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We aren't nearly as in control of our lives as we like to think, and we often construct stories and arcs to explain our paths. Actually, most of what has happened to us, whether we've been successful or not, is down to chance, starting with the family and location you were born into.

A large part of life is just luck. Think of all the chance events that had a big impact on your life. For me for example, almost all my success hinges on me randomly seeing a certain poster in a hallway in 2008.

Pretty much my entire social circle hinges on one of my sister's friends wanting to go see Iron Maiden in 2014, she asked me to go along with her, because she didn't want to go by herself.

I happened to reconnect with a childhood friend in that crowd of 15,000+ and that got the ball rolling.

...and every event and choice that led to that...

Extreme example: You are the ultimate decision making machine that never makes any mistakes. Did you choose to be that machine?

Yes. That was a mistake.

Some people are quite good at increasing their "luck surface area".

Depends on your perspective, obviously. But personally I'd say we're much more a victim of circumstance than the other way around, and all success or failure is only very partially dependent on the choices we made.