# What is the number one reason why some people succeed in life? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [December 19, 2008, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-number-one-reason-why-some-people-succeed-in-life/477994 "2008-12-19T23:23:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Spin\_Master](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@Spin\_Master](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spin_Master)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2008, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-number-one-reason-why-some-people-succeed-in-life/477994/1 "2008-12-19T23:23:28Z")
Lets say you were asked to examine every person in history who has ever achieved something significant to the lives of millions. These people would range from Abraham Lincoln to Bill Gates to Martin Luther King, Jr. What would you say is the all-encompassing reason for their success? What do they have that most people don’t have? ---
**Author:** ![Sigene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df788c/32.png) [@Sigene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigene)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2008, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-number-one-reason-why-some-people-succeed-in-life/477994/2 "2008-12-19T23:24:52Z")
The desire to succeed ---
**Author:** ![Indistinguishable](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/90ced4/32.png) [@Indistinguishable](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Indistinguishable)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2008, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-number-one-reason-why-some-people-succeed-in-life/477994/3 "2008-12-19T23:27:43Z")
There probably is not any useful single factor… ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2008, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-number-one-reason-why-some-people-succeed-in-life/477994/4 "2008-12-19T23:30:08Z")
Desire for Power? ---
**Author:** ![Spin\_Master](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@Spin\_Master](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spin_Master)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2008, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-number-one-reason-why-some-people-succeed-in-life/477994/5 "2008-12-19T23:42:07Z")
> [@Indistinguishable](#): > > There probably is not any useful single factor… Actually, I think we can both agree that the people who start from the bottom and work their way to the top consistently have “something” that the people who stay at the bottom don’t have. Just as gravity is said to be the main reason why objects fall to the Earth, I’m sure there must be one major factor that consistently moves people from rags to riches. ---
**Author:** ![atomicbadgerrace](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8e7dd6/32.png) [@atomicbadgerrace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/atomicbadgerrace)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2008, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-number-one-reason-why-some-people-succeed-in-life/477994/6 "2008-12-19T23:44:56Z")
> [@The Liberator](#): > > Actually, I think we can both agree that the people who start from the bottom and work their way to the top consistently have “something” that the people who stay at the bottom don’t have. The desire to succeed is definitely a part of it, but there are plenty of folks out there who share that trait that will never amount to much. IMO, the biggest reason most successful people are as successful as they are is pure luck. Being in the right place at the right time, knowing the right people, being lucky that someone else _slightly better_ didn’t come along… that sort of thing. ---
**Author:** ![Indistinguishable](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/90ced4/32.png) [@Indistinguishable](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Indistinguishable)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2008, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-number-one-reason-why-some-people-succeed-in-life/477994/7 "2008-12-19T23:45:51Z")
> [@The Liberator](#): > > Actually, I think we can both agree that the people who start from the bottom and work their way to the top consistently have “something” that the people who stay at the bottom don’t have. > > Just as gravity is said to be the main reason why objects fall to the Earth, I’m sure there must be one major factor that consistently moves people from rags to riches. No, I don’t think I will agree with that, except to the meaningless extent that they have in common the very fact that they rose to the top. I don’t think there’s a single common major causative factor in play for every case, though there may be a variety of useful-to-study commonalities nonetheless. Why do you think there is one? If I were to ask “What is the single reason why some people attend college whereas others don’t?”, I would likely be told “Well, there isn’t any one globally applicable thing…”. Why should this be different? ---
**Author:** ![Vox\_Imperatoris](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Vox\_Imperatoris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Vox_Imperatoris)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2008, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-number-one-reason-why-some-people-succeed-in-life/477994/8 "2008-12-19T23:48:17Z")
The desire not to merely be happy and have a contented life, but to be better than everyone else. Sure, probability comes into play, but that’s why they keep going instead of taking their chips and going home. But this is why Buddhist monks are rarely rich CEOs. Valete, Vox Imperatoris ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2008, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-number-one-reason-why-some-people-succeed-in-life/477994/9 "2008-12-19T23:48:55Z")
It ain’t \*what \*you know, it’s \*who \*you know. Number one reason, no joke. ---
**Author:** ![Quasimodal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/57b2e6/32.png) [@Quasimodal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quasimodal)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2008, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-number-one-reason-why-some-people-succeed-in-life/477994/10 "2008-12-20T00:13:51Z")
> [@Peter\_Morris](#): > > It ain’t \*what \*you know, it’s \*who \*you know. > > Number one reason, no joke. Agreed A combination of looks, intelligence, drive, and charm will form a person with strong goals, and the means to achieve them. Looks and charm help people to forge strong personal and professional relationships. I think looks might be controversial, but I really think it gives people a huge boost of confidence. ---
**Author:** ![Spin\_Master](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@Spin\_Master](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spin_Master)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2008, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-number-one-reason-why-some-people-succeed-in-life/477994/11 "2008-12-20T00:20:26Z")
> [@Indistinguishable](#): > > No, I don’t think I will agree with that, except to the meaningless extent that they have in common the very fact that they rose to the top. I don’t think there’s a single common major causative factor in play for every case, though there may be a variety of useful-to-study commonalities nonetheless. Why do you think there is one? > > If I were to ask “What is the single reason why some people attend college whereas others don’t?”, I would likely be told “Well, there isn’t any one globally applicable thing…”. Why should this be different? Because someone who starts at the level of poverty will usually need some sort of well-defined purpose or a specific burning obsession to focus on in order to reach great heights whereas someone in college doesn’t require any real desire to be there in the first place. ---
**Author:** ![Indistinguishable](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/90ced4/32.png) [@Indistinguishable](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Indistinguishable)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2008, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-number-one-reason-why-some-people-succeed-in-life/477994/12 "2008-12-20T00:21:45Z")
Why would it be the same one for all success stories, though (beyond just “Well, success is better than poverty, so I’d like me some of that”)? That’s where we disagree… ---
**Author:** ![Vox\_Imperatoris](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Vox\_Imperatoris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Vox_Imperatoris)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2008, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-number-one-reason-why-some-people-succeed-in-life/477994/13 "2008-12-20T00:25:19Z")
Oh, and this really, really, does not need to be in GQ. Valete, Vox Imperatoris ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2008, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-number-one-reason-why-some-people-succeed-in-life/477994/14 "2008-12-20T00:30:26Z")
There is no ONE reason. But there are three items of equal level: 1. Hard work 2. Skill 3. Luck ---
**Author:** ![Vox\_Imperatoris](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Vox\_Imperatoris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Vox_Imperatoris)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2008, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-number-one-reason-why-some-people-succeed-in-life/477994/15 "2008-12-20T00:36:07Z")
> [@Sage\_Rat](#): > > There is no ONE reason. But there are three items of equal level: > > 1. Hard work > 2. Skill > 3. Luck I think #1, or rather, determination is still the main ingredient. While it’s true that some (maybe even most) people just do not have the ability or the right circumstances, the overwhelming majority of people do not have the desire to push themselves everyday to gain what to them is a meaningless advancement over what they feel they need. The development of this feeling is usually called “settling down”. People who do succeed are usually more concerned with the “He who has the most gold when he dies wins,” rule than pure happiness. Oh, and you can’t bring the rich and decadent who were born into it into this. They haven’t succeeded; they’ve just avoided total failure. Valete, Vox Imperatoris ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2008, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-number-one-reason-why-some-people-succeed-in-life/477994/16 "2008-12-20T00:38:17Z")
Moving this to Great Debates. **samclem** General Questions Moderator ---
**Author:** ![mswas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e99b99/32.png) [@mswas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mswas)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2008, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-number-one-reason-why-some-people-succeed-in-life/477994/17 "2008-12-20T00:39:07Z")
Getting right back up after being knocked to the ground. ---
**Author:** ![mswas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e99b99/32.png) [@mswas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mswas)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2008, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-number-one-reason-why-some-people-succeed-in-life/477994/18 "2008-12-20T00:41:06Z")
> [@Quasimodal](#): > > Agreed > > A combination of looks, intelligence, drive, and charm will form a person with strong goals, and the means to achieve them. Looks and charm help people to forge strong personal and professional relationships. > > I think looks might be controversial, but I really think it gives people a huge boost of confidence. I think a lot of people who are good looking but don’t believe they are can still be successful because people like being around people who are good looking. ---
**Author:** ![Starving\_Artist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aeb1de/32.png) [@Starving\_Artist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Starving_Artist)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2008, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-number-one-reason-why-some-people-succeed-in-life/477994/19 "2008-12-20T00:43:20Z")
Perseverance. ---
**Author:** ![xanthous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/53a042/32.png) [@xanthous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xanthous)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2008, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-number-one-reason-why-some-people-succeed-in-life/477994/20 "2008-12-20T00:47:39Z")
I think I’d almost have to say it’s having the **confidence** to succeed that makes people succeed. I have at different points in my life had all kinds of determination or skill or connections or luck or what have you to succeed at some task or project or goal, but my utter lack of confidence has allowed me to give up on many opportunities at the smallest setback. And it seems like that’s what sets me apart from others with the same (or similar) characteristics as me who do seem to succeed at what they try. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-number-one-reason-why-some-people-succeed-in-life/477994.md?page=2)