How winners get lucky
When I was a kid, one of the most famous Swedes in sports was alpine ski racer Ingemar Stenmark. They even paused class at school and rolled in a TV whenever he competed in a big race. It’s true.
If you were born in Sweden in the 70s, like I was, you’re probably familiar with some of his quotes. One of them was “De ä bar å åk” (“Just race” in his very characteristic dialect). It was his reply when a reporter asked how to become a winner.
Another famous quote of his is:
The more I practice, the luckier I get.
Meaning, of course, that winning isn’t about luck. It’s about practicing, and practicing some more. You keep doing it whether you’re the first or the last to cross the finish line.
There are no shortcuts. There is no secret.
Want to be a good skier? Ski more. Want to be a good writer? Write more.
Simple as that. And so hard.
That’s why only a few become winners.
They don’t give up. They keep doing it. They get lucky because they don’t believe in luck.