--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: That's the way it always is,\" said the…" description: "\"“That's the way it always is,\" said the old man. \"It's called the principle of favorability. When you play cards the first time, you are almost sure to..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/937/paulo-coelho-10_first-time_that-s-the-way-it-always-is-said-the-old_44011.jpg" --- # That's the way it always is," said the old man. "It's… ![“That's the way it always is," said the old man. "It's called the principle of favorability. When you play cards the first time, you are almost sure to win. Beginner's luck." "Why is that?" "Because there is a force that wants you to realize your destiny; it whets your appetite with a taste of…” quote by Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/937/paulo-coelho-10_first-time_that-s-the-way-it-always-is-said-the-old_44011.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/937/paulo-coelho-10_first-time_that-s-the-way-it-always-is-said-the-old_44011.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/937/paulo-coelho-10_first-time_that-s-the-way-it-always-is-said-the-old_44011.jpg) > ““That's the way it always is," said the old man. "It's called the principle of favorability. When you play cards the first time, you are almost sure to win. Beginner's luck." "Why is that?" "Because there is a force that wants you to realize your destiny; it whets your appetite with a taste of success.”” [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The passage describes a belief that initial success is driven by a hidden force that nudges people toward their destiny, framing early wins as a psychological catalyst rather than pure chance. **In simple terms:** Early wins act as a catalyst for destiny. Key Takeaway First successes are a motivational force. Themes destiny psychology motivation belief chance Mood hopeful inspirational reflective Type aphorism dialogue philosophical When to use this quote - starting a new career - learning a new skill - entering a competition - starting a relationship - launching a project Key Concepts principle of favorability beginner's luck self-fulfilling prophecy Practical Applications - Designing onboarding experiences - Creating motivational content Questions to Reflect On - How might early success shape long-term behavior? - Can perceived destiny be self-fulfilling? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Old man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/old-man/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/) [Taste of success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/taste-of-success/) ## Related quotes > [“It's called the principle of favorability, beginner's luck. Because life wants to achieve your destiny.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/it-s-called-the-principle-of-favorability-beginner-s-luck-because/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [A search always starts with Beginner's Luck and ends with the Test of the Conqueror.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/a-search-always-starts-with-beginner-s-luck-and-ends-with-the-test-of/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [Every search begins with beginner's luck. And every search ends with the victor's being severely tested." The boy remembered an old proverb from his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/every-search-begins-with-beginner-s-luck-and-every-search-ends-with/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [“The closer he got to the realization of his dream, the more difficult things became. It seems as what the old man had called…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/the-closer-he-got-to-the-realization-of-his-dream-the-more-difficult/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [Every search begins with beginner’s luck. And every search ends with the victor’s being severely tested.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/every-search-begins-with-beginner-s-luck-and-every-search-ends-with-2/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [“Every search begins with beginner's luck. And every search ends with the victors' being severely tested.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/every-search-begins-with-beginner-s-luck-and-every-search-ends-with-3/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [“There is a force that wants you to realize your destiny; it whets your appetite with a taste of success !”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/there-is-a-force-that-wants-you-to-realize-your-destiny-it-whets-your/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [Because there is a force that wants you to realize your Personal Legend; it whets your appetite with a taste of success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/because-there-is-a-force-that-wants-you-to-realize-your-personal/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [Beginner's luck is great for beginners.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-fripp/beginner-s-luck-is-great-for-beginners/) [Robert Fripp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-fripp/) > [Sharpie? A mischievous smile spread across her face. I thought you said you couldn't control your powers. Beginner's luck.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kami-garcia/sharpie-a-mischievous-smile-spread-across-her-face-i-thought-you-said/) [Kami Garcia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kami-garcia/) > [I always wanted to be a fashion designer, for as long as I can think of. Acting happened by chance, so I call it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neha-sharma/i-always-wanted-to-be-a-fashion-designer-for-as-long-as-i-can-think/) [Neha Sharma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neha-sharma/) > [If he ever had a bright idea it would be beginner's luck.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-lashner/if-he-ever-had-a-bright-idea-it-would-be-beginner-s-luck/) [William Lashner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-lashner/) > [I can never forget that first taste of success.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suniel-shetty/i-can-never-forget-that-first-taste-of-success/) [Suniel Shetty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suniel-shetty/) > [By 21, I had my first real taste of success with a band called House of Pain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/everlast/by-21-i-had-my-first-real-taste-of-success-with-a-band-called-house/) [Everlast](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/everlast/) > [Yeah I want it all, that's why I strive for it](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/drake/yeah-i-want-it-all-that-s-why-i-strive-for-it/) [Drake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/drake/) ## More by Paulo Coelho > [I have inside me the winds, the deserts, the oceans, the stars, and everything created in the universe. We were all made by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/i-have-inside-me-the-winds-the-deserts-the-oceans-the-stars-and/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [Love will never separate a man from his personal legend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/love-will-never-separate-a-man-from-his-personal-legend/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [The world has a soul and whoever understands that soul can also understand the language of many things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/the-world-has-a-soul-and-whoever-understands-that-soul-can-also/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [You dont choose your life; it chooses you. Theres no point asking why life has reserved certain joys or griefs, you just accept them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/you-dont-choose-your-life-it-chooses-you-theres-no-point-asking-why/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [To love is to be in communion with the other and to discover in that other the spark of God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/to-love-is-to-be-in-communion-with-the-other-and-to-discover-in-that/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [It is not enough to dream of the Impossible Love - it is necessary to conquer it too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/it-is-not-enough-to-dream-of-the-impossible-love-it-is-necessary-to/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [Eat when it is time to eat. And walk when it is time to walk.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/eat-when-it-is-time-to-eat-and-walk-when-it-is-time-to-walk/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [People are reading more and writing more because of the internet. So the virtual world is a way for me to listen to my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/people-are-reading-more-and-writing-more-because-of-the-internet-so/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [“Joy is like sex – it begins and ends. I want pleasure. I want to be contended, but happiness? I no longer fall into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/joy-is-like-sex-it-begins-and-ends-i-want-pleasure-i-want-to-be/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [“Trudi se da zivis, sjecanja su za starije ljude.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/trudi-se-da-zivis-sjecanja-su-za-starije-ljude/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [I've always been a very restless person. 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And for the first…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandra-monir/i-m-waiting-for-you-he-murmured-smiling-a-slow-familiar-grin-that/) [Alexandra Monir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandra-monir/) > [“Treat every natural beauty you met as if you see them for the first and last time!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/treat-every-natural-beauty-you-met-as-if-you-see-them-for-the-first/) [Mehmet Murat ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [“I won’t break your heart. For the first time in my life, I’ve found something worth fighting for, someone more important than me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chelle-bliss/i-won-t-break-your-heart-for-the-first-time-in-my-life-i-ve-found/) [Chelle Bliss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chelle-bliss/) > [Life is like a parachute jump: you have to get it right the first time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/life-is-like-a-parachute-jump-you-have-to-get-it-right-the-first-time/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [When I was in my twenties and just so sexually prolific, the first time I went to Machu Picchu, this guy, a spiritual teacher,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woody-harrelson/when-i-was-in-my-twenties-and-just-so-sexually-prolific-the-first/) [Woody Harrelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woody-harrelson/) > [When my kids were in the school play for the first time, I decided I had to make the costumes from scratch and bought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-alexander/when-my-kids-were-in-the-school-play-for-the-first-time-i-decided-i/) [Sarah Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-alexander/) > [“I will run every mile, i will save every line, i will say i reached the top and i will fall back down standing.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mennah-al-refaey/i-will-run-every-mile-i-will-save-every-line-i-will-say-i-reached-the/) Mennah al refaey > [“Or maybe your magic isn't that destructive after all. 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