A lot of success is due to luck, but I think there is something to be said for putting yourself in a position to get lucky.<p>Sure, someone in a third world country might not have the choice to put themselves in such a position, but certainly lots of people in the United States have a choice to put themselves in a position to (or learn the skills that are necessarily antecedent to) get lucky. Unless you would say that all positions are equally lucky and that no choice you make in your position matters with respect to luck?