The Dark Side of ‘Preparation Meets Opportunity’

The adage “Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity” is everywhere. I’ve seen it on classroom posters, heard it in corporate workshops, and read it in many self-help books. This phrase has bothered me for years. It’s one of those “truthy” statements that feels profound until you pull at the threads. The quote is widely attributed to the Roman Stoic philosopher Seneca. Well, sorry…