We must believe in luck. For how else can we explain the success of those we don’t like? — Jean Cocteau

We must believe in luck. For how else can we explain the success of those we don’t like?

Author: Jean Cocteau

Insight: There's something bracing about admitting this out loud: we often attribute our own wins to hard work and character, then turn around and chalk up someone else's success to pure luck. It's not that we're consciously dishonest—it's just how our brains protect our sense of fairness when the world doesn't feel fair. If someone we dislike gets promoted, lands a great partner, or builds a following, it's easier to say they got lucky than to sit with the possibility that talent or effort might not be distributed only to people we approve of. But here's the flip side worth considering: believing in luck is actually liberating. It lets you stop burning energy resenting people's wins and start noticing what you might learn from them. More importantly, it frees you from the crushing pressure that every outcome is purely a referendum on your worth. Some things really are timing, connections, and chance. Once you accept that, you can focus on what you actually control while staying humble about the parts you don't. The real insight is that luck isn't just an excuse—it's a realistic assessment of how the world works. Success is rarely 100 percent merit or 100 percent fortune. Accepting both makes you less bitter about others and kinder to yourself.