The Shocking 4-Letter Word Mark Cuban Uttered on the Set of Shark Tank Is there really a part of high-level success that's totally out of our control?
By Julie 'Juju' Christopher Edited by Heather Wilkerson
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
The past year has taught us that life can change in the blink of an eye and that sometimes, that change is totally out of our control. While control is something we'd all like to have, or at least say we do, plenty of high-level business successes are flipping the script and putting the truth out there for everyone to know. Though we cannot discount business acumen and consistent hard work, perhaps there is something more to the formula for success than what meets the eye.
L-U-C-K
Mark Cuban has been known to say, on more than one occasion, that luck is what leads to some success in business — especially when we're talking billions and beyond. "To make billions, you have to get lucky. There has to be something that goes really right for you," Cuban told me during my last visit to the set of Shark Tank.
Much like in all of life, there is an unseen world of Biztuition (business intuition), energy, and even spirituality that have been considered too taboo to associate with business — that is, until now. Nothing sounds more "out there" than for a leader to be strong and confident enough to say, "Yes, I worked hard, but the universe also worked with me."
Related: The Secret of Entrepreneurial "Luck' In 3 Simple Steps
Take it from an expert
Cuban, who became a billionaire in 1999 after selling Broadcast.com to Yahoo, has been around the business block and has witnessed business failures and successes time and time again. His experiences have swayed how he feels about who makes it and who doesn't in the sometimes cutthroat world of entrepreneurship.
The meaning of life
When Twitter followers asked Cuban the meaning of life in four words, his response brought luck back into the limelight again. "Life is half random," Cuban answered. So if we determine that success is part hard work and part luck, how do we use this formula to get there?
Well, if you're Cuban, you over-prepare so that when there is an opportunity for luck to strike, you're prepared to advance on it. I love this concept of showing up and being in the right place so that if there is an opportunity to attract more success, you can see it and take advantage of it.
Overpreparation is one way to get there and alignment is another. Purpose became such a buzzword over the last decade, but what we should be talking about is alignment with a bigger "why." When we are showing up for this bigger "why," what we call "luck" does, too.
Related: Prepare Yourself for Entrepreneurship
Strategies for success
As Shark Tank continues its 11th season this year, I can't help but wonder what we'll see more of. Recently, we've seen more social enterprise, more inclusion, and more female founders. Can we expect the deals the sharks make in 2021 to continue to reflect this?
I sure hope so.
When I speak about business intuition, part of what I talk about is consciously making decisions that are sustainable and good for the collective whole. I have to believe if an entrepreneur is doing this and working hard, Cuban is right — luck will definitely find them.
