# In the Water By:: [[Lori Zieg]] 2023-06-08 A leaf making its way down a stream may have the luck of getting pulled along in a rapid, propelling it hurriedly down the stream. Half an hour later, another leaf making its way down the same stream may have the misfortune of getting stuck in an eddy, left to spin seemingly endlessly in the same spot. People can have the same luck or misfortune. One can prepare to the best of their ability. A plan can be made. Useful skills can be learned. Key connections can be made. Still, one’s success relies partially on the chance of timing. One person who enters an environment during a boom may have a vastly different trajectory than another person with the same skillset who enters the same environment during a recession. It’s important to recognize the factors affecting any situation and distinguish between which factors are inside someone’s control and which are outside of their control. #### Related Items [[Luck]] [[Time]] [[Control]] [[Work]] [[Stoicism]]