I feel like I got lucky this past year and I didn’t earn it. How much of life’s outcome is determined by luck vs skill?
MY STORY: was an absolute bum- I got a 2.7 GPA in college despite doing one of the easiest majors (basically a “I gotta get out of here” major). I made zero connections, professors hated me because I was too lazy to show up to class consistently and turn in assignments. I pretty much flamed out after being full of life and excitement at age 18.
I had never had a girlfriend in my first 27 years of life- I tried, and tried, and tried, but I was not good enough. I had 15-20k in credit card debt when I was 23, along with 10k in student loan debt, despite college mostly being paid for by my mom’s employer.
As you can guess, I was one of those NEET bums. I stayed with my dad because I would have been on the street (my credit was horrific). I got a job at a factory making 17/hr, and I got lucky, because it was right after the covid supply chain issues, which meant we were working 80 hour weeks to try to play catch-up. I was able to pay off all credit card debt and move out into a one bedroom apartment (I feel like I got the only cheap apartment in my entire town- 1k a month)
I burned out of that job and switched to another factory that had a 4 10’s schedule, but it was extremely dirty and uncomfortable. My day was wake up, scroll on my phone, go to work, come home, eat a sandwich or get takeout, go back to my phone, sleep. On weekends, I remained bed-ridden much of the time. This was my life for 2 years- and honestly, it’s what I deserved- a miserable existence for flaming out despite being somewhat of a nepo-baby. I was the kind of guy that deserved to strike out in every relationship- I had NOTHING going for me. I was god awful at saving- I’d save for 4 or 5 weeks then blow it on something dumb (Doordash, clubs, etc)
However, two years ago, while trying to get extra money working part time at a grocery store, one of the cashiers was a retiree from a major employer, and got me in. After a year, I finally got in the door, survived the 90-days (which felt like a miracle), and now, I make very good money, and I’ve had the job for a year. Excellent benefits, great 401k, and pretty good job security compared to other jobs in 2026. The big thing is- the job is more about seniority than merit, so it literally feels like a lottery that I won, nothing more.
Then, I finally found a girlfriend 3 months ago. Suddenly, my Facebook Dating profile was getting matches left and right. Lets just say- this relationship has been going extremely well. She absolutely loves me and has even met my family, and we have so much fun together. I never thought I’d have anything like this ever.
She also works a good job- so that could be even better for my life (not the reason I’m with her, but man, a DINK household could be amazing)
My thoughts: This wasn’t supposed to be me. I’m supposed to be that basement-dweller that has nothing. I’m supposed to be struggling paycheck to paycheck. I’m supposed to be lonely and rotting away with a 40+ inch waist. I’m supposed to be miserable, like a lot of other people.
Yet, because of one lucky connection, I’m not. I don’t deserve any of this- I have no real amazing skills or personality, yet I’m here.
I still feel like the same person I was, not special or unique, just now in a better spot because of luck. I didn’t have some major revelation or moment where I did something special, I didn’t have some major pivot- success literally fell into my lap, despite me still being an uninspiring bum
It makes me feel guilty when I see CS and Engineering majors struggling to even get a job or a gf. It makes me question how much of life is meritocracy vs luck.
How many of you all feel like you don’t have much to offer but you just got lucky? Or that you have a lot to offer but the economy and the world is working against you?