remember, it's all luck

Thanks to the wonder of social media, I stumbled across a commencement address given by some guy named Tim Minchin---I don't really even know who he is but maybe that made watching the video even better. I rarely watch videos on Facebook. So, the secret is out. I probably just liked your video because I like you not because I thought the content was somehow outstanding. But anyway, this guy gave these graduates 9 life lessons---all of which were good, but one which struck a particular chord.

Remember, it's all luck. You are lucky to be here. You were incalculably lucky to be born, and incredibly lucky to be brought up by a nice family that helped you get educated and encouraged you to go to Uni ... Understanding that you can’t truly take credit for your successes, nor truly blame others for their failures will humble you and make you more compassionate.

With what little I've learned about the circumstances of my adoption, I am incredibly lucky to be here. It wasn't just the luck of being born. It was the luck of being found after being abandoned. It was the luck of being chosen by "a nice family that helped [me] get educated and encouraged [me]" and continues to support me at every stage in my life." It was the luck of being surrounded by coaches, teachers, parents of friends, and other mentors who invested their time and energy in my future.

You can study. You can train. You can work hard. You can do all the right things. But success is never guaranteed and should not be taken for granted. Because without a little bit of luck, it all could be profoundly different. Many of the good things in my life can be attributed to being in the right place at the right time. Of course, this doesn't diminish the fact that I have put in some long hours studying, working, and networking so that when the "right" time appeared and I could be appropriately positioned to take full advantage. But nothing is ever certain.

I fully intend to set the Js up for success in whatever way I can. It is my job. But it is also their luck that I subscribe to the school of thought that it is my job. I hope they are wildly successful in life and that all their hopes and wishes that they talk to me about before they fall asleep at night come true. More than that, I hope that with that success comes humility, vulnerability, and compassion. I want them to be the kind of people that wish to bestow their luck onto not only their children, but others as well. Because we all could use a little luck.

If you want to watch the whole address, it's here. It's equal parts wisdom and hilarity, which is kind of my thing.

And a gratuitous photo of these two lucky goofballs for good measure.