Is Success Luck or Hard Work?

Veritasium
28 Aug 202012:04
EducationalLearning
32 Likes 10 Comments

TLDRThe video script discusses the concept of egocentric bias, where individuals tend to overestimate their contributions and underestimate the role of luck in their success. It uses examples from various fields, such as professional hockey and income disparities, to illustrate how chance events can significantly influence outcomes. The speaker argues that recognizing the impact of luck can lead to a more realistic view of success, foster gratitude, and encourage generosity towards others, ultimately suggesting a paradoxical approach to achieving success: believing in one's control while acknowledging the role of luck.

Takeaways
  • 🎯 The concept of egocentric bias leads individuals to overestimate their own contributions and underestimate those of others in shared tasks.
  • 📈 In multi-author papers and household chores, people tend to claim more than 100% of the work done, showcasing the egocentric bias.
  • 🤔 People not only overestimate their positive contributions but also tend to attribute a larger share of problems to themselves.
  • 🧠 The vividness of personal experiences and lack of complete knowledge of others' actions contribute to this bias.
  • 🍀 Luck plays a significant role in success, but individuals often fail to acknowledge this factor, focusing instead on hard work and talent.
  • 🏒 Birth dates and early advantages, such as being born in the first quarter of the year for hockey players, can significantly impact future success.
  • 🌍 Being born in a prosperous country greatly influences one's income potential and life opportunities.
  • 🏆 Even in competitive fields like NASA astronaut selection, luck can significantly alter the outcome despite skill and hard work.
  • 🍪 Studies show that those in positions of power or privilege are less likely to share their good fortune and contribute to societal equality.
  • 🔄 Successful individuals often have a distorted view of reality, attributing their success mainly to personal effort rather than external factors.
  • 🎁 Acknowledging the role of luck in success can lead to increased likability, gratitude, and a more balanced perspective on societal contributions.
Q & A
  • What is egocentric bias and how does it relate to the perception of workload distribution?

    -Egocentric bias is a cognitive bias where individuals overestimate their own contributions and underestimate the contributions of others in a shared task. In the context of workload distribution, it means that people tend to believe they do more of the work than they actually do, as they vividly remember their own efforts but not as much those of others, leading to a skewed perception of the work division.

  • How does the phenomenon of egocentric bias manifest in academic and domestic settings?

    -In academic settings, egocentric bias can be observed when authors of multi-author papers estimate their individual contribution to a project, and the total percentage exceeds 100%. In domestic settings, it shows up when partners estimate their share of housework, again resulting in a combined total that exceeds 100%. This bias also extends to the attribution of problems, with individuals often believing they cause more conflicts or messes than they actually do.

  • What role does luck play in the success of professional hockey players according to the transcript?

    -Luck plays a significant role in the success of professional hockey players. Many players are born in the first quarter of the year, which gives them a competitive advantage in terms of age, size, and skill when they are young. This early advantage compounds over time, leading to more opportunities for better coaching and skill development. However, this luck is often overlooked, and players tend to attribute their success to hard work and determination.

  • How does the birth month of hockey players affect their chances of becoming professionals?

    -Hockey players born in the first quarter of the year are more likely to become professionals due to the age cutoff for youth leagues, which is January 1st. This means that players born earlier in the year are older and typically bigger and faster than their peers born later in the year, giving them an advantage that compounds over time through more ice time and participation in tournaments.

  • What is the significance of being born in a prosperous country according to the transcript?

    -Being born in a prosperous country significantly impacts an individual's potential income. Approximately half of the variance in income received globally can be explained by a person's country of residence and that country's income distribution. For example, someone born in Burundi, which has a very low gross national income per capita, is unlikely to earn much regardless of their intelligence or work ethic.

  • How does the transcript illustrate the importance of both skill and luck in achieving success?

    -The transcript illustrates the importance of both skill and luck by discussing various examples, including professional athletes and astronauts. It shows that while talent and hard work are necessary, they are not sufficient to guarantee success. Luck, or fortunate circumstances, often plays a crucial role, especially in highly competitive scenarios where many applicants vie for a few spots.

  • What is the paradoxical advice given for achieving success in a world that downplays the role of luck?

    -The paradoxical advice given is to simultaneously believe that one is in complete control of their destiny and that success is solely due to one's talent and hard work, while also acknowledging that this is not entirely true. It suggests that recognizing the role of luck in success can lead to a more realistic view of the world and encourage generosity towards others.

  • How does the transcript suggest that acknowledging one's fortunate circumstances can make them more likable?

    -The transcript suggests that acknowledging one's fortunate circumstances can make them more likable by referencing a study where people who read a transcript where an entrepreneur attributed their success to luck perceived them as kinder and more likely to be close friends than those who read a version where the entrepreneur took full credit for their success.

  • What is the role of gratitude in increasing happiness according to the speaker's personal experience?

    -According to the speaker's personal experience, gratitude plays a significant role in increasing happiness. By acknowledging fortunate events and feeling grateful for them, the speaker has been able to appreciate their good luck and feel more content. This sense of gratitude can also foster a more positive outlook on life.

  • How does the speaker propose to increase the luck of others?

    -The speaker proposes to increase the luck of others by giving away a hundred snatoms kits to people who couldn't otherwise afford them. He also offers a discount on snatoms for a month, with each sale resulting in a kit given to someone in need, up to a limit of a hundred.

  • What is the purpose of the snatoms product mentioned in the transcript?

    -Snatoms is a molecular modeling kit designed by the speaker to help tackle misconceptions about chemical bonds. The kit allows users to create various molecules with atoms that snap together magnetically, providing a hands-on learning experience about the nature of chemical bonding.

  • How does the concept of survivor bias affect the perception of successful people?

    -Survivor bias affects the perception of successful people by causing them to view the world as fair and rewardable for hard work, as they have personally succeeded through their efforts. However, this perspective overlooks the many individuals who also worked hard but did not achieve similar success, leading to a distorted view of reality and potentially less inclination to be generous or support social systems that contribute to equal opportunities.

Outlines
00:00
🧠 Egocentric Bias and Its Impact on Perception of Success

This paragraph discusses the concept of egocentric bias, where individuals tend to overestimate their own contributions and underestimate those of others. Examples include the overestimation of personal workload in various scenarios, such as homeschooling and housework, as well as the tendency to attribute conflicts and messes more to oneself. The speaker suggests that this bias stems from the vivid memory of one's own actions compared to the less clear memory of others' contributions. This bias can lead to an underestimation of external factors, such as luck, in achieving success. The speaker uses the example of professional hockey players, whose birth dates correlate with their likelihood of reaching the NHL due to age-related advantages in youth leagues, highlighting the significant role of luck in success. The paragraph emphasizes the importance of recognizing both skill and luck in achieving success.

05:01
🍀 The Underappreciated Role of Luck in Success

This paragraph explores the idea that people often fail to acknowledge the role of luck in their success, instead attributing it to personal effort and skill. The speaker argues that this lack of recognition is because luck, by definition, is not something one earns or controls. The paragraph discusses how downplaying the importance of chance can lead to a delusion of control over one's destiny, which might actually benefit one's probability of success. It also touches on the psychological tendency to justify one's social status and wealth by attributing them to personal qualities, which can lead to a more self-serving view of the world and a lack of generosity towards less fortunate individuals. The speaker shares personal anecdotes to illustrate the impact of luck and the importance of gratitude, suggesting that acknowledging one's fortunate circumstances can make one more likable and happier.

10:05
🎁 Giving Back to Increase Others' Luck

In this final paragraph, the speaker reflects on the importance of acknowledging the role of luck in one's success and the responsibility to use that success to improve the luck of others. The speaker shares a personal story of how he met his wife, highlighting the role of chance encounters in life. He then introduces a plan to increase the luck of others by offering a discount on his product, snatoms, with a portion of the sales going towards providing snatoms kits to those who cannot afford them. The speaker emphasizes the idea that believing in one's control over destiny while recognizing the role of luck is a paradoxical but effective approach to achieving and maintaining success. He encourages viewers to participate in his initiative to spread good fortune and concludes by expressing gratitude to his audience and the good luck that has come his way.

Mindmap
Keywords
💡Egocentric bias
Egocentric bias refers to the tendency of individuals to overestimate their own contributions and importance in a given situation. In the video, it is exemplified by the disparity between men's self-assessment of their homeschooling efforts and women's disagreement with that assessment. The concept is further illustrated by the overestimation of individual work contributions in academic papers and housework among couples, showing how people naturally lean towards crediting themselves more than others.
💡Housework
Housework refers to the tasks involved in managing and maintaining a household. In the context of the video, it is used to highlight the egocentric bias where individuals tend to overestimate the amount of housework they do. This is demonstrated by the fact that when people are asked about their housework contributions, the combined total often exceeds 100%, indicating a systematic overestimation of personal involvement in domestic chores.
💡Luck
Luck, as discussed in the video, refers to the role of chance or random events in influencing outcomes, particularly success. The speaker argues that while hard work and talent are essential, luck also plays a significant part in achieving success, as exemplified by the birth dates of professional hockey players and their increased likelihood of making it to the NHL. The video suggests that recognizing the role of luck can help level the playing field and foster a more equitable society.
💡Hockey players
Hockey players in the video serve as a compelling example of how luck, in the form of birth dates, can significantly impact career success. The fact that many top-tier hockey players are born in the first quarter of the year is attributed to the age-based competitive advantage they have over peers born later in the year. This early advantage compounds over time, illustrating how a fortunate event, such as being born at a particular time, can shape one's professional trajectory in sports.
💡Income distribution
Income distribution refers to the way income is divided among the individuals or households within a population. In the video, it is mentioned to highlight the significant impact of one's country of residence on their income and, by extension, their success. The example of Burundi underscores how being born in a country with a low gross national income per capita can limit one's earning potential, regardless of personal talent or work ethic.
💡Survivor bias
Survivor bias is a cognitive bias where attention is focused on the successful outcomes or survivors, while ignoring those who failed or did not survive. In the video, this concept is applied to successful individuals, particularly business leaders and politicians, who may overlook the role of luck in their success. They may incorrectly attribute their achievements to hard work and talent alone, leading to a distorted view of what truly drives success.
💡Gratitude
Gratitude is the feeling of appreciation and thankfulness for the positive aspects of life, including the role of luck and the help of others. The video emphasizes the importance of recognizing and being grateful for the fortunate events and circumstances that contribute to one's success. This not only aligns with reality but also fosters a more likable and generous persona, as demonstrated by the study where acknowledging luck made an entrepreneur more relatable and kind in the eyes of participants.
💡Snatoms
Snatoms is a molecular modeling kit invented by the speaker, designed to help visualize and understand molecular structures. The kit allows users to create various molecules by snapping atoms together magnetically. In the video, snatoms are used as an example of how the speaker aims to increase the luck of others by offering a discounted rate and donating kits to those who cannot afford them, thereby sharing his good fortune and promoting education in science.
💡Perception of control
Perception of control refers to an individual's belief in their ability to influence the outcome of events or their environment. In the video, it is suggested that believing in one's complete control over destiny is paradoxically important for success, despite the reality that factors beyond one's control, such as luck, also play a significant role. This belief can motivate individuals to work harder and persevere, while also acknowledging the complex interplay of skill, effort, and chance in achieving success.
💡Inequality
Inequality refers to the unequal distribution of resources, opportunities, or advantages among individuals or groups within a society. The video discusses how the failure to recognize the role of luck in success can perpetuate inequality, as those who are successful may attribute their position solely to their own efforts and abilities. This can lead to a lack of empathy and reduced willingness to contribute to societal structures that benefit everyone, including those less fortunate.
💡Charitable actions
Charitable actions encompass voluntary contributions of time, money, or resources to help those in need or support a cause. In the video, it is suggested that raising awareness of one's fortunate circumstances can increase feelings of gratitude and, in turn, prompt more charitable behavior. This is evidenced by the experiment where participants who acknowledged external factors in their success were more likely to donate to charity compared to those who focused on personal attributes.
Highlights

The concept of egocentric bias is introduced, where individuals tend to overestimate their own contributions and underestimate others'.

Researchers have found that authors of multi-author papers often claim to have contributed more than 100% of the work when asked individually.

Housework estimation by couples also tends to sum up to over 100%, reflecting the egocentric bias in everyday tasks.

People not only overestimate their work contributions but also believe they cause more problems, further exemplifying egocentric bias.

The speaker suggests that egocentric bias leads to an underestimation of external influences, such as luck, in our success.

Hockey players' birth dates show a disparity, with those born in the first quarter of the year being more likely to reach the NHL due to physical advantages at a young age.

The impact of being born in a prosperous country is highlighted, with half the variance in global income explained by one's country of residence.

The importance of acknowledging both skill and luck in achieving success is emphasized, using track and field world records as an example.

A simulation of NASA astronaut selection process shows the significant role of luck, even when skill is the primary factor.

The unawareness of our good luck is attributed to it being outside of our actions and control.

Ignoring the role of chance events might improve success probability since uncertainty can lead to less effort and lower expectations.

Believing in control over one's destiny can be a useful delusion for motivation, even though it's not entirely true.

The psychological tendency to justify one's societal position and accept inequality is discussed, using experiments with cookies as an example.

The distorted view of reality by successful individuals, who often fail to acknowledge the luck involved in their success, is highlighted.

Acknowledging fortunate circumstances aligns with reality and makes individuals more likable, according to a study on perceptions of success.

Raising awareness of fortunate events can lead to gratitude and increased happiness, as exemplified by the speaker's personal experiences.

The advice for success in a world that often overlooks luck involves a paradoxical belief in both self-determination and the role of luck.

The speaker announces a plan to increase the luck of others by giving away snatoms kits, demonstrating the practical application of acknowledging one's own good fortune.

Transcripts
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