good fortune essay

Why Luck Matters More Than You Might Think

When people see themselves as self-made, they tend to be less generous and public-spirited.

I’ m a lucky man. Perhaps the most extreme example of my considerable good fortune occurred one chilly Ithaca morning in November 2007, while I was playing tennis with my longtime friend and collaborator, the Cornell psychologist Tom Gilovich. He later told me that early in the second set, I complained of feeling nauseated. The next thing he knew, I was lying motionless on the court.

He yelled for someone to call 911, and then started pounding on my chest—something he’d seen many times in movies but had never been trained to do. He got a cough out of me, but seconds later I was again motionless with no pulse. Very shortly, an ambulance showed up.

Ithaca’s ambulances are dispatched from the other side of town, more than five miles away. How did this one arrive so quickly? By happenstance, just before I collapsed, ambulances had been dispatched to two separate auto accidents close to the tennis center. Since one of them involved no serious injuries, an ambulance was able to peel off and travel just a few hundred yards to me. EMTs put electric paddles on my chest and rushed me to our local hospital. There, I was loaded onto a helicopter and flown to a larger hospital in Pennsylvania, where I was placed on ice overnight.

Doctors later told me that I’d suffered an episode of sudden cardiac arrest. Almost 90 percent of people who experience such episodes don’t survive, and the few who do are typically left with significant impairments. And for three days after the event, my family tells me, I spoke gibberish. But on day four, I was discharged from the hospital with a clear head. Two weeks later, I was playing tennis with Tom again.

If that ambulance hadn’t happened to have been nearby, I would be dead.

Not all random events lead to favorable outcomes, of course. Mike Edwards is no longer alive because chance frowned on him. Edwards, formerly a cellist in the British pop band the Electric Light Orchestra, was driving on a rural road in England in 2010 when a 1,300-pound bale of hay rolled down a steep hillside and landed on his van, crushing him. By all accounts, he was a decent, peaceful man. That a bale of hay snuffed out his life was bad luck, pure and simple.

Most people will concede that I’m fortunate to have survived and that Edwards was unfortunate to have perished. But in other arenas, randomness can play out in subtler ways, causing us to resist explanations that involve luck. In particular, many of us seem uncomfortable with the possibility that personal success might depend to any significant extent on chance. As E. B. White once wrote, “Luck is not something you can mention in the presence of self-made men.”

My having cheated death does not make me an authority on luck. But it has motivated me to learn much more about the subject than I otherwise would have. In the process, I have discovered that chance plays a far larger role in life outcomes than most people realize. And yet, the luckiest among us appear especially unlikely to appreciate our good fortune. According to the Pew Research Center, people in higher income brackets are much more likely than those with lower incomes to say that individuals get rich primarily because they work hard. Other surveys bear this out: Wealthy people overwhelmingly attribute their own success to hard work rather than to factors like luck or being in the right place at the right time.

That’s troubling, because a growing body of evidence suggests that seeing ourselves as self-made—rather than as talented, hardworking, and lucky—leads us to be less generous and public-spirited. It may even make the lucky less likely to support the conditions (such as high-quality public infrastructure and education) that made their own success possible.

Happily, though, when people are prompted to reflect on their good fortune, they become much more willing to contribute to the common good.

Psychologists use the term hindsight bias to describe our tendency to think, after the fact, that an event was predictable even when it wasn’t. This bias operates with particular force for unusually successful outcomes.

In his commencement address to Princeton University’s 2012 graduating class, Michael Lewis described the series of chance events that helped make him—already privileged by virtue of his birth into a well-heeled family and his education at Princeton—a celebrated author:

One night I was invited to a dinner where I sat next to the wife of a big shot of a big Wall Street investment bank, Salomon Brothers. She more or less forced her husband to give me a job. I knew next to nothing about Salomon Brothers. But Salomon Brothers happened to be where Wall Street was being reinvented—into the Wall Street we’ve come to know and love today. When I got there I was assigned, almost arbitrarily, to the very best job in the place to observe the growing madness: They turned me into the house derivatives expert.

On the basis of his experiences at Salomon, Lewis wrote his 1989 best seller, Liar’s Poker , which described how Wall Street financial maneuvering was transforming the world.

All of a sudden people were telling me I was a born writer. This was absurd. Even I could see that there was another, more true narrative, with luck as its theme. What were the odds of being seated at that dinner next to that Salomon Brothers lady? Of landing inside the best Wall Street firm to write the story of the age? Of landing in the seat with the best view of the business? … This isn’t just false humility. It’s false humility with a point. My case illustrates how success is always rationalized. People really don’t like to hear success explained away as luck—especially successful people. As they age, and succeed, people feel their success was somehow inevitable.

Our understanding of human cognition provides one important clue as to why we may see success as inevitable: the availability heuristic. Using this cognitive shortcut, we tend to estimate the likelihood of an event or outcome based on how readily we can recall similar instances. Successful careers, of course, result from many factors, including hard work, talent, and chance. Some of those factors recur often, making them easy to recall. But others happen sporadically and therefore get short shrift when we construct our life stories.

Little wonder that when talented, hardworking people in developed countries strike it rich, they tend to ascribe their success to talent and hard work above all else. Most of them are vividly aware of how hard they’ve worked and how talented they are. They’ve been working hard and solving difficult problems every day for many years! In some abstract sense, they probably do know that they might not have performed as well in some other environment. Yet their day-to-day experience provides few reminders of how fortunate they were not to have been born in, say, war-torn Zimbabwe.

Our personal narratives are biased in a second way: Events that work to our disadvantage are easier to recall than those that affect us positively. My friend Tom Gilovich invokes a metaphor involving headwinds and tailwinds to describe this asymmetry.

When you’re running or bicycling into the wind, you’re very aware of it. You just can’t wait till the course turns around and you’ve got the wind at your back. When that happens, you feel great . But then you forget about it very quickly—you’re just not aware of the wind at your back. And that’s just a fundamental feature of how our minds, and how the world, works. We’re just going to be more aware of those barriers than of the things that boost us along.

That we tend to overestimate our own responsibility for our successes is not to say that we shouldn’t take pride in them. Pride is a powerful motivator; moreover, a tendency to overlook luck’s importance may be perversely adaptive, as it encourages us to persevere in the face of obstacles.

And yet failing to consider the role of chance has a dark side, too, making fortunate people less likely to pass on their good fortune.

The one dimension of personal luck that transcends all others is to have been born in a highly developed country. I often think of Birkhaman Rai, the Bhutanese man who was my cook when I was a Peace Corps volunteer in Nepal. He was perhaps the most resourceful person I’ve ever met. Though he was never taught to read, he could perform virtually any task in his environment to a high standard, from thatching a roof to repairing a clock to driving a tough bargain without alienating people. Even so, the meager salary I was able to pay him was almost certainly the high point of his life’s earnings trajectory. If he’d grown up in a rich country, he would have been far more prosperous, perhaps even spectacularly successful.

Being born in a favorable environment is an enormous stroke of luck. But maintaining such an environment requires high levels of public investment in everything from infrastructure to education—something Americans have lately been unwilling to support. Many factors have contributed to this reticence, but one in particular stands out: budget deficits resulting from a long-term decline in the United States’ top marginal tax rate.

A recent study by the political scientists Benjamin Page, Larry Bartels, and Jason Seawright found that the top 1 percent of U.S. wealth-holders are “extremely active politically” and are much more likely than the rest of the American public to resist taxation, regulation, and government spending. Given that the wealthiest Americans believe their prosperity is due, above all else, to their own talent and hard work, is this any wonder? Surely it’s a short hop from overlooking luck’s role in success to feeling entitled to keep the lion’s share of your income—and to being reluctant to sustain the public investments that let you succeed in the first place.

And yet this state of affairs does not appear to be inevitable: Recent research suggests that being prompted to recognize luck can encourage generosity. For example, Yuezhou Huo, a former research assistant of mine, designed an experiment in which she promised subjects a cash prize in exchange for completing a survey about a positive thing that had recently happened to them. She asked one group of participants to list factors beyond their control that contributed to the event, a second group to list personal qualities and actions that contributed to it, and a control group to simply explain why the good thing had happened. After completing the survey, subjects were given an opportunity to donate some or all of their reward to charity. Those who had been prompted to credit external causes—many mentioned luck, as well as factors such as supportive spouses, thoughtful teachers, and financial aid—donated 25 percent more than those who’d been asked to credit personal qualities or choices. Donations from the control group fell roughly midway between those from the other two groups.

Experiments by David DeSteno, a psychologist at Northeastern University, offer additional evidence that gratitude might lead to greater willingness to support the common good. In one widely cited study, he and his co-authors devised a clever manipulation to make a group of laboratory subjects feel grateful, and then gave them an opportunity to take actions that would benefit others at their own expense. Subjects in whom gratitude had been stoked were subsequently about 25 percent more generous toward strangers than were members of a control group. These findings are consistent with those of other academic psychologists. Taken together, the research suggests that when we are reminded of luck’s importance, we are much more likely to plow some of our own good fortune back into the common good.

In an unexpected twist, we may even find that recognizing our luck increases our good fortune. Social scientists have been studying gratitude intensively for almost two decades, and have found that it produces a remarkable array of physical, psychological, and social changes. Robert Emmons of the University of California at Davis and Michael McCullough of the University of Miami have been among the most prolific contributors to this effort. In one of their collaborations, they asked a first group of people to keep diaries in which they noted things that had made them feel grateful, a second group to note things that had made them feel irritated, and a third group to simply record events. After 10 weeks, the researchers reported dramatic changes in those who had noted their feelings of gratitude. The newly grateful had less frequent and less severe aches and pains and improved sleep quality. They reported greater happiness and alertness. They described themselves as more outgoing and compassionate, and less likely to feel lonely and isolated. No similar changes were observed in the second or third groups. Other psychologists have documented additional benefits of gratitude, such as reduced anxiety and diminished aggressive impulses.

Economists like to talk about scarcity, but its logic doesn’t always hold up in the realm of human emotion. Gratitude, in particular, is a currency we can spend freely without fear of bankruptcy. Indeed, if you talk with others about their experiences with luck, as I have, you may discover that with only a little prompting, even people who have never given much thought to the subject are surprisingly willing to rethink their life stories, recalling lucky breaks they’ve enjoyed along the way. And because these conversations almost always leave participants feeling happier, it’s not hard to imagine them becoming contagious

This essay is adapted from Robert H. Frank’s new book, Success and Luck: Good Fortune and the Myth of Meritocracy .

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Success: Hard Work Or Luck

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Published: Aug 24, 2023

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Table of contents

The power of hard work, the role of luck, the symbiotic relationship, the role of preparation, cultivating a balanced perspective, cultivating a growth mindset, conclusion: a holistic perspective.

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Greater Good Science Center • Magazine • In Action • In Education

What Drives Success, Hard Work or Luck?

My husband is a successful lawyer at a national law firm and works on cases he feels passionate about, mainly toxic tort and consumer protection lawsuits. He is definitely a hard worker and a very smart, talented person. But, as he will readily admit, much of how he got to where he is has to do with luck, too—being in the right place at the right time and connecting with someone who believed in him.

This random path to success is the subject of a new book, Success and Luck: Good Fortune and the Myth of Meritocracy , by economist Robert Frank of Cornell University. Though we Americans tend to think that we are the masters of our own destiny and that hard work pays off, we are only partly right: Many of us succeed at work and in life because of luck, too.

Frank gives plenty of examples from his own life to illustrate how luck made a difference. We learn of his own two near-death experiences and how, by luck, he survived, as well as how happenstance put him in touch with his birth mother in his 30s. We also hear from many educators, inventors, actors, and businesspeople who happened upon the right idea or opportunity through accidental encounters or events that propelled them down their current path.

All of this makes for entertaining reading. But why is it important for us to consider beyond that? Frank believes that not seeing the role that luck plays in our lives makes us less sympathetic to why others fail and blinds us to their disadvantages.

While the American Dream suggests all that’s needed is talent and perseverance to get ahead, this is false thinking, says Frank. The family we are born into (and even birth order), the opportunities available in our neighborhood, the schools we attend, and whether or not we have positive adult mentors—all of which are beyond our individual control—also play an important role. If we ignore this—if we perpetuate the myth that only the deserving succeed—we will not be able to create the social change needed to better our lives.

“If being born in a good environment is one of the luckiest things that can happen to anyone, it is failure to appreciate luck’s importance that has done the most to undermine our collective stock of good fortune,” writes Frank.

Frank argues that the reason we are blind to luck is that we are unaware of the many psychological biases we hold that create the illusion of personal merit. For example, there’s the halo effect , in which we will ascribe positive qualities to people who are successful or who receive a positive review in some way. There’s hindsight bias , where, after an event has occurred, we tend to believe it was predictable, even though there’s no evidence for that. And there’s the good old attribution bias , where we tend to see environmental circumstances creating our own failures, while attributing others’ failures to their character.

Here’s how these biases might translate: If I’m the head of a successful company, I (and others) will tend to believe it’s because of my good character and because of my business smarts—when, in fact, it may have had more to do with benefits I received from my parents, the school I attended, chance meetings with people who could further my career, or unpredictable changes in the marketplace.

Does this mean that hard work or talent don’t matter at all? No, says Frank. Hard work and smarts do matter, just not as much as we may think. And, by clinging too much to these explanations, believing we deserve our fortune, we are less likely to treat others with empathy or fairness.

As an illustration, Frank recalls a study by the Greater Good Science Center’s Dacher Keltner, in which three students were put into a lab and one student was randomly assigned to be the group leader while they all worked on a task together. Thirty minutes into the experiment, four chocolate chip cookies were brought in on a plate and put in the center of the table. In most cases, the assigned “leader” took the extra cookie and ate it (often noisily and greedily), as if they deserved it. This study demonstrates how easy it is for us to lose sight of luck and randomness, and how power can corrupt our self-perception and relationships with others. Other studies support the theory that when we are in a power position, we tend to not treat others with consideration…or even to see their needs.

Luckily Frank has some solutions, one of which is cultivating gratitude . In an experiment by his research assistant, Yuezhou Huo, subjects were asked to recall a good thing that happened to them recently and then to list either 1) external factors beyond their control, 2) personal qualities they possessed or actions they took, or, as a control, 3) simply “reasons” that explained why the event occurred.

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Afterwards, they were given an opportunity to donate part of their participation fee to a charity. Those who were asked to list external reasons for their good fortune gave 25 percent more to charities than the group that had listed personal qualities, while the control group gave a percentage somewhere between the two extremes. In other words, gratitude for what we’ve been given in life (and have little control over) may contribute to generosity toward others.

Frank also suggests significant tax increases for the very wealthy based on a “progressive consumption tax”—a tax based on the difference between income and savings rather than income levels alone. Sounds like simple liberal politics at first; but Frank backs up his suggestion with economic theory and psychological research that shows why this would work.

For one thing, relative purchase power remains unchanged when taxes on the very wealthy are increased, so that individuals would not be hurt by these changes while redistributing wealth would help everyone (including the wealthy). Although people don’t like to pay taxes, in part because of a phenomenon known as loss aversion , Frank insists that taxes are an important investment in the future of society and the means for fixing our crumbling infrastructure, environmental challenges, and educational system.

A progressive consumption tax also makes sense psychologically, Frank writes. He explains how scientists have shown our nearby frames of reference matter a lot in understanding how we see ourselves and how happy we are. When the super wealthy spend extravagantly on themselves, it affects spending down the income ladder, pushing those with less to stretch their financial limits in order to keep up. And people can’t simply recognize this tendency and opt out, because not keeping up with relative spending can have real social consequences, including not being able to get your kids into good schools.

While many of the wealthy might have trouble seeing the upside for them, Frank insists that this kind of taxation would not decrease their standing in society and would increase their well-being . Research has shown that, beyond a certain limit, spending more on yourself doesn’t make you any happier. In fact, the key to happiness for everyone is spending more on other people and living in a more equitable society.

“If all mansions were a little smaller, all cars a little less expensive, all diamonds a little more modest, and all celebrations a little less costly, the standards that define ‘special’ in each case would adjust accordingly, leaving successful people just as happy as before,” he writes.

And, of course, the costs of not doing something to decrease wealth inequality are high. As Robert Putnam wrote about eloquently in his book, Our Kids , wealth inequality is creating larger and larger gaps in opportunity. In one eye-opening Department of Education study Frank recalls in his book, children from poor families who scored high in math aptitude in 8th grade were less likely to finish college than children from wealthy families who scored in the lowest percentiles in math. This is clearly a problem.

Frank’s book gives a compelling argument for why we should consider our collective needs more when we look to change society for the better. Not only does it make economic and political sense, it is based on the social reality of our lives and our needs for greater cooperation and trust. Frank is optimistic that convincing the wealthy to eschew runaway spending on themselves and to equalize the wealth in society through changes in tax policies will lead to a much happier, healthier state. And, it won’t cost the wealthy in any real substantial way, while providing real benefits to our fellow citizens.

“There simply is no conflict between morality and self-interest,” he writes.

About the Author

Jill Suttie

Jill Suttie, Psy.D. , is Greater Good ’s former book review editor and now serves as a staff writer and contributing editor for the magazine. She received her doctorate of psychology from the University of San Francisco in 1998 and was a psychologist in private practice before coming to Greater Good .

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The Consolation of Philosophy

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Boethius ’s title is deceptively literal: he dialogues with Philosophy in this book not because he seeks wisdom about the universe, but because he is sad and wants consolation . Having suffered a cascade of misfortune, Boethius is ultimately accused of plotting to overthrow Ostrogothic King Theodoric and awaits an unjust execution ordered by the very ruler Boethius spent decades serving. He craves some deeper understanding of his situation and wants to determine if he can still live his final days with a sense of genuine purpose and peace. And Philosophy successfully gives Boethius the consolation he seeks: she shows him that his downfall does not affect his true happiness, since “ God is the essence of happiness” and one’s fortune in life has nothing to do with it. Rather, wise people recognize the futility of searching for happiness in earthly pleasures rather than in “the sum of happiness” that is attainable through God.

At first, Boethius is miserable and confused because he wrongly ties his sense of self and happiness to his fortune in the world. He has fallen from a remarkable position as one of the king’s closest personal advisors to an unenviable place in jail, awaiting execution for a crime he did not commit. The poem Boethius recites at the very beginning of the Consolation demonstrates his misery, and he blames Fortune for destroying the perfect happiness he used to possess. Luckily, Lady Philosophy shows up to serve as Boethius’s “nurse” and emphasizes that Fortune is not the same as happiness. She personifies Fortune as a trickster goddess who cruelly “seduces” people and then gleefully crushes them, sending them up and down as though on a wheel . Because fortune is always unstable, anyone who bases their happiness on it—like Boethius—is bound to be disappointed. But Philosophy declares that, despite Boethius’s imprisonment and impending senseless death, he “still possess[es] outstanding blessings.” While good fortune, “wealth, honours and the like” are not true possessions, since they can be given or taken away, Boethius possesses the “precious” things that are really his own: loyal family and friends, sharp and infallible reason , and knowledge of God. According to Philosophy, wise people focus on these possessions, the stable elements that really compose happiness, rather than “hop[ing for] and fear[ing]” the Wheel of Fortune.

Philosophy explains that people usually seek five things in their quest for happiness through Fortune: “wealth, position, power, fame, [and] pleasure.” This is Boethius’s error, since pursuing each of these things actually leads people to misery, rather than happiness. Philosophy affirms that these five things are important, but only to an extent: someone who is truly happy will have a balance of all five. Wealth is only important because it leads to self-sufficiency, position because it gives people their due respect, power because it ensures people are not “weak and impotent” to fulfill their desires, fame because it is a sign “of great excellence,” and pleasure because people always want “delight” rather than “suffering.” However, pursuing these goals independently of one another is dangerous. For example, the pursuit of wealth is pointless because people are “superior” to the inanimate things they hope to possess, which have no value in themselves. In fact, the rich tend to become cruel, evil, selfless, unempathetic, and gluttonous, so pursuing wealth leads to misery, not happiness. Philosophy makes similar points about position, power, fame, and pleasure: the pursuit of each is self-undermining, and can even lead people to sacrifice the others (like when, in the pursuit of pleasure, someone spends all their money and loses others’ respect). Real happiness, Philosophy explains, is not about these five “puny and fragile” pursuits, which are subject to the whims of Fortune. While a happy person has all of them, happiness “has no parts,” so “seeking the sum of happiness” is the only legitimate strategy.

In order to find “the sum of happiness,” humans must turn away from the material world and focus on developing a relationship to God. First, Philosophy explains that “the sum of happiness” must be at once absolutely self-sufficient, absolutely powerful, absolutely “worthy of veneration,” “unsurpassed in fame and glory,” and finally, “supremely happy.” The five dimensions of happiness—“wealth, position, power, fame, [and] pleasure”—are “differ[ent] in name, but not in substance.” Since nothing is greater than God, Philosophy’s argument continues, nothing can be more powerful, “worthy of veneration,” or “supremely happy” than God himself. Therefore, “God is the essence of happiness,” and happiness’s five dimensions are actually just material “shadows of the true good.” But this raises a question that scholars of Boethius have debated for centuries: to achieve true happiness, what relationship should people have to God? First, Philosophy explains that people can become happy “through the possession of divinity,” which is about taking “refuge from distress” in prayer. Taking this idea further, the last two books of the Consolation focus on what can be known about the nature of God, which suggests that knowledge of God is an important part of achieving absolute good. Finally, Philosophy and Boethius agree that the human soul is immortal and returns to God after death, which implies that one should achieve happiness in the process. Therefore, Philosophy’s teachings lead Boethius away from his false happiness (based on Fortune) and toward true happiness (based in God) on a handful of levels: she reminds him to pray and think of God; she teaches him about God’s true nature, the knowledge of which is a form of divinity and happiness; and she reminds Boethius that, when he does die, he will return to God and get the opportunity to be truly happy, despite the profound injustice that has tainted his final days on Earth. Boethius’s misfortune, Philosophy suggests, is actually good for him: it is the world’s way of reminding him about God, the only truly absolute good that exists. But even if Boethius did not accept Philosophy’s arguments about God, her lessons about fortune still remind Boethius about the futility of his worldly pursuits, and therefore console him in his darkest hour.

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Wisdom, Fortune, and Happiness Quotes in The Consolation of Philosophy

While with success false Fortune favoured me One hour of sadness could not have thrown me down, But now her trustless countenance has clouded, Small welcome to the days that lengthen life. Foolish the friends who called me happy then: For falling shows a man stood insecure.

Now I know the other cause, or rather the major cause of your illness: you have forgotten your true nature. And so I have found out in full the reason for your sickness and the way to approach the task of restoring you to health.

Inconstancy is my very essence; it is the game I never cease to play as I turn my wheel in its ever changing circle, filled with joy as I bring the top to the bottom and the bottom to the top.

You should not wear yourself out by setting your heart on living according to a law of your own in a world that is shared by everyone.

I can’t put up with your dilly-dallying and the dramatization of your care-worn grief-stricken complaints that something is lacking from your happiness. No man is so completely happy that something somewhere does not clash with his condition. It is the nature of human affairs to be fraught with anxiety; they never prosper perfectly and they never remain constant.

From all this it is obvious that not one of those things which you count among your blessings is in fact any blessing of your own at all. And if, then, they don’t contain a spark of beauty worth seeking, why weep over their loss or rejoice at their preservation? If Nature gives them their beauty, how does it involve you? They would still have been pleasing by themselves, even if separated from your possessions. It isn’t because they are part of your wealth that they are precious, but because you thought them precious that you wanted to add them to the sum of your riches.

You creatures of earth, don’t you stop to consider the people over whom you think you exercise authority? You would laugh if you saw a community of mice and one mouse arrogating to himself power and jurisdiction over the others. Again, think of the human body: could you discover anything more feeble than man, when often even a tiny fly can kill him either by its bite or by creeping into some inward part of him? The only way one man can exercise power over another is over his body and what is inferior to it, his possessions. You cannot impose anything on a free mind, and you cannot move from its state of inner tranquillity a mind at peace with itself and firmly founded on reason.

In all the care with which they toil at countless enterprises, mortal men travel by different paths, though all are striving to reach one and the same goal, namely, happiness, beatitude, which is a good which once obtained leaves nothing more to be desired. It is the perfection of all good things and contains in itself all that is good; and if anything were missing from it, it couldn’t be perfect, because something would remain outside it, which could still be wished for. It is clear, therefore, that happiness is a state made perfect by the presence of everything that is good, a state, which, as we said, all mortal men are striving to reach though by different paths. For the desire for true good is planted by nature in the minds of men, only error leads them astray towards false good.

The sun into the western waves descends, Where underground a hidden way he wends; Then to his rising in the east he comes: All things seek the place that best becomes. Each thing rejoices when this is retrieved: For nothing keeps the order it received Except its rising to its fall it bend And make itself a circle without end.

What sort of power is it, then, that strikes fear into those who possess it, confers no safety on you if you want it, and which cannot be avoided when you want to renounce it?

Human perversity, then, makes divisions of that which by nature is one and simple, and in attempting to obtain part of something which has no parts, succeeds in getting neither the part—which is nothing—nor the whole, which they are not interested in.

O Thou who dost by everlasting reason rule, Creator of the planets and the sky, who time From timelessness dost bring, unchanging Mover, No cause drove Thee to mould unstable matter, but The form benign of highest good within Thee set. All things Thou bringest forth from Thy high archetype: Thou, height of beauty, in Thy mind the beauteous world Dost bear, and in that ideal likeness shaping it, Dost order perfect parts a perfect whole to frame. […] Grant, Father, that our minds Thy august seat may scan, Grant us the sight of true good’s source, and grant us light That we may fix on Thee our mind’s unblinded eye. Disperse the clouds of earthly matter’s cloying weight; Shine out in all Thy glory; for Thou art rest and peace To those who worship Thee; to see Thee is our end, Who art our source and maker, lord and path and goal.

It is the universal understanding of the human mind that God, the author of all things, is good. Since nothing can be conceived better than God, everyone agrees that that which has no superior is good. Reason shows that God is so good that we are convinced that His goodness is perfect. Otherwise He couldn’t be the author of creation. There would have to be something else possessing perfect goodness over and above God, which would seem to be superior to Him and of greater antiquity. For all perfect things are obviously superior to those that are imperfect. Therefore, to avoid an unending argument, it must be admitted that the supreme God is to the highest degree filled with supreme and perfect goodness. But we have agreed that perfect good is true happiness; so that it follows that true happiness is to be found in the supreme God.

Then I said, “I agree very strongly with Plato. This is the second time you have reminded me of these matters. The first time was because I had lost the memory through the influence of the body, and this second time because I lost it when I became overwhelmed by the weight of my grief.”

Men who give up the common goal of all things that exist, thereby cease to exist themselves. Some may perhaps think it strange that we say that wicked men, who form the majority of men, do not exist; but that is how it is. I am not trying to deny the wickedness of the wicked; what I do deny is that their existence is absolute and complete existence. Just as you might call a corpse a dead man, but couldn’t simply call it a man, so I would agree that the wicked are wicked, but could not agree that they have unqualified existence. A thing exists when it keeps its proper place and preserves its own nature. Anything which departs from this ceases to exist, because its existence depends on the preservation of its nature.

This is why among wise men there is no place at all left for hatred. For no one except the greatest of fools would hate good men. And there is no reason at all for hating the bad. For just as weakness is a disease of the body, so wickedness is a disease of the mind.

“All fortune is certainly good.” “How can that be?” “Listen. All fortune whether pleasant or adverse is meant either to reward or discipline the good or to punish or correct the bad. We agree, therefore, on the justice or usefulness of fortune, and so all fortune is good.”

God has foreknowledge and rests a spectator from on high of all things; and as the ever present eternity of His vision dispenses reward to the good and punishment to the bad, it adapts itself to the future quality of our actions. Hope is not placed in God in vain and prayers are not made in vain, for if they are the right kind they cannot but be efficacious. Avoid vice, therefore, and cultivate virtue; lift up your mind to the right kind of hope, and put forth humble prayers on high. A great necessity is laid upon you, if you will be honest with yourself, a great necessity to be good, since you live in the sight of a judge who sees all things.

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Flannery O’Connor – A Stroke of Good Fortune Essay

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Introduction

Works cited.

The following is an analysis of the story of O’Connor A stroke of good fortune. This essay will have a description or a short synopsis of the story. There are characters used by the writer and the reason she used them as well as the themes, which the writer of Stroke of good fortune tries to bring out in the book. This analysis will discuss the symbolism or imageries used by the writer and the reason why the writer used the symbols.

The Synopsis. This story is about Ruby Hill a young woman in her thirties who is on her way home from the Grocer where she was buying groceries. She feels that her body is unwell and therefore decides to climb the stairs slowly as she lets her mind linger over the issues of life. First, she thinks of her younger brother who is in his early twenties and fought in the world war two.

The brother lives with them in their apartment and it is evident from Ruby’s that she is unhappy with him. Her unhappiness is because of the fact that her brother is simply not an enterprising person and only seems to enjoy getting by in life. Rufus is not ambitious and this irks her sister who herself is full of ambition and the author tells us that she is looking forward to stay in an uptown one floor apartment.

She also reflects on her husband Bill, a salesperson. We learn from the story that he is very excited about life and that his opinion concerning children is very positive unlike that of Ruby who sees children as a burden. Her opinion bases itself on her mother who she says that she delivered child after child and that in her thirties she looked like an old apple.

She feels that the modern woman needs redemption from childrearing. To her the children that her mother bore were the major cause of her misery. The author however does not allow us to know the reasons why Ruby’s mother was having many children and what she felt about it.

As she climbs the stairs, she feels too exhausted and sits down on the stairs to take a breath. As she sits down, she sits on a toy gun of a neighbor’s child who stays on the first floor. The toy belongs to Hartley a child who in Ruby’s opinion is unruly. She amuses herself at the thought that the kid’s mother who is a widow sees the boy as her savior and the only evidence of her short-lived marriage. She subconsciously picks the toy and climbs with it to the second floor where she meets the seventy eight year old called Mr. Jerger.

This man is a retiree who prides him in having lots of knowledge on issues and matters of life. Ruby does not esteem him highly and rather sees him as a loser in life because he has no major achievement. However, the man is always happy unlike Ruby who is too concerned about life that she feels sick.

From there on, she proceeds to the third floor where she meets Laverne Watts a friend who lives in third floor. Laverne is excited at Ruby’s condition. She is the one who truthfully tells Ruby that she is pregnant and Ruby does not want to hear any of that. It also dawns on her that the Stroke of fortune that the poalmist talked of could be the child. The author tells us of Laverne’s interest in Rufus but Ruby cannot allow it to happen as she thinks that Laverne is too old for her brother.

She continues to climb the stairs and as she gets to the fourth floor, it is there when the awareness of her pregnancy hits her. Her husband’s happiness in the recent days conjures certainly relates to her pregnancy. She also feels something rolling up in her stomach. The author leaves us to guess what it could be and how Ruby will deal with her expectancy is for anyone’s guess.

Character Analysis. Ruby is the major character of the story. The author paints her as a woman who is full of ambition and who is not ready to sacrifice her ambition at the altar of childrearing. She has low opinion of non-achievers and people who are not as ambitious as she is.

Her thoughts on Rufus her brother, her elder sister who has children and Mr. Jerger illustrate that she holds them with low esteem for non-achievement. Her desire to live in a newer subdivision illustrates her ambitions. She is also judgmental or she is proud person who has low opinion on people while highly esteeming herself although there is no genuine reason for it (Mayer 29).

Mr. Jerger the other major character is an intellectual. He is widely read and we can see him asking Ruby whose birthday it was and Ruby had no idea. It is interesting to find that although he is seventy-eight years old he still reads books and he talks about finding the fountain of youth in his life. He is also a happy man who has no worries in life (Mayer 31).

The third character who is interesting is Laverne. She is an unmarried woman who is in her thirties. She is carefree and although she is not married, she is considering dating Rufus, Ruby’s younger brother although Ruby would have none of it. She is straight talking and she is the one who discloses the fact that Ruby is pregnant (Mayer 33).

Themes. The first theme communicated in that book, is of child rearing. The question of the benefits of child bearing on mothers is critically aroused in this book. Is child rearing a blessing or is it a burden on mothers. Descriptions of how Ruby’s mother bore child after child and how Ruby felt that her mother was burdened and turned into a failure arouse this theme in a magnificent way. The Hartley who is unruly and pampered by her mother as the one who will save him also builds on the theme of child rearing. (McDermott 13)

Discontent is another theme where Ruby is discontented with walking up the stairs and she is looking forward towards living in newer subdivision where she will not go upstairs. Laverne an unmarried woman maybe discontented with her unmarried lifestyle and she is considering Rufus who compared to her is younger to be a potential husband (McDermott 13).

Use of Symbolism. The author attempts to describe the modern manner of life in a way that will not elicit criticism in consideration that she was writing this work at a time when sexual revolution was popular. It was certainly against the grain for a woman to criticize the modern day ambitious woman and her pursuit of vainglory.

The author has thereby used symbolism to convey her message to the readers. The title itself is symbolic. A stroke of good fortune, which the palmist said would befall Ruby Hill, indicates the child, which Ruby would bear. She construes’ the child as a good fortune in a time when child rearing was unpopular and barrier towards the success of the progressive woman. Ruby is therefore an illustration of the modern woman and her aspirations (Mayer 49).

The staircase that Ruby climbs on her way home is certainly symbolic and it depicts that the author is certainly religious as the staircase derives from the Jacob’s ladder in the bible. The staircase also represents the levels that one as a human being has to go through before getting home finally. The characters along the staircase are the people and issues, which one meets in life before finally getting home (Mayer 66).

Ruby sits on a toy pistol, which indicates many dangers that exist in life. It is worth noting that Ruby unconsciously picks up the toy pistol on her hand and goes with it. This shows that there are certain attributes, habits or traits that we subconsciously hold onto and they maybe destructive. Ruby has an attitude against child bearing, which she thinks is not progressive for women at all. Her thoughts that she would rather have cancer than have a child are evidence of this attitude (Mayer 45).

The other symbolism used by the author concerns the fountain of youth. Mr. Jerger the old man says that he has finally found his fountain of youth, which is the reason why he was very joyful. When asked by Ruby where it was he points at his heart. The fountain of youth means is the joy and satisfaction that one looks for in his youth.

The author wants to tell us that joy and a sense of fulfillment may not be in the pursuit of materials but in self-sacrifice to benefit the life of others. The author in attempt to disparage the materialism in the American society uses the old man to convey this message in a symbolic way (Mayer 58).

O’Connor has endeavored to explain as well as question the meaning of life. What is it that gives one a sense of fulfillment is it having ambitions and achieving them? Alternatively, is it sacrificing oneself for the sake of others? The author has indeed worked hard to portray her convictions, which at the time were against the popular belief. She has written her work in a manner, which leaves it out for the reader to decide for oneself the best pursuit of success.

However, the kinds of symbols that she uses do not hide her religious and moral affiliations. Her wrings do not really have a moral, you cannot comprehensively say the moral of the story but the story serves the writer the purpose of conveying her views and feelings towards the subjects of materialism and sexual revolution using fictitious characters.

However, she fails to tell the audience convincingly which is the best version of success, is it materialism and pride or is it getting the fountain of youth. The author has managed to portray the issues, which affected her society and various conflicting opinions that existed, and how depending on ones definition of success the kind of success that they pursued.

Mayer, Charles. “The Comic Spirit in a Stroke of Good Fortune”. Studies in Short Fiction. 16 (1979): 23-70.

McDermott, John. “O’Connor’s a Stroke of Good Fortune”. Explicator. 38 (1980): 13.

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Absolute Success is Luck. Relative Success is Hard Work.

In 1997, Warren Buffett, the famous investor and multi-billionaire, proposed a thought experiment.

“Imagine that it is 24 hours before you are going to be born,” he said, “and a genie comes to you.” 1

“The genie says you can determine the rules of the society you are about to enter and you can design anything you want. You get to design the social rules, the economic rules, the governmental rules. And those rules are going to prevail for your lifetime and your children’s lifetime and your grandchildren’s lifetime.”

“But there is a catch,” he said.

“You don’t know whether you’re going to be born rich or poor, male or female, infirm or able-bodied, in the United States or Afghanistan. All you know is that you get to take one ball out of a barrel with 5.8 billion balls in it. And that’s you.” 2

“In other words,” Buffett continues, “you’re going to participate in what I call the Ovarian Lottery. And that is the most important thing that’s ever going to happen to you in your life. It’s going to determine way more than what school you go to, how hard you work, all kinds of things.” 3

Buffett has long been a proponent for the role of luck in success. In his 2014 Annual Letter, he wrote, “Through dumb luck, [my business partner] Charlie and I were born in the United States, and we are forever grateful for the staggering advantages this accident of birth has given us.” 4

When explained in this way, it seems hard to deny the importance of luck, randomness, and good fortune in life. And indeed, these factors play a critical role. But let’s consider a second story.

The Story of Project 523

In 1969, during the fourteenth year of the Vietnam War, a Chinese scientist named Tu Youyou was appointed the head of a secret research group in Beijing. The unit was known only by its code name: Project 523.

China was an ally with Vietnam, and Project 523 had been created to develop antimalarial medications that could be administered to the soldiers. The disease had become a huge problem. Just as many Vietnamese soldiers were dying from malaria in the jungle as were dying in battle.

Tu began her work by looking for clues anywhere she could find them. She read manuals about old folk remedies. She searched through ancient texts that were hundreds or thousands of years old. She traveled to remote regions in search of plants that might contain a cure.

After months of work, her team had collected over 600 plants and created a list of almost 2,000 possible remedies. Slowly and methodically, Tu narrowed the list of potential medications down to 380 and tested them one-by-one on lab mice.

“This was the most challenging stage of the project,” she said. “It was a very laborious and tedious job, in particular when you faced one failure after another.” 5

Hundreds of tests were run. Most of them yielded nothing. But one test—an extract from the sweet wormwood plant known as qinghao—seemed promising. Tu was excited by the possibility, but despite her best efforts, the plant would only occasionally produce a powerful antimalarial medication. It wouldn’t always work.

Her team had already been at work for two years, but she decided they needed to start again from the beginning. Tu reviewed every test and re-read each book, searching for a clue about something she missed. Then, magically, she stumbled on a single sentence in The Handbook of Prescriptions for Emergencies , an ancient Chinese text written over 1,500 years ago.

The issue was heat. If the temperature was too high during the extraction process, the active ingredient in the sweet wormwood plant would be destroyed. Tu redesigned the experiment using solvents with a lower boiling point and, finally, she had an antimalarial medication that worked 100 percent of the time.

It was a huge breakthrough, but the real work was just beginning.

The Power of Hard Work

With a proven medication in hand, it was now time for human trials. Unfortunately, there were no centers in China performing trials for new drugs at the time. And due to the secrecy of the project, going to a facility outside of the country was out of the question.

They had reached a dead end.

That’s when Tu volunteered to be the first human subject to try the medication. In one of the boldest moves in the history of medical science, she and two other members of Project 523 infected themselves with malaria and received the first doses of their new drug.

However, despite her discovery of a breakthrough medication and her willingness to put her own life on the line, Tu was prevented from sharing her findings with the outside world. The Chinese government had strict rules that blocked the publishing of any scientific information.

She was undeterred. Tu continued her research, eventually learning the chemical structure of the drug—a compound officially known as artemisinin—and going on to develop a second antimalarial medication as well.

It was not until 1978, almost a decade after she began and three years after the Vietnam War had ended, that Tu’s work was finally released to the outside world. She would have to wait until the year 2000 before the World Health Organization would recommend the treatment as a defense against malaria.

Today, the artemisinin treatment has been administered over 1 billion times to malaria patients. It is believed to have saved millions of lives. Tu Youyou is the first female Chinese citizen to receive a Nobel Prize, and the first Chinese person to receive the Lasker Award for major contributions to medical science.

Luck or Hard Work?

Tu Youyou was not fabulously lucky. My favorite fact about her is that she has no postgraduate degree, no research experience abroad, and no membership in any of the Chinese national academies—a feat that has earned her the nickname “The Professor of the Three No’s”. 6

But damn was she a hard worker. Persistent. Diligent. Driven. For decades she didn’t give up and she helped save millions of lives as a result. Her story is a brilliant example of how important hard work can be in achieving success.

Just a minute ago, it seemed reasonable that the Ovarian Lottery determined most of your success in life, but the idea that hard work matters feels just as reasonable. When you work hard you typically get better results than you would with less effort. While we can’t deny the importance of luck, everyone seems to have this sense that hard work really does make a difference.

So what it is? What determines success? Hard work or good fortune? Effort or randomness? I think we all understand both factors play a role, but I’d like to give you a better answer than “It depends.”

Here are two ways I look at the issue.

Absolute Success vs. Relative Success

One way to answer this question is to say: Luck matters more in an absolute sense and hard work matters more in a relative sense.

The absolute view considers your level of success compared to everyone else. What makes someone the best in the world in a particular domain? When viewed at this level, success is nearly always attributable to luck. Even if you make a good initial choice—like Bill Gates choosing to start a computer company—you can’t understand all of the factors that cause world-class outcomes.

As a general rule, the wilder the success, the more extreme and unlikely the circumstances that caused it. It’s often a combination of the right genes, the right connections, the right timing, and a thousand other influences that nobody is wise enough to predict.

As a general rule, the wilder the success, the more extreme and unlikely the circumstances that caused it.

Then there is the relative view, which considers your level of success compared to those similar to you. What about the millions of people who received similar levels of education, grew up in similar neighborhoods, or were born with similar levels of genetic talent? These people aren’t achieving the same results. The more local the comparison becomes, the more success is determined by hard work. When you compare yourself to those who have experienced similar levels of luck, the difference is in your habits and choices.

Absolute success is luck. Relative success is choices and habits.

There is an important insight that follows naturally from this definition: As outcomes become more extreme, the role of luck increases. That is, as you become more successful in an absolute sense, we can attribute a greater proportion of your success to luck.

As Nassim Taleb wrote in Fooled by Randomness , “Mild success can be explainable by skills and labor. Wild success is attributable to variance.”

Both Stories are True

Sometimes people have trouble simultaneously holding both of these insights. There is a tendency to discuss outcomes in either a global sense or a local sense.

The absolute view is more global. What explains the difference between a wealthy person born in America and someone born into extreme poverty and living on less than $1 per day? When discussing success from this angle, people say things like, “How can you not see your privilege? Don’t you realize how much has been handed to you?”

The relative view is more local. What explains the difference in results between you and everyone who went to the same school or grew up in the same neighborhood or worked for the same company? When considering success from a local viewpoint, people say things like, “Are you kidding me? Do you know hard I worked? Do you understand the choices and sacrifices I made that others didn’t? Dismissing my success as luck devalues the hard work I put in. If my success is due to luck or my environment, then how come my neighbors or classmates or coworkers didn’t achieve the same thing?”

Both stories are true. It just depends on what lens you are viewing life through.

The Slope of Success

There is another way to examine the balance between luck and hard work, which is to consider how success is influenced across time.

Imagine you can map success on a graph. Success is measured on the Y-axis. Time is measured on the X-axis. And when you are born, the ball you pluck out of Buffett’s Ovarian Lottery determines the y-intercept. Those who are born lucky start higher on the graph. Those who are born into tougher circumstances start lower.

Here’s the key: You can only control the slope of your success, not your initial position.

In Atomic Habits , I wrote, “It doesn’t matter how successful or unsuccessful you are right now. What matters is whether your habits are putting you on the path toward success. You should be far more concerned with your current trajectory than with your current results.”

You can only control the slope of your success, not your initial position.

With a positive slope and enough time and effort, you may even be able to regain the ground that was lost due to bad luck. I thought this quote summarized it well: “The more time passes from the start of a race, the less the head-start others got matters.” 7

This is not always true, of course. A severe illness can wipe out your health. A collapsing pension fund can ruin your retirement savings. Similarly, sometimes luck delivers a sustained advantage (or disadvantage). In fact, one study found that, if success is measured by wealth, then the most successful people are almost certainly those with moderate talent and remarkable luck. 8

In any case, it is impossible to divorce the two. They both matter and hard work often plays a more important role as time goes on.

This is true not only for overcoming bad luck, but also for capitalizing on good luck. Bill Gates might have been incredibly fortunate to start Microsoft at the right time in history, but without decades of hard work, the opportunity would have been wasted. Time erodes every advantage. 9 At some point, good luck requires hard work if success is to be sustained.

How to Get Luck on Your Side

By definition, luck is out of your control. Even so, it is useful to understand the role it plays and how it works so you can prepare for when fortune (or misfortune) comes your way.

In his fantastic talk, You and Your Research , the mathematician and computer engineer Richard Hamming summarized what it takes to do great work by saying, “There is indeed an element of luck, and no, there isn’t. The prepared mind sooner or later finds something important and does it. So yes, it is luck. The particular thing you do is luck, but that you do something is not.” 10

You can increase your surface area for good luck by taking action. 11 The forager who explores widely will find lots of useless terrain, but is also more likely to stumble across a bountiful berry patch than the person who stays home. Similarly, the person who works hard, pursues opportunity, and tries more things is more likely to stumble across a lucky break than the person who waits. Gary Player, the famous golfer and winner of nine major championships, has said, “The harder I practice, the luckier I get.”

In the end, we cannot control our luck—good or bad—but we can control our effort and preparation. Luck smiles on us all from time to time. And when it does, the way to honor your good fortune is to work hard and make the most of it.

Buffett has told this story on multiple occasions. The quotes in this section are a combination of his versions from the 1997 Berkshire Hathaway annual shareholders meeting and a speech he gave to students at the University of Florida in 1998. The quotes have been lightly edited for clarity. Also, I’d like to thank J.D. Roth as I originally discovered this story through his site, Get Rich Slowly .

5.8 billion was the number of people in the world in 1997. Today, that bucket would contain over 7.6 billion balls.

I believe Buffett is paraphrasing a moral theory known as the “Veil of Ignorance” and originally proposed by the philosopher John Rawls. Buffett (and Rawls) use this thought experiment as a way to discuss what the types of social systems we should build in society. Buffett finishes by saying, “Now, what kind of world do you want to design? You’re going to want a system that does not leave behind the person who accidentally got the wrong ball and is not well-wired for this particular system.”

2014 Letter to Berkshire Shareholders by Warren Buffett.

“From branch to bedside: Youyou Tu is awarded the 2011 Lasker~DeBakey Clinical Medical Research Award for discovering artemisinin as a treatment for malaria” by Ushma S. Neill. September 12, 2011.

“Chinese Scientist Wins Nobel Prize in Medicine; China Hails the Laureate with Reflection” by Luxiao Zou. October 6, 2015.

Tweet from @mmay3r . May 26, 2017.

“Talent vs Luck: the role of randomness in success and failure” by Pluchino. A. E. Biondo, A. Rapisarda.

This is an adaptation of a quote from Matt Ridley, “One of the peculiar features of history is that time always erodes advantage.”

The same can be said for bad luck. The particular hardship you go through is bad luck and random, but that you experience some hardship is not. Life comes from everyone at some point. This is one reason why it is important to practice inversion and prepare for hardship even though you do not know which form it will take.

I believe this idea of “increasing your surface area for luck” originally came from The Startup of You by Ben Casnocha and Reid Hoffman, but I heard about it through Greg Nance.

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James Clear writes about habits, decision making, and continuous improvement. He is the author of the #1 New York Times bestseller, Atomic Habits . The book has sold over 20 million copies worldwide and has been translated into more than 60 languages.

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The Son of Good Fortune by Lysley Tenorio

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MAXIMA IS A washed-up Filipino action hero, trained in the deadliest of martial arts, but her days of fighting bad guys on the big screen are over. They ended twenty years earlier when she got pregnant and bought a one-way ticket to California. Now she charms nice guys on the small screen of her computer. The Son of Good Fortune , by Lysley Tenorio, tells the story of her son, Excel, as he evolves from teenager to adult, despite still looking like a child. Maxima and Excel live TNT— tago ng tago , “hiding and hiding”—as undocumented immigrants. Maxima’s martial-arts instructor, Joker, takes them into his modest apartment in Colma, just ten miles south of San Francisco. 

Aside from two short trips to visit San Francisco as a kid, Excel’s world is limited to a few-mile radius around the La Villa Aurelia apartment complex where they live. When Excel meets a wandering young woman, Sab, he leaves the only home he knows and moves to Hello City, an experimental community in the California desert with her. In Hello City, Excel encounters a truth-telling owl, entrepreneurial hippies, retirees, and artists. Excel’s journey beyond the tight radius of life around his apartment is confusing and strange. As he recounts, “Arrival—was utterly foreign to him—he’d never really come from somewhere else before.” 

Tenorio could not have predicted how relevant the chaos caused by the coronavirus pandemic of 2020 would make Excel’s trials of belonging, family, and home. For example, the novel explores questions about place and identity by examining the intimacy born of talking via screens, something 2020 has made us more familiar with than ever. It draws our attention to the way you can get closer to someone else’s face via video chat than you ever would in person, how you can stare, maybe not directly into their eyes, but examine their face, see into their home. At the same time, it reminds us of how we can feel so distant from each other even when sequestered away in the same small apartment. It explores the difficulty of being together as well as the hurt caused by leaving. Today, amidst the awareness of social connection and distance caused by a pandemic, the questions The Son of Good Fortune raises about community, identity, and place seem prescient. How does home locate or separate us now in a world where we are all capable of being connected or disconnected through screens, cables, and wire? 

The Son of Good Fortune , Excel’s coming-of-age story, is poignant, hilarious at times, and heroic, even if the characters do not fit any hero stereotypes. Tenorio has a rare ability to capture bizarre but believable details like the daily routines of The Pie Who Loved Me, the detective-themed children’s pizzeria where Excel works monitoring the ball pit, cleaning toilets, and dressing up as Sloth the Sleuth. But it is Tenorio’s characters—ordinary and struggling but also unforgettable and haunting—that make the book a treasure. I dreamt of Excel and Maxima while reading the book, and for days after, my subconscious mind worried about their fate. Tenorio renders the everyday difficulties and choices of his characters in a way that recalls Vittorio De Sica’s neorealist masterpiece, The Bicycle Thief ; in both cases the day-to-day challenges of ordinary workers struggling to survive and the way their fate is intertwined with luck and circumstances is unforgettable. Just as I remember Bruno, the boy pumping gas in De Sica’s film, I won’t be able to forget Excel hunting for a child’s lost tooth in the colorful ball pit of The Pie. 

Without romance or melodrama, Tenorio renders Excel’s growth and maturity, his search for agency, his desire only to have the power to help someone else, a triumph both for Excel and the power of kindness and caring.

Stephanie Pilat University of Oklahoma

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More by lysley tenorio, e-newsletter, join the mailing list.

Winter 2021

Ismail Kadare , winner of the 2020 Neustadt International Prize for Literature, headlines the Winter 2021 issue + a special section on contemporary Hebrew literature gathers eleven writers from Israel and beyond. Fiction, poetry, essays, interviews, dozens of timely book reviews, and booklists make the latest issue of  WLT , like every issue, your passport to great reading.

Purchase this Issue »

Table of Contents

In every issue, creative nonfiction, ismail kadare: laureate of the 2020 neustadt prize, contemporary hebrew literature, book reviews.

The Sitting Bee

Short Story Reviews

A Stroke of Good Fortune by Flannery O’Connor

In A Stroke of Good Fortune by Flannery O’Connor we have the theme of struggle, discontent, denial, acceptance and change. Taken from her A Good Man is Hard to Find collection the story is narrated in the third person by an unnamed narrator and from the beginning of the story the reader realises that O’Connor is delving into one of the main themes of the story, the theme of struggle. This is noticeable by the fact that the main protagonist, Ruby Hill, is standing at the bottom of the stairs of her apartment block and is unable to carry the groceries she has bought up to her apartment. There is also a sense of discontent at the beginning of the story, Ruby appears to be displeased that she is still living in the apartment block rather than in a new subdivision. She is also displeased with her brother Rufus. Despite having fought for his country in WWII, Ruby considers him to be lazy. Ruby’s longing to move to a subdivision may also be important s as O’Connor may be suggesting that, like a lot of Americans, after WWII, Ruby too wants to improve her life and prosper.

O’Connor also appears to be using symbolism in the story. It is notable that each flight of stairs has twenty eight steps and O’Connor by mentioning this may also be referencing the menstrual cycle. Ruby after all is pregnant. In some ways the stairs also act as symbolism for Ruby’s journey to acceptance. O’Connor also uses phallic symbolism in the story. Firstly when Ruby is resting on the stairs and sits on young Hartley Gilfeet’s toy pistol and secondly when the reader learns that Hartley’s father’s name is Rodman. Again this may be significant as it would further suggest that O’Connor is highlighting to the reader that Ruby is indeed pregnant, even is she is denying it. Other symbolism in the story might include the four cans of beans that Ruby has bought from the grocery store. It is possible that O’Connor is suggesting that the four cans could represent four people, Ruby, Bill, Rufus and a baby. It is also possible that O’Connor by giving Ruby the surname Hill, is also suggesting that she has a journey or struggle to overcome.

Mr Jerger is an important character in the story because he is different to Ruby. He likes to go walking in the neighbourhood (while Ruby doesn’t) and he likes to stop and talk to the children and ask them questions. Ruby on the other hand views children as though they lead to a certain death for a woman. She recalls how her mother had eight children and each one lead to her being closer to death (deader). In many ways Mr Jerger is open to life, accepting life on life’s terms, while Ruby appears to struggle, fighting against life. Another important character in the story is Ruby’s friend Laverne Watts. Laverne lives in the same apartment block as Ruby and while Ruby is struggling to make it up the stairs she stops and knocks on Laverne’s door. It is Laverne who tells Ruby that she is pregnant, something that angers Ruby. Ruby is also angered by Laverne because Laverne wants to see Rufus and ask him what he thinks of her new shoes (flirting). Despite not thinking much of her brother, Ruby still doesn’t want him involved with a woman like Laverne (ten years older than Rufus). Like Mr Jerger, Laverne also appears to accept life on life’s terms and like Mr Jerger she is content or at least appears to be, which again is in contrast to Ruby.

The turning point, or moment of realisation for Ruby occurs after she leaves Laverne’s apartment. As she is on the final flight of stairs (to her apartment) Ruby again sits down and it is while she is looking down at Mr Jerger on his landing, scolding Harry, that she recalls Harry’s nickname (Little Mister Good Fortune). It is at this point that Ruby is able to piece together Madame Zelda’s premonition. She becomes aware that the stroke of good fortune that Madame Zelda was referring to is not her moving to a subdivision but rather that she is pregnant.

It is also interesting that Ruby, on accepting that she is pregnant, is still a few steps away from her own landing. The fact that Ruby has not yet reached her landing may be significant as O’Connor might be suggesting that there is still more for Ruby to do. Even though she knows she is pregnant and appears to accept it, there may still be a need for some other change in Ruby’s life. What that may be is not explained by O’Connor and is left to the imagination of the reader. Though it is possible that Ruby may have to reconsider her idea that having a child will be the death of her. Just as America was striving for prosperity after WWII, Ruby now may need to realise that the prosperity she is to achieve is spiritual rather than physical.

• The River by Flannery O’Connor
• The Displaced Person by Flannery O’Connor
• A Circle in the Fire by Flannery O’Connor
• A Good Man is Hard to Find by Flannery O’Connor
• A Good Man is Hard to Find

Thanks for explaining the end to me. I somehow got lost. I thought as someone rushed past her, she fell down the stairs and miscarried.

Boy oh boy, was I off base !!!

Thanks for visiting the blog Tish. I’m glad that you found the post helpful.

I enjoy these stories but sometimes the endings leave me baffled. She has a delightful way of telling a story and they are almost addictive.

Thanks for the comment Lauri. O’Connor is a fantastic writer and the end of this story in particular can be confusing. I sometimes have to reread some of her stories several times such is the confusion I feel over what O’Connor’s intentions might have been.

I am late to this party/discussion. Just finished this story and have found them all so depressing. I do like her physical descriptions of people and places.

Thanks for the comment Anne. I tend to agree with you. Some of the characters that O’Connor writes about can be depressing and show little hopes of changing. Though they inevitably do such is O’Connor’s ability to turn a character around.

What is the “charging chipmunk face that rocketed through her head” at the end of the story?? To me it seems as though Hartley came home drunk or mad with two pistols and ended up (accidentally??) shooting Ruby and it was only as she lie dying on the staircase that she recognized and accepted the sensations of pregnancy within her.

I suspect it may be the fact that Ruby’s body began to become tense.

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IELTS Essay: Luck

by Dave | Real Past Tests | 10 Comments

This is an IELTS writing task 2 sample answer essay on the topic of luck and a person’s aims from the real IELTS exam.

If you want to support my efforts to write these essays and also receive my exclusive Ebooks, check out my Patreon (where I’m currently running a discount)!

Whether or not a person achieves their aims in life is mostly related to luck.

To what extent do you agree or disagree?

Some are of the belief that luck is the determining factor when accomplishing a given goal. In my opinion, luck is pivotal in individual situations but its importance decreases over larger sample sizes.

The main argument for the primacy of luck is highly visible, singular examples. This translates to extremely successful individuals. For instance, Bill Gates and Steve Jobs were exceptionally intelligent and hard-working but they would never have become leading figures in history if they had not grown up in California in the 1970s during the computer boom. It is likely they would still be successful regardless of their era and place of birth but the extent of influence would be more limited. This same principle applies for the average individual as there are moments in one’s life that are best credited to good luck or an advantageous situation.

However, the significance of luck decreases over time. Take, for example, an average person. They may be born into a wealthy family and have a good start in life; they are lucky from the onset. Nonetheless, if they are not hard-working, there is a strong chance they will not be able to accomplish their goals in life. The reverse is true of someone born into a bad situation. There are exceptions, where the situation is dire or the period in history precludes success, but most people who apply themselves over a long period of time will ‘make their own luck’. This is because as sample sizes become larger, the influence of variance naturally decreases. It still requires some extraordinary luck to attain huge aims but more modest ones result from repeated action rather than fortune.

In conclusion, luck is decisive in particular instances but not more generally. It is therefore more important to place greater value on working hard in the long-term than on the off-chance of being lucky.

1. Some are of the belief that luck is the determining factor when accomplishing a given goal. 2. In my opinion, luck is pivotal in individual situations but its importance decreases over larger sample sizes.

• Paraphrase the overall essay topic.
• Write a clear opinion. Read more about introductions for IELTS here .

1. The main argument for the primacy of luck is highly visible, singular examples. 2. This translates to extremely successful individuals. 3. For instance, Bill Gates and Steve Jobs were exceptionally intelligent and hard-working but they would never have become leading figures in history if they had not grown up in California in the 1970s during the computer boom. 4. It is likely they would still be successful regardless of their era and place of birth but the extent of influence would be more limited. 5. This same principle applies for the average individual as there are moments in one’s life that are best credited to good luck or an advantageous situation.

• Write a clear topic sentence with your main idea at the end.
• Explain your main idea.
• Start a specific example.
• Develop it.
• Generalise from your example.

1. However, the significance of luck decreases over time. 2. Take, for example, an average person. 3. They may be born into a wealthy family and have a good start in life; they are lucky from the onset. 4. Nonetheless, if they are not hard-working, there is a strong chance they will not be able to accomplish their goals in life. 5. The reverse is true of someone born into a bad situation. 6. There are exceptions, where the situation is dire or the period in history precludes success, but most people who apply themselves over a long period of time will ‘make their own luck’. 7. This is because as sample sizes become larger, the influence of variance naturally decreases. 8. It still requires some extraordinary luck to attain huge aims but more modest ones result from repeated action rather than fortune.

• Write a new topic sentence with a new main idea at the end.
• Add specific support such as a hypothetical example.
• Develop the example.
• Very your short and long sentences.
• Add in any exceptions.
• Explain your logic.
• Conclude with a strong, clear statement.

1. In conclusion, luck is decisive in particular instances but not more generally. 2. It is therefore more important to place greater value on working hard in the long-term than on the off-chance of being lucky.

• Repeat your main ideas and your opinion.
• Add a final thought. Read more about conclusions here .

What do the words in bold below mean?

Some are of the belief that luck is the determining factor when accomplishing a given goal . In my opinion, luck is pivotal in individual situations but its importance decreases over larger sample sizes .

The main argument for the primacy of luck is highly visible , singular examples. This translates to extremely successful individuals . For instance, Bill Gates and Steve Jobs were exceptionally intelligent and hard-working but they would never have become leading figures in history if they had not grown up in California in the 1970s during the computer boom . It is likely they would still be successful regardless of their era and place of birth but the extent of influence would be more limited . This same principle applies for the average individual as there are moments in one’s life that are best credited to good luck or an advantageous situation .

However, the significance of luck decreases over time. Take, for example, an average person . They may be born into a wealthy family and have a good start in life; they are lucky from the onset . Nonetheless , if they are not hard-working, there is a strong chance they will not be able to accomplish their goals in life. The reverse is true of someone born into a bad situation. There are exceptions , where the situation is dire or the period in history precludes success , but most people who apply themselves over a long period of time will ‘make their own luck’. This is because as sample sizes become larger, the influence of variance naturally decreases . It still requires some extraordinary luck to attain huge aims but more modest ones result from repeated action rather than fortune .

In conclusion, luck is decisive in particular instances but not more generally . It is therefore more important to place greater value on working hard in the long-term than on the off-chance of being lucky.

of the belief believe

luck good fortune

determining factor decisive

accomplishing achieving

given goal any random aim

pivotal key

individual situations certain contexts

importance decreases over larger sample sizes value is less important over time and many examples

main argument primary reason

primacy central importance

highly visible well-known

singular unique

translates means

extremely successful individuals people who have done well

exceptionally intelligent really smart

leading figures in history major leaders, people

grown up as they get older

computer boom computers beginning to develop

regardless nonetheless

era time period

extent degree

influence shaping

limited small, not much

same principle applies this translates to

average individual normal person

moments times

best credited is due to

advantageous situation good spot

significance importance

average person normal person

wealthy rich

good start good beginning

onset beginning

nonetheless regardless of

strong chance good odds

accomplish achieve

reverse switch

exceptions situations that don’t fit

dire dangerous

precludes success cancels out the possibility of success

apply also works for

over a long period of time for a while

sample sizes number of examples

influence of variance how important luck is

naturally decreases declines of course

requires needs

extraordinary amazing

modest humble

result from comes from

repeated action doing something over and over

rather than fortune instead of luck

decisive key

particular instances some examples

generally overall

place greater value put more importance on

off-chance sometimes

Pronunciation

ɒv ðə bɪˈliːf   lʌk   dɪˈtɜːmɪnɪŋ ˈfæktə   əˈkɒmplɪʃɪŋ   ˈgɪvn gəʊl ˈpɪvətl   ˌɪndɪˈvɪdjʊəl ˌsɪtjʊˈeɪʃənz   ɪmˈpɔːtəns ˈdiːkriːsɪz ˈəʊvə ˈlɑːʤə ˈsɑːmpl ˈsaɪzɪz meɪn ˈɑːgjʊmənt   ˈpraɪməsi   ˈhaɪli ˈvɪzəbl ˈsɪŋgjʊlə   trænsˈleɪts   ɪksˈtriːmli səkˈsɛsfʊl ˌɪndɪˈvɪdjʊəlz ɪkˈsɛpʃənli ɪnˈtɛlɪʤənt   ˈliːdɪŋ ˈfɪgəz ɪn ˈhɪstəri   grəʊn ʌp   kəmˈpjuːtə buːm rɪˈgɑːdlɪs   ˈɪərə   ɪksˈtɛnt   ˈɪnflʊəns   ˈlɪmɪtɪd seɪm ˈprɪnsəpl əˈplaɪz ˈævərɪʤ ˌɪndɪˈvɪdjʊəl   ˈməʊmənts   bɛst ˈkrɛdɪtɪd   ˌædvənˈteɪʤəs ˌsɪtjʊˈeɪʃən sɪgˈnɪfɪkəns   ˈævərɪʤ ˈpɜːsn ˈwɛlθi   gʊd stɑːt   ˈɒnsɛt ˌnʌnðəˈlɛs strɒŋ ʧɑːns   əˈkɒmplɪʃ   rɪˈvɜːs   ɪkˈsɛpʃənz ˈdaɪə   prɪˈkluːdz səkˈsɛs əˈplaɪ   ˈəʊvər ə lɒŋ ˈpɪərɪəd ɒv taɪm   ˈsɑːmpl ˈsaɪzɪz   ˈɪnflʊəns ɒv ˈveərɪəns   ˈnæʧrəli ˈdiːkriːsɪz rɪˈkwaɪəz   ɪksˈtrɔːdnri   ˈmɒdɪst   rɪˈzʌlt frɒm   rɪˈpiːtɪd ˈækʃ(ə)n   ˈrɑːðə ðæn ˈfɔːʧən dɪˈsaɪsɪv   pəˈtɪkjʊlər ˈɪnstənsɪz   ˈʤɛnərəli pleɪs ˈgreɪtə ˈvæljuː   ɒf-ʧɑːns  

Vocabulary Practice

Remember and fill in the blanks:

Some are o_______________f that l_____k is the d____________________r when a______________________g a g_____________l . In my opinion, luck is p______l in i___________________________s but its i___________________________________________s .

The m____________________t for the p_____________y of luck is h_______________e , s__________r examples. This t_____________s to e______________________________________s . For instance, Bill Gates and Steve Jobs were e_________________________t and hard-working but they would never have become l_______________________________y if they had not g____________p in California in the 1970s during the c_______________m . It is likely they would still be successful r________________s of their e___a and place of birth but the e_________t of i__________e would be more l___________d . This s_____________________s for the a_____________________l as there are m_______________s in one’s life that are b_____________d to good luck or an a________________________n .

However, the s________________e of luck decreases over time. Take, for example, an a___________________n . They may be born into a w___________y family and have a g________________t in life; they are lucky from the o______t . N______________s , if they are not hard-working, there is a s______________e they will not be able to a_____________h their goals in life. The r_________e is true of someone born into a bad situation. There are e_____________s , where the situation is d____e or the period in history p__________________s , but most people who a_______y themselves o________________________e will ‘make their own luck’. This is because as s_______________s become larger, the i___________________________________s . It still r____________s some e_________________________y luck to attain huge aims but more m____________t ones r_______________m r_________________n r_________________n f___________e .

In conclusion, luck is d___________e in p_____________________s but not more g______________y . It is therefore more important to p_____________________e on working hard in the long-term than on the o_____________e of being lucky.

Listening Practice

Listen below and take some notes or practice with these activities :

Reading Practice

Read more about this topic and use these ideas to practice:

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/09/your-money/stop-and-acknowledge-how-much-luck-has-to-do-with-your-success.html

Speaking Practice

Practice with the following questions from the real IELTS speaking exam :

• Why did you choose your job?
• How much work do you do in a week?
• Do you have to work on weekends as well?

Writing Practice

Write about the related topic below then check with my sample answer:

In some cultures, children are often told that they can achieve anything if they try hard enough.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of giving children this message?

IELTS Writing Task 2 Sample Answer Essay IELTS Cambridge 15: Children Achieve Anything (IELTS Cambridge 15)

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10 Comments

People tend to think that luck plays a major role in achieving goals. While there are scenarios where people are more fortunate than others, I completely disagree with this statement because there are more important aspects of life that help individuals become successful in their undertakings.

It is undeniable that some people have better life circumstances than others. For instance, most people would consider being born rich, as being lucky. Financial resources allow people to maneuver their lives the way they want in terms of education, career, love, and life in general. Students born in a rich family can study in well-known universities that will open up doors for a bright career while those who are poverty-stricken, would have to work and study harder, to pay for tuition or to get a scholarship. 

However, relying on luck does not guarantee success in life. Instead, individuals should put together a concrete plan and discover ways to execute them through dedication and perseverance. Commonly, people view failure as being unfortunate and they blame life circumstances as they give up on their goals when they should be taking failures as part of their journey and consider them as little hindrances that will help them better their craft. As an example, Jeff Bezos who was born in a working-class family, had so many failed businesses in the past before he founded Amazon and his success would have been otherwise impossible, had he stopped when he failed.

In conclusion, there are situations wherein people have better odds than others, however, it is more important to focus on one’s goals and never give up until they are achieved.

Nice writing again, Chris!

Really accurate writing – we don’t usually use ‘commonly’ the way you did to start a sentence. In general, would be better.

Keep it up!

In recent times, there has been an ever-growing trend in competitiveness in order to achieve greater heights. While numerous astrologers claim that success is certainly related to luck, others, including myself believe that hard work and determination is the key to success. This essay will argue why perseverance and working hard play a critical role in acquiring success.

To begin with, there is a growing body of statistical evidence which suggests that achieving success is not co-related to luck. To exemplify this point, a recent retrospective study conducted by Oxford University, who performed a randomised study on UK high school graduates, revealed that two-thirds of students who kept on procrastinating their assignments and relied on luck to get through their final GCSE exams were less likely to attain university places in competitive fields. By contrast, one-third of students who completed their assignments regularly and studied rigorously for their final exams stood a higher chance in getting into a competitive university degree such as engineering and medicine. Based on this, it is not unreasonable to assume that being lucky is not  the only marker to gain success in life. It is, therefore, essential for a person to stay focused and persevere in order to attain greater heights in life.

Nonetheless, several experts in astrology believe that a person’s success and accomplishments are all written in destiny. Hence they claim that luck plays a significant role in delivering achievements in one’s life. Despite these claims, I firmly believe that there are several examples which suggest us that luck is not the only factor in achieving success. One such example is of Oprah Winfrey, a popular public figure, who was born to a poor family and lived in the deprived regions of Mississippi. In spite of several obstacles such as lack of schooling and proper shelter, she never gave up hope and continued to work hard. In 2008, she became a millionaire and was listed in the Forbes list of richest women alive. This anecdote suggests that despite the several adversities and challenging situations one may face in life, it is essential to work hard and be determined to attain one’s goal in life. and not completely bank on luck and destiny. Overall, it is clear that luck is not the key determiner to success.

To conclude, if a person wants to achieve a goal in life, the person must put in an effort and work hard persistently. From my perspective, luck plays very little role in one’s achievement and success and it is absolutely critical to continue to persevere to see success in life. 

Great work, Bonnie!

It is a little long – how long did it take you to write it?

There is some informal vocabulary but you are obviously at an extremely high level – I hope other students can learn a lot from your writing!

Hey Dave! Thanks a lot for reading my essay! I took about 37 minutes to write this essay 🙂 But I feel in order to develop my main body paragraph I need to write more words 🙁

it was really helpful thank you

You’re welcome!

HY DAVE SIR I am too much poor in writing what can i do? i am ielts student

It is true that some people deem luck as the decisive factor that leads people to the threshold of success. I strongly disagree with this opinion since fortune only plays a small part in geting goals accomplished, while there are more important factors that should not be neglected. Those in favor of luck would point out that it could change the entire status of people. A noteworthy example being lottery represents for luck that could bring people about prosperity. They can use the money to improve the financial background of their family by starting business or sending to banks for later use. However, the probability of wining a lottery is marginally insignificant, so that people should no hold a hopeful expectation on these contingent numbers but devote time on self-development instead. Indeed, there are many other conditions that define success. Research has shown that there are five chief factors forming success: knowledge, skills, experiences, relationships and luck is the last and also the least important one. Actually, a person could hardly have a decent life if he is ignorant and poor-experienced regardless to his luck. Returning to the previous example, the prosperous status would temporarily persist later in life, in other words, lottery winners would be no longer in wealth unless they have good financial management skills and a clearly profitable use of the money, which only are possessed by well-educated people. That is the reason why the majority of people being stuck in impoverishment after winning a lottery after a short period. In conclusion, although luck remains one of the prerequisites of becoming successful, its contribution is far inferior to other factors. People should not wait for lucky events to come but take efforts to learn more because success will come as a result of sufficient endeavors.

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The children of good fortune; an essay in morals

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Essay on “Luck” for School, College Students, Long and Short English Essay, Speech for Class 8, 9, 10, 12 and Competitive Exams.

We commonly speak of good luck and bad luck, and talk of people being lucky or unlucky, and of things happening by pure chance. Yet science tells us there is no such thing as chance or luck. According to the law of cause and effect, every happening has a cause. Not a leaf falls, not a wind blows, not a flower opens, without a reason. But we still use the word chance to describe happenings, the reason of which we do not know. When such apparently causeless happenings are favourable to us, we say they are lucky; when unfavourable, we call them unlucky. “Luck is simply untraced, and so far untraceable, law.”

All purely gambling games are games of chance. They are not decided by skill or forethought, but simply by the happening of something we cannot control, like the fall of a coin or the turning up of a certain card. No doubt there is a reason why, when we spin a coin, it is sometimes “heads” and sometimes “tails”. But, if we are playing fairly, we cannot discover the reason, and so we cannot control the coin. So we say that it’s turning up heads or tails is simply a matter of luck or chance.

Now ignorance is the mother of superstition. When people do not know why a thing happens in a certain way, they attribute its happening to good or bad luck. People to whom pleasant things often happen are called “lucky”; and those who seem to be always meeting with misfortune are called “unlucky”; as if there were something in themselves that attracts good or bad fortune. They even think that inanimate things can bring them good or bad luck. So they wear charms to keep away misfortune and are really nervous if the salt is upset in their direction, or if they pass under a ladder, or see the new moon through glass.

Now of course all such superstitions are pure nonsense. There is really no such thing as luck or chance, and only foolish people waste their time in waiting for a miracle of good luck to bring them a fortune. The wise man will try to attain it by hard work, wise effort, and enterprise, and Will leave nothing to chance. Most of the people who are called “lucky” have good fortune because they work for it, and the so-called “unlucky” men miss it because they are lazy or dull.

Modern science has taught us that nothing happens by chance. Everything is the effect of some cause, even though we may not be able to discover what that cause is. Not a leaf falls to the ground, not a wind blows, and not a flower opens, without a reason. There is really, then, no such thing as chance. But we still use the word to describe happenings the reason of which we do not know, and when such apparently causeless happenings are favourable to our interests we say they are lucky; when unfavourable, we say they are unlucky.

All gambling games are games of chances because they are decided not by skill or forethought, but simply by the happening of something which we cannot control, like the fall of a coin or the turning up of a certain card. No doubt there is the reason why, when we spin a coin, it is sometimes “heads” and sometimes “tails.” But if we play fairly, we cannot discover that reason, and so we cannot control the fall of the coin So we say that it’s turning up heads or tails is simply a matter of luck or chance.

Now ignorance always produces superstition. When people do not know why a thing happens in a certain way, they attribute its happening to good or bad luck. People, to whom pleasant things often happen, is called “lucky” men; and those who are always meeting with misfortune are called “unlucky,” as if there were something in the people themselves that attracted good or bad fortune. When folk have once got this idea of good and bad luck into their heads, they believe in all kinds of silly superstitions, and really think that inanimate things can bring them good fortune or bad fortune. Such people are really nervous if the salt is upset on the table in their direction; if they sleep in a room numbered 13 at a hotel; if they pass under a ladder; or see the new moon through glass. These things, for no reason at all, are supposed to bring bad luck.

Now of course all such superstitions are pure nonsense, and no educated person should bother about them for a moment. There is really no such thing as luck or chance, and only foolish people waste their lives in waiting for a miracle of good luck to bring them a fortune. The wise man will try to attain it by hard work, wise effort and enterprise, and leave nothing to chance. Most of the people who are called “lucky” have good fortune because they work for it, and so-called “unlucky men” miss it because they are lazy or stupid.

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Test Resources

TOEFL® Resources by Michael Goodine

Sample toefl essay – luck or hard work, the question.

Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? “When people succeed, it is entirely because of hard work. Luck has nothing to do with their success.” Use specific reasons and examples to explain your position.

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The Sample Essay

          We have all heard stories about people who have achieved success in their life, and we often wonder how they did it.  Personally, I believe that success is only the result of hard work and perseverance. I feel this way for two main reasons, which I will explore in the following essay.

           To begin with, success is always the result of hard work over a long period of time.  Success happens gradually, and only after a series of correct decisions and small victories.  A stroke of luck, in contrast, is generally perceived to be a one-time event. The experience of my uncle, a successful entrepreneur, is a compelling example of what I mean.  Since 2005, he has run a very profitable technology firm which manufactures and sells a wide range of products. His business started very small when he invested his savings to develop and market a single product and hire his first employee.  When that product became popular, my uncle compounded his success by introducing new products and gradually increasing the size of his company. His company later grew from a single employee to include a staff of dozens. While my uncle might have been lucky at one stage of his company’s growth, the long-term success of his firm cannot simply be the result of good fortune.

         Secondly, success is usually the result of careful planning, research and education, all of which require a lot of work to achieve.  For instance, some people said that my uncle was lucky when his initial product offering was successful. However, he was confident that his product would be a hit even before he started manufacturing it. This is because he spent thousands of dollars on market research and focus groups. It was this investment of time and money, not luck, which assured the early success of his business.  Likewise, when his small firm merged with another firm just before that company rose to prominence some called him lucky. However, my uncle had spent weeks interviewing the research and development team at that company and predicted their success based on what they told him. Had he not been confident of their potential, he would not have completed the merger. Again, this victory was the result of diligence rather than luck, despite what some observers say about it.

          In conclusion, I firmly believe that success comes as a result of hard work.  This is because success takes a lot of time to achieve, and it also required very careful planning. (423 words)

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10 Professional Ways to Say “Good Luck”

It’s important to wish people luck when you care about them. If something big is happening in their life, wishing them luck lets them know how much they mean to you.

But “good luck” might not be the best professional phrase to use here.

Luckily, you have options. This article will explore some alternative phrases showing you how to say “good luck” formally.

Is It Professional to Say “Good Luck”?

It is professional to say “good luck.” It’s a very common way to wish someone well when they’re about to do something big (like an exam or starting a new job).

It’s a good formal choice. Therefore, it works well in most email cases.

It’s also good to wish someone luck when you care about them. We certainly recommend it if you’re looking to build better relationships.

This example should help you understand more about it:

I want to say good luck with your exam. I’m certain you’ll find a way to ace it.

• It’s kind and shows you care.
• It’s a great phrase in both formal and informal cases.
• It’s quite generic and overused.
• It’s brief and snappy, which doesn’t always allow you to celebrate someone’s achievements.

Clearly, “good luck” is one of the best phrases to use in emails. However, it’s not the only one.

Therefore, we recommend exploring what to say instead of “good luck” to keep things interesting.

So, read on to learn how to wish someone good luck professionally. We’ve also provided email examples to help you further.

What to Say Instead of “Good Luck”

• Best of luck
• All the best
• I wish you success
• I hope luck is on your side
• May luck be in your favor
• Here’s to a prosperous journey ahead
• Wishing you the best of luck
• I hope everything goes smoothly
• Sending positive wishes your way
• May fortune smile upon you

1. Best of Luck

We’ll start with one of the simpler synonyms for “good luck.” You can write “best of luck” to share well wishes with the recipient.

It’s a great formal email closer . Most people use it before someone has to do something important (i.e., apply for a job or take an exam).

We recommend using it when emailing coworkers . It’s a great way to remain friendly in your formal farewell when using it as an email closer.

You can also refer to this sample email:

Dear Aimee, I heard that your competition is coming up shortly. I’m very excited to see how you get on with it. Best of luck , Dean Watkins

2. All the Best

It sounds quite generic, but “all the best” is a great alternative to “good luck.” It works well as a professional email closer .

Also, since it’s slightly more generic, it allows it to be more versatile . You can use it when someone needs luck or just as a more basic way to say goodbye.

Whatever the case, “all the best” works well when emailing students . It shows you how to wish someone good luck without saying “good luck” (which keeps things interesting).

Here’s a great email example to help you understand it:

Dear Holly, I know your exam is coming up. I’m just writing to let you know that I believe in you! All the best , Jon Whittaker

3. I Wish You Success

Another way to say “good luck” professionally is “I wish you success.” It’s a great formal closer that shows you believe in the recipient .

You can try to include it when emailing employees . It shows you support them and their choices.

Also, if you’re an employer, it’s a great way to boost your employee’s morale. It shows you’re behind them (especially if they’ve applied for a new job and you want to give them hope).

Perhaps this example will help you with it:

Dear Pete, This is a big stepping stone for you. It’s going to make your future so much more interesting if you succeed. I wish you success , Emily Heritage

4. I Hope Luck Is on Your Side

You can write “I hope luck is on your side” instead of “good luck.” It’s a good formal email closer that shows you want to wish someone a good fortune.

Generally, this is another way to say “good luck” professionally. It shows that you’re happy to hear positive news about the recipient and want them to receive your good wishes.

We certainly recommend using it when emailing employees . It’s a great way to encourage them and let them know you have their back.

We also recommend reviewing the following email sample:

Dear Brooke, I appreciate this is a difficult thing to do on your own. However, I know you’re the perfect person for the role. I hope luck is on your side , Sam Tarly

5. May Luck Be in Your Favor

“May luck be in your favor” is a fun and unique way to say “good luck.” Not many people will have used a phrase like this as an email sign-off. However, it’s still very helpful.

You should try it when emailing students . It’s a great way to sound more friendly when offering them luck for whatever they have coming their way.

Here’s a great email example to show you how it works:

Dear Alicia, I want to wish you luck with your exam. I’m certain you’ll ace it, but let me know if you have questions before you start. May luck be in your favor , Tom Bryant

6. Here’s to a Prosperous Journey Ahead

It’s best to wish someone luck when they’re moving forward in life. Saying something like “here’s to a prosperous journey ahead” is a great formal way to tackle this.

It shows you want someone to succeed with whatever comes next.

For instance, you can use it when emailing a colleague who’s looking to change their career. It shows you support them and want them to do well in their new role.

Check out this example as well:

Dear Charlotte, Good luck with your test. It’s the first major step towards starting the career you’ve always wanted. Here’s to a prosperous journey ahead , Dan Cole

7. Wishing You the Best of Luck

We also recommend trying “wishing you the best of luck” instead of “good luck.” It’s a more direct and personal way to show you support someone.

You don’t have to include the personal pronoun “I” here. However, you can use it as a variation. For instance:

• I wish you the best of luck.

Both of the phrases are acceptable as formal email closers . Feel free to use them when wishing someone well once they have a plan to move to something new.

You can also review the following email sample:

Dear Melissa, You may not know what the future holds yet. However, I know you’re going to find a way to make the most out of it! Wishing you the best of luck , Scott Parker

8. I Hope Everything Goes Smoothly

Making moves and changes in life can be pretty tough. It’s scary to take that first big step, but it’s still good to get behind people when they do it.

A great supportive synonym to use is “I hope everything goes smoothly.”

It shows you fully encourage someone to pursue their hopes and dreams. It works well as both a friendly and formal alternative which will help you to sound professional when the time comes.

This email example will help you understand it better:

Dear Helen, This is a big move for you. I wish you all the best with your future endeavors, and I hope you stay in touch. I hope everything goes smoothly , Sean Adams

9. Sending Positive Wishes Your Way

Positivity is the best policy. Remaining positive in emails shows you care about the recipient . Thus, “sending positive wishes your way” is an excellent alternative.

It shows how much you care about someone. This could go a long way to improving your relationship with them overall.

For example, you can use it when emailing clients who have something big planned. It implies that you know what’s happening in their life and want them to do well with whatever comes next.

After all, the more you care about your clients, the more they’ll care about your company. Show them you care, and they’ll keep working with you.

Here’s an example to show you how to use it::

Dear Ms. Smith, I wish you all the best in your new job. Hopefully, it won’t be long before we start doing projects together again. Sending positive wishes your way , Steven Anthony

10. May Fortune Smile Upon You

We’ve touched on plenty of professional choices. We wanted to finish up with something that was more fun and unique .

“May fortune smile upon you” is fun to include as an email sign-off. It shows you want to send positive wishes to the recipient.

Of course, it’s not the most suitable in professional cases (like when emailing your boss).

Instead, you should use it when emailing colleagues . It shows you have a close and fun relationship with them.

You can also review this email sample:

Hi Jackie, I hope you managed to find a way to complete the task. I know you’re the right person for the job. May fortune smile upon you , George Tayler

• 10 Formal Synonyms for “Thank You Both”
• 10 Professional Synonyms for “Please Let Me Know”
• 9 Formal Ways to Say “I Hope Everything Is Going Well”
• 10 Polite Ways to Say “Bring to Your Attention”

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Our mission is to help you create a professional impression toward colleagues, clients, and executives.

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Essay, Paragraph or Speech on “Good Luck is the Child of Diligence” Complete Essay, Speech for Class 10, Class 12 and Graduation and other classes.

Good Luck is the Child of Diligence

Diligence and skill are rightly regarded as the main motivating forces of all that we call progress in individuals as well as in nations. In every walk of life, happiness is a fruit, of which labour is the seed. We cannot enjoy the taste of any fruit without sowing its seeds and nursing the plant. Fortune has often been blamed for her blindness but fortune is not as blind as men. Those who have a practical attitude in life will find that fortune is usually on the side of the industrious and the hard-working in the same way as the winds and the waves are on the side of the best navigators. Success treads on the heels of every right effort and though it is possible to overestimate success as the gift of God, still in any worldly pursuit it is the diligent and painstaking who go the longest way to win success. Success which is acquired by what are called “lucky hits” is seldom lasting like money earned through gambling. Such “hits” only serve to lead one to ruin.

Those who fail in life are, however, apt to present an image of injured innocence, and conclude too hastily that everybody except themselves had a hand in their misfortunes. Generally they consider that they are born to ill-luck, and inculcate a belief that the world invariably goes against them, without any fault of theirs. But if we look into the matter closely and critically, we shall discover that such complaints against fate or luck are altogether futile and baseless. Fate is not a conscious being that can make or mar our happiness. It is a creation ofidle fancy, an invention of superstitions and idle brains. When men cannot examine and acknowledge their Own weakness, owing to their excessive self-love or lack of courage, and are not in a position to attribute their failures to others, they take a convenient shelter behind fate. Hence, it is found that those who lament their luck are indeed in some way or the other reaping the consequences of their own neglect, mismanagement, incapacity or want of patience and hard work.

In order to find out for ourselves that the most distinguished inventors, artists, thinkers and workers of all times and all countries owe their success and good luck in a great measure to their indefatigable industry and application, we have just to glance at the biographies of these great souls. They were men who turned all things into gold by the touch of their diligent hands. The habit of diligent work not only brings success and fortune, but keeps a man in a state of active employment which in itself is a great reward. The idle man who withdraws his hands from the worship of work and folds them in prayer to heavens in the hope of a windfall, can never know or even dream of the joy which is experienced by a self-reliant heroic soul, toiling upward crossing thresholds and overcoming difficulties. They go on rising high as it were against the very stars. Even if work does not bring success, idleness is worse because it generates fear, pride, suspicion, jealousy and gloom things which are more degrading than failure. Thus, true labour is its own reward. Even when success is not attained, the very consciousness of duty done fills the heart with a spiritual joy. Duty done properly carries with it, its own reward, and that reward is inner satisfaction. It is not the result in any case that is to be regarded so much as the aim and the effort, the patience, the courage and the endeavour with which the desirable and worthy objects are pursued.

There is no final comfort in life except in work. Hard work acts as a drug under the influence of which we forget all our earthly woes and worries and are lifted into a region where despair and gloom are unknown. It has been rightly said that we must go on knocking and the door to success will eventually open to us. And it is a blessing, not a curse, that we must do so for if there is no necessity of efforts, no zest for work, no joy of creation, life would become a meaningless chain of irrelevant episodes unconnected with any specific purpose, springing from nothing and returning to nothing. Thus good luck is really the child of diligence.

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Good Night, and Good Luck

By george clooney, good night, and good luck essay questions.

What is the central historical issue tackled in this film?

Good Night, and Good Luck seeks to tackle the issue of Senator McCarthy's HUAC trials, and the responsibility of the media to fight back on behalf of American citizens to stop corruption on the part of Joseph McCarthy. While McCarthy was already falling in public favor at this time, Edward R. Murrow's on-air goals helped to catalyze his downfall.

Who, historically, was Edward Murrow?

Edward Murrow was a broadcast journalist who came to be well known for his journalism covering World War II. He had a group of foreign correspondents who became known as "Murrow's Boys" and the coverage attracted millions of viewers. He is considered one of the greatest news journalists of all time, and was prominent in the fight against HUAC and Senator Joseph McCarthy during 1954. His willingness to stand up to McCarthy and the US Government led to a public backlash against McCarthy and his hearing, which would subsequently help to end the trials.

Why was George Clooney so interested in making this film?

Clooney majored in journalism in college and his father was a television anchorman who worked from Buffalo, New York and Los Angeles. It was a subject matter that hit very close to home for Clooney, a staunch liberal, who believed it was time to bring up how government can use fear in order to stop debate. Clooney was so passionate about making this film that he even mortgaged his own home to get insured for the production.

How does Murrow compare two different ideas of how television should work?

In his speech at the dinner in his honor, Murrow speaks with conviction about the fact that television is used more often to delude and distract than it is to educate. He alleges that as long as television networks are controlled by corporate interests, they will not take risks journalistically. But, he argues, they should take these risks since they have a responsibility to educate citizens and create a more informed society. He pits entertainment against news and information, saying, "This instrument can teach. It can illuminate and it can even inspire. But it can do so only to the extent that humans are determined to use it towards those ends. Otherwise, it is merely wires and lights in a box."

How does Joe and Shirley's story mirror the overall plot of the film?

The story of the Wershba's secret marriage does not directly relate to the plot of the film, but in some ways, it mirrors the general political and social atmosphere in which the film takes place. The era of McCarthyism is depicted as one marked by a lot of fear, a time of kept secrets and sudden exposure. Joe and Shirley are not Communists, but they are married in spite of their network having a policy forbidding employees to get married. Thus, the secrecy of their marriage mirrors the way that everyone feels they have to be secretive at this time to avoid being exposed as politically disloyal communist sympathizers of any kind.

Good Night, and Good Luck Questions and Answers

The Question and Answer section for Good Night, and Good Luck is a great resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss the novel.

George Clooney’s 2005 Good Night, and Good Luck is the story of two television newscasters who put their careers and reputations on the line in order to challenge McCarthy's brute authority. GradeSaver has a complete plot summary available in its...

why are they concerned about signing a loyalty pledge?

I think this refers to being involved with the communist party,

… "are you or have you ever been a member of the communist party?" Joe says, "If I don’t sign it, they’ll fire me."

fear of communism

Sorry, I saw the film a very long time ago. I can't remember the details for your question.

Study Guide for Good Night, and Good Luck

Good Night, and Good Luck study guide contains a biography of director George Clooney, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis.

• About Good Night, and Good Luck
• Good Night, and Good Luck Summary
• Character List
• Director's Influence

Essays for Good Night, and Good Luck

Good Night, and Good Luck essays are academic essays for citation. These papers were written primarily by students and provide critical analysis of Good Night, and Good Luck, directed by George Clooney.

• How the Cold War Context Created New Perspectives: Film and Literature
• 'Good Night and Good Luck' and Marxist Social Theory
• Personal and Political consequences of the Cold War period
• ‘We all editorialise, it’s just to what degree.’: Bias and Point of View in Good Night, and Good Luck

Wikipedia Entries for Good Night, and Good Luck

• Introduction

How to Build Wealth When You Don’t Come from Money

by Anne-Lyse Wealth

Summary .   

The first step to attaining wealth — at least for people who are not born into it — is much more personal than building millionaire habits or investing wisely. Such approaches often fail to address the systemic and mental barriers faced by many of the marginalized groups who grew up without access to wealth. The author argues that changing your mindset, or building a mindset conducive to wealth, is the real first step.

• To start, let go of limiting beliefs. When you grow up lacking money or the resources to make enough of it, thinking that there is a shortage of resources, or watching people around you live paycheck to paycheck, you may be more likely to believe that wealth is reserved for a select few.
• To overcome this mindset, and believe that you deserve abundance, practice thought work on a daily basis. This is the act of consciously paying attention to your thoughts and then choosing to entertain different ones instead.
• Next, accept that money can do as much good as it can evil. Don’t let fear stop you from pursuing wealth, or the kind of paycheck you need to support you and what you want to accomplish in your lifetime.
• Finally, understand that a high income is not enough. Building wealth requires being intentional about managing your expenses — and, yes, investing. Investing is for everyone and it can help even the playing field.

Do you want to be a millionaire? Most people probably do — but it is, famously, not an easy pursuit. The growing wealth gap between the rich and the poor makes it seem impossible for most of us.

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Good Fortune

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Strange Good Fortune: Essays on Contemporary Poetry Paperback – July 1, 2001

• Print length 279 pages
• Language English
• Publisher University of Arkansas Press
• Publication date July 1, 2001
• Dimensions 6 x 0.8 x 9 inches
• ISBN-10 1557287082
• ISBN-13 978-1557287083
• See all details

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• Publisher ‏ : ‎ University of Arkansas Press (July 1, 2001)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Paperback ‏ : ‎ 279 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1557287082
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1557287083
• Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 15.7 ounces
• Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6 x 0.8 x 9 inches
• #1,289 in Poetry Literary Criticism (Books)
• #5,157 in American Poetry (Books)
• #5,625 in Literary Criticism & Theory

About the author

David wojahn.

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Health Is Wealth Essay for Students and Children

500+ words health is wealth essay.

Growing up you might have heard the term ‘Health is Wealth’, but its essential meaning is still not clear to most people. Generally, people confuse good health with being free of any kind of illness. While it may be part of the case, it is not entirely what good health is all about. In other words, to lead a healthy life , a person must be fit and fine both physically and mentally. For instance, if you are constantly eating junk food yet you do not have any disease, it does not make you healthy. You are not consuming healthy food which naturally means you are not healthy, just surviving. Therefore, to actually live and not merely survive, you need to have the basic essentials that make up for a healthy lifestyle.

Introduction

Life is about striking a balance between certain fundamental parts of life. Health is one of these aspects. We value health in the same way that we value time once we have lost it. We cannot rewind time, but the good news is that we can regain health with some effort. A person in good physical and mental health may appreciate the world to the fullest and meet life’s problems with ease and comfort. Health is riches implies that health is a priceless asset rather than money or ownership of material possessions. There is no point in having money if you don’t have good health.

Key Elements Of A Healthy Lifestyle

If you wish to acquire a healthy lifestyle, you will certainly have to make some changes in your life. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle demands consistent habits and disciplined life. There are various good habits that you can adopt like exercising regularly which will maintain your physical fitness. It also affects your mental health as when your appearance enhances, your confidence will automatically get boosted.

To live a healthy life, one must make some lifestyle modifications. These modifications can include changes to your food habits, sleeping routines, and lifestyle. You should eat a well-balanced, nutrient-dense diet for your physical wellness.

Further, it will prevent obesity and help you burn out extra fat from your body. After that, a balanced diet is of great importance. When you intake appropriate amounts of nutrition, vitamins, proteins, calories and more, your immune system will strengthen. This will, in turn, help you fight off diseases powerfully resulting in a disease-free life.

Above all, cleanliness plays a significant role in maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Your balanced diet and regular exercise will be completely useless if you live in an unhealthy environment. One must always maintain cleanliness in their surroundings so as to avoid the risk of catching communicable diseases.

Get the huge list of more than 500 Essay Topics and Ideas

Benefits Of A Healthy Lifestyle

As it is clear by now, good health is a luxury which everyone wants but some of them cannot afford. This point itself states the importance of a healthy lifestyle. When a person leads a healthy lifestyle, he/she will be free from the tension of seeking medical attention every now and then.

On the contrary, if you have poor health, you will usually spend your time in a hospital and the bills will take away your mental peace. Therefore, a healthy lifestyle means you will be able to enjoy your life freely. Similarly, when you have a relaxed mind at all times, you will be able to keep your loved ones happy. A healthy individual is more likely to fulfil all of his goals because he can easily focus on them and has the energy to complete them. This is why the proverb “Health is Wealth” carries so much weight.

A socially healthy individual is one who is able to interact effectively and readily connect with others. Without his ego, he can easily blend with the person in front of him, exuding a nice feeling and energy.

Every human being should participate in sports and activities to get away from the monotony of daily life. It is because sports and games assist in instilling a sense of oneness in people, build leadership skills, and make a person absolutely disciplined.

Moreover, a healthy lifestyle will push you to do better in life and motivate you to achieve higher targets. It usually happens that people who are extremely wealthy in terms of money often lack good health. This just proves that all the riches in the world will do you no good if there is an absence of a healthy lifestyle.

In short, healthy life is the highest blessing that must not be taken for granted. It is truly the source of all happiness. Money may buy you all the luxuries in the world but it cannot buy you good health. You are solely responsible for that, so for your well-being and happiness, it is better to switch to a healthy lifestyle.

Good Health for Children

Childhood is an ideal period to inculcate healthy behaviours in children. Children’s health is determined by a variety of factors, including diet, hydration, sleep schedule, hygiene, family time, doctor visits, and physical exercise. Following are a few key points and health tips that parents should remember for their children:

• Never allow your children to get by without nutritious food. Fruits and vegetables are essential.
• Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, therefore teach them to frequently wash their hands and feet.
• Sleep is essential for your child.
• Make it a habit for them to drink plenty of water.
• Encourage physical activity and sports.
• Allow them enough time to sleep.
• It is critical to visit the doctor on a regular basis for checks.

Parents frequently focus solely on their children’s physical requirements. They dress up their children’s wounds and injuries and provide them with good food. However, they frequently fail to detect their child’s deteriorating mental health. This is because they do not believe that mental health is important.

Few Lines on Health is Wealth Essay for Students

• A state of physical, mental, emotional, and social well-being is referred to as health. And all of this is linked to one another.
• Stress, worry, and tension are the leading causes of illness and disease in today’s world. When these three factors are present for an extended period of time, they can result in a variety of mental difficulties, which can lead to physical and emotional illnesses. As a result, taking care of your own health is critical.
• Unhealthy food or contaminated water, packed and processed food and beverages, unsanitary living conditions, not getting enough sleep, and a lack of physical activity are some of the other primary causes of health deterioration.
• A well-balanced diet combined with adequate exercise and hygienic habits, as well as a clean environment, can enhance immunity and equip a person to fight most diseases.
• A healthy body and mind are capable of achieving things that a sick body and mind are incapable of achieving, including happiness.
• It is also vital to seek medical and professional assistance when necessary because health is our most valuable asset.
• Activities such as playing an instrument, playing games, or reading provide the brain with the required exercise it requires to improve health.

Maintaining healthy behaviours improves one’s outlook on life and contributes to longevity as well as success.

Frequently Asked Questions

Question 1: What are the basic essentials of a healthy life? Answer: A healthy life requires regular exercise, a balanced diet, a clean environment, and good habits.

Question 2: How can a healthy life be beneficial? Answer: A healthy lifestyle can benefit you in various ways. You will lead a happier life free from any type of disease. Moreover, it will also enhance your state of mind.

Question 3: When is World Health Day celebrated?

Answer: Since 1950, World Health Day has been observed on the 7th of April by the World Health Organization (WHO), after a decision made at the first Health Assembly in 1948. It is observed to raise awareness about people’s overall health and well-being around the world.

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