I have thought for some time that success has more to do with whether one possesses the skills to advance one’s own interests. Behavioral attributes: are you a social animal, are you funny, a good talker, are you political, are you good at identifying opportunities and finding ways to capitalize on them, selling yourself, having a high tolerance for risk and stress, being versatile and adaptable, etc.
Yes, I do think that personality can play a part. People who are outgoing, find it easier to network and then to use that network for their own ends, for example, are probably more likely to be successful. Though again, I think it's a patchwork of effects that lead to success – having a high tolerance for risk won't help if you keep taking the wrong risks, for eg.
I think luck plays a much bigger part than any of us are really willing to believe, too, though I didn't go into that. You can have the most perfect personality and a ton of talent for, say, writing, but if you're born into a household that doesn't read, you're unlikely to become a writer.
I have thought for some time that success has more to do with whether one possesses the skills to advance one’s own interests. Behavioral attributes: are you a social animal, are you funny, a good talker, are you political, are you good at identifying opportunities and finding ways to capitalize on them, selling yourself, having a high tolerance for risk and stress, being versatile and adaptable, etc.
Yes, I do think that personality can play a part. People who are outgoing, find it easier to network and then to use that network for their own ends, for example, are probably more likely to be successful. Though again, I think it's a patchwork of effects that lead to success – having a high tolerance for risk won't help if you keep taking the wrong risks, for eg.
I think luck plays a much bigger part than any of us are really willing to believe, too, though I didn't go into that. You can have the most perfect personality and a ton of talent for, say, writing, but if you're born into a household that doesn't read, you're unlikely to become a writer.