>>Rather than “you make your own luck,” there’s an old saying that provides a better way to put it: “luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.” If you prepare through study and practice, work hard and bring your talents to bear, you’ll be positioned to make the most out of opportunities that arise.
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>>I've heard a similar one - luck is the residue of hard work and design.
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>Or "The harder I work, the luckier I get."

But it's not as simple as that. Depending where you start, hard work may matter, but it's rarely sufficient. (I say "may matter," because being born, say, Paris Hilton, is pretty lucky in the first place.)

Tamar