish-vidyarthi/the-youths-of-bihar-are-second-to-none-when-it-comes-to-talent-hard/) [Ashish Vidyarthi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashish-vidyarthi/) > [All women deserve a dignified and respectful workplace in which talent, hard work and loyalty are recognized, revered, and rewarded.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-carlson/all-women-deserve-a-dignified-and-respectful-workplace-in-which/) [Gretchen Carlson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-carlson/) > [Practice is a talent. Perseverance is a talent. Hard work is a talent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhinav-bindra/practice-is-a-talent-perseverance-is-a-talent-hard-work-is-a-talent/) [Abhinav Bindra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhinav-bindra/) > [Baseball is about talent, hard work, and strategy. But at the deepest level, it's about love, integrity, and respect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-gillick/baseball-is-about-talent-hard-work-and-strategy-but-at-the-deepest/) [Pat Gillick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-gillick/) > [“Tell me: How do you know that you won't be killed by a falling meteor? How do you know that you shut off the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fletcher-wortmann/tell-me-how-do-you-know-that-you-won-t-be-killed-by-a-falling-meteor/) Fletcher Wortmann > [The one who plays this game the best is Iniesta: he knows exactly when to go forward and when to drop back. He picks…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juan-roman-riquelme/the-one-who-plays-this-game-the-best-is-iniesta-he-knows-exactly-when/) [Juan Roman Riquelme](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juan-roman-riquelme/) > [When we said that no more areas of power should go to the EU we were right. And now thanks to the European Union…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hague/when-we-said-that-no-more-areas-of-power-should-go-to-the-eu-we-were/) [William Hague](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hague/) > [Daniil is a player who will not give you many chances to attack. If I have enough power and choose the right moment, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrey-rublev/daniil-is-a-player-who-will-not-give-you-many-chances-to-attack-if-i/) [Andrey Rublev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrey-rublev/) > [You can wait your whole life for the right moment and it might never come, so I'm a big believer in making now the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/logan-henderson/you-can-wait-your-whole-life-for-the-right-moment-and-it-might-never/) [Logan Henderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/logan-henderson/) > [I don't want your future I don't need your past One bright moment Is all I ask](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/florence-welch/i-don-t-want-your-future-i-don-t-need-your-past-one-bright-moment-is/) [Florence Welch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/florence-welch/) > [The great mistake is to anticipate the outcome of the engagement; you ought not to be thinking of whether it ends in victory or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-lee/the-great-mistake-is-to-anticipate-the-outcome-of-the-engagement-you/) [Bruce Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-lee/) > [Premature ideas do not exist, one must bide one's time until the right moment comes along.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-monnet/premature-ideas-do-not-exist-one-must-bide-one-s-time-until-the-right/) [Jean Monnet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-monnet/) > [“But the guy sitting at the table next to me who'd been imagining killing his wife and was now imagining seducing me wasn't the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lori-brighton/but-the-guy-sitting-at-the-table-next-to-me-who-d-been-imagining/) [Lori Brighton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lori-brighton/) ## More by Jack McDevitt > [The queen of virtues is the recognition of one's own flaws.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-mcdevitt/the-queen-of-virtues-is-the-recognition-of-one-s-own-flaws/) [Jack McDevitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-mcdevitt/) > [Tides are like politics. They come and go with a great deal of fuss and noise, but inevitably they leave the beach just as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-mcdevitt/tides-are-like-politics-they-come-and-go-with-a-great-deal-of-fuss/) [Jack McDevitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-mcdevitt/) > [Talking with most people usually involves a search for truth. Talking with congressmen is strictly special effects.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-mcdevitt/talking-with-most-people-usually-involves-a-search-for-truth-talking/) [Jack McDevitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-mcdevitt/) > [The real problem has to do with the inability by people to admit that a position they've held a long time might be wrong.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-mcdevitt/the-real-problem-has-to-do-with-the-inability-by-people-to-admit-that/) [Jack McDevitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-mcdevitt/) > [Lies hold civilization together. 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Not in any culture. What's the point of having omnipotence if you don't enjoy it?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-mcdevitt/universal-deities-never-seem-to-smile-not-in-any-culture-what-s-the/) [Jack McDevitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-mcdevitt/) > [Technological civilizations don't last long. You're all right until you get a printing press. Then a race starts between technology and common sense. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-mcdevitt/technological-civilizations-don-t-last-long-you-re-all-right-until/) [Jack McDevitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-mcdevitt/) > [My father used to take me to the movies on Saturdays. In 1940, when I was four years old, we encountered 'Flash Gordon Conquers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-mcdevitt/my-father-used-to-take-me-to-the-movies-on-saturdays-in-1940-when-i/) [Jack McDevitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-mcdevitt/) > [Of course, they (i. e., demons) had always been observed with some regularity, but that could usually be ascribed to an overabundance of piety…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-mcdevitt/of-course-they-i-e-demons-had-always-been-observed-with-some/) [Jack McDevitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-mcdevitt/) > [If you want creative and successful children, resign yourself to jousting with rebels.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-mcdevitt/if-you-want-creative-and-successful-children-resign-yourself-to/) [Jack McDevitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-mcdevitt/) > [There is no justice. There are occasional acts of vengeance, or regret, but there's no real justice. In the natural scheme of things, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-mcdevitt/there-is-no-justice-there-are-occasional-acts-of-vengeance-or-regret/) [Jack McDevitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-mcdevitt/) > [I was once invited to attend a private dinner for Senator John F. Kennedy. But it was a Saturday evening, and I passed. Had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-mcdevitt/i-was-once-invited-to-attend-a-private-dinner-for-senator-john-f/) [Jack McDevitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-mcdevitt/) [Explore all 81 Jack McDevitt quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-mcdevitt/) ## More Believe quotes > [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. You have to be hyper, hyper aware of what's going on around you. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-moore/i-actually-think-acting-is-a-form-of-self-hypnosis-you-have-to-be/) [Julianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-moore/) > [Some people still believe you should just fall in line with what's going on - and that's scary. It makes a mockery of freedom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-robison/some-people-still-believe-you-should-just-fall-in-line-with-what-s/) [Emily Robison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-robison/) > [The truth seems to be that propaganda on its own cannot force its way into unwilling minds; neither can it inculcate something wholly new;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/the-truth-seems-to-be-that-propaganda-on-its-own-cannot-force-its-way/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [Resist discouragement by speaking His Word over your future. Keep standing. Keep hoping; keep believing because He is working behind the scenes. He's going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/resist-discouragement-by-speaking-his-word-over-your-future-keep/) [Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/) > [I can't believe that I'm sitting in meetings with Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, and Annette Bening. I want to take on that responsibility to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-can-t-believe-that-i-m-sitting-in-meetings-with-steven-spielberg/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [There is no such word as item girl in the dictionary. People have created this word and I don't believe that I am an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shefali-zariwala/there-is-no-such-word-as-item-girl-in-the-dictionary-people-have/) [Shefali Zariwala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shefali-zariwala/) > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [I don't really like too much credit. I know nobody's going to believe this, but I'd rather be able to score goals and nobody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradley-wright-phillips/i-don-t-really-like-too-much-credit-i-know-nobody-s-going-to-believe/) [Bradley Wright-Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradley-wright-phillips/) > [“What I have a problem with is not so much religion or god, but faith. When you say you believe something in your heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/what-i-have-a-problem-with-is-not-so-much-religion-or-god-but-faith/) [Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) > [Bush reiterated his stand to conservatives opposing his decision on stem cell research. He said today he believes life begins at conception and ends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/bush-reiterated-his-stand-to-conservatives-opposing-his-decision-on/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [Never underestimate the power of the human mind to believe what it wants to believe, no matter the conflicting evidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-herbert/never-underestimate-the-power-of-the-human-mind-to-believe-what-it/) [Brian Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-herbert/) > [To believe in love, to be ready to give up anything for it, to be willing to risk your life for it, is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/to-believe-in-love-to-be-ready-to-give-up-anything-for-it-to-be/) [Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/) > [That's why I don't generally talk about endorsements because I don't believe we have to tell people who to vote for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-iii/that-s-why-i-don-t-generally-talk-about-endorsements-because-i-don-t/) [Martin Luther King III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-iii/) > [Mankind have been slow to believe that order reigns in the universe-that the world is a cosmos and a chaos.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-garfield/mankind-have-been-slow-to-believe-that-order-reigns-in-the-universe/) [James A. 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