28 Feb 2005 | Mark said...

I really like Freeman's work, but everytime I see him I can't help but think back to the days when he played "Easy Reader" on The Electric Company.

28 Feb 2005 | JD said...

Now what about poor souls like me who are indeed lucky? ;)

JD

28 Feb 2005 | May said...

Twyla Tharp says that "luck is a skill"

Look at the luckiest people around you....What are they doing that singles them out? It isn't dumb luck if it happens repeatedly. If they're anything like the fortunate people I know, they're prepared, they're always working at their craft, they're alert, they involve their friends in their work, and they tend to make others feel lucky to be around them.

From her book The Creative Habit

28 Feb 2005 | Ian said...

This scientific study on luck aims to show, that the naturally 'lucky' have a major part in their own sucess.

28 Feb 2005 | RS said...

Let's not forget the balance. Without luck and connections, hard work is fruitless. Similarly, luck and connections get you nowhere without that hard work.

You need all three, and those of us born into rich countries are pretty lucky.

28 Feb 2005 | buck said...

Ben Hogan was esentially the first professional golfer to practice on a daily basis (many of his peers spent their free time drinking and chasing women), and this is one of my favorite stories about him.

Hogan couldn't tolerate stupid questions. Although he didn't particularly like some of the press, he didn't mind answering questions.

One year at the Masters, he had a very good round — a 67 or so. The pins were tucked and he was knocking them in tight, just missing the bunkers. This one young journalist asked him, "Mr. Hogan, you had a very good round today, but there were a lot of places where you were lucky, you barely missed the bunkers."

Hogan replied, "That's right, the more I practice the luckier I get."

— From The Hogan Mystique

01 Mar 2005 | Johnnie C said...

Morgan Freeman's comments were refreshing. Yes, he undoubtedly worked hard to hone his acting skills, which are definitely first-rate. And I want to hear about his efforts. But let's not get too full of ourselves. We humans can be awfully narcissistic.

My guess is that for every Morgan Freeman, there's a small army of people who is ready, willing and able to put in the same effort and will become similarily skilled, yet we will never hear of them. This is where luck comes in.

Furthermore, there are people who are willing to put in even more effort then Morgan's, but will never be as skilled. This also is where the luck comes in.

Morgan, be proud of the efforts you have put in and how they have paid off. But keep it in perspective. Hard work is a requirement but isn't the only requirement. There's lots of reasons for you to feel lucky too.