Skill or Luck?
Greetings,
“You're the average of the five people you spend the most time with.”
This quote is attributed most often to motivational speaker Jim Rohn.
So I try to hang out in groups of highly skilled people. My selfish objective is to get better by learning through osmosis. Yes it does work, though not as swiftly as I would like. Most of the time, I end up admiring the success others have achieved and then rue my own poor luck.
Over time though, I have come to realize that we are all lucky. Luck does not have to mean succeeding in a venture. It could be as simple as being alive in this era.
If someone forwarded you this newsletter, please thank them on my behalf! Welcome to Newsletter # 33.
Thoughts that crossed my mind, while I was reading…
Best Story Wins by Morgan Housel
For every viewer witnessing an event, there is a unique view available. It is not that they are making up an imaginary version. Their opinion basically focusses on what they saw.
What they see is what they deem important. It also depends on how and where they see the event.
For example, when a magician performs, some will tell you about the impressive sleight of hand. Some will talk about the cool misdirection. Others might discuss the reaction of a surprised crowd.
Each of those are facts. But people focus more on what they feel is really important to them.
So when someone narrates their version, even if you are aware of the event, listen to them.
You will get to know more about their view. More than that, you will get to know them better by knowing what is important to them.
Planes are always fun to talk about. But the recent pictures which flashed across the screens, when a Boeing 777 jetliner suffered an uncontained engine failure, were alarming.
My friend, Hiroyuki, was a Captain on the Boeing 747 for All Nippon Airways when he retired. Boeing 747 engines are large, but these days engines are larger and produce even greater thrust. It goes without saying, the more thrust an engine produces, the more sophisticated the engineering.
Aircraft engines have always been designed in a manner where every failure must remain contained. Making sure the failed components and the debris does not escape the engine casing helps protect the rest of the airplane and allows its occupants return to a safe landing.
Despite this design intent, we now observe that these uncontained failures are not just one-off events. The amazing thing though, is that in all recent 'uncontained engine failure' incidents, there have been no lives lost.
Come to think of it, just like a very intricately engineered aircraft engine, life has many moving parts. Even a single component failure could cause a catastrophic outcome.
Hiroyuki shared this picture of a Boeing 777 pushing back from its gate. Compare the size of the engines to the wing walkers. Engines are huge!
And for good measure, from my collection, pictured at Bangkok airport an Airbus 380. Again comparing an average human size to aircraft engines makes us appreciate the monstrosity that these power plants are.
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Stay well and see you next week.
Evian
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