Luck, Skill, and the Pushy Aunt Named Action

Success Isn’t About Luck or Skill—It’s About Taking Action (Even When It’s Messy)

You wanna know the secret to success? It’s simple. All you need is luck, skill, and a third thing nobody likes to talk about: action.

Yeah, that’s right—action. The thing your uncle avoided for 40 years while “starting a business” in his bathrobe. The same guy who’s still “networking” at the diner, waiting for Spielberg to walk in and discover him between bites of matzo brei.

Listen, luck and skill are beautiful. But without action? They’re like two schmucks in a deli with no pastrami. Useless.

Skill: Your Sharpened Sword (That You Keep in the Closet)

Skill is the part of success you work for. It’s the hours, the practice, the obsession. You know, like my cousin Lenny, who spent five years perfecting the accordion. Now he plays bar mitzvahs for tips and leftover kugel.

But here’s the kicker—skill doesn’t mean squat if you don’t do something with it. You could be the best singer this side of Sinatra, but if the only place you perform is the shower, guess what? The only applause you’ll get is from the mildew.

Luck: The Chaotic Fairy Godmother in a Fur Coat

Now luck, hoo boy. She’s a wild one. Shows up uninvited, knocks once, and if you don’t answer the door in five seconds, she’s off to Vegas. Probably with your ex.

Luck is timing, coincidence, and just a touch of divine chutzpah. But she only visits people who are visible. You gotta be in the game. You think she’s hanging out in your living room while you reorganize your sock drawer for the sixth time this week? Please.

Action: The Loud, Pushy One That Actually Gets Things Done

And now we get to action. Not glamorous. Not sexy. But it’s the one who actually brings home the bagels.

Action is the thing that turns your skill into results and gives luck a GPS to find you. It’s messy, awkward, and usually requires pants—which is why most people avoid it.

Let me tell you: you could be a genius, a prodigy, the Mozart of marketing—but if you're just sittin’ around waiting for inspiration like it's the 3:10 to Yonkers, you're gonna be waiting a long time. And trust me, that train’s never on time.

But Action is Hard, Especially for the Easily Distracted

I get it. Action’s tough. Especially if your brain’s doing the cha-cha while your body’s trying to nap. With ADHD in the mix, action feels like chasing a squirrel on roller skates.

So what do you do?