"Success always required more luck than we’re willing to admit, and different talents than we usually take pride in."
Very true. The importance of being in the right place, at the right time -- with the right attitude -- can't be overstated. Never having walked the gilded hallways above-the-line, I can only speak the truth as I learned it toiling in the trenches on set: If you know what you're doing, you'll get work ... but if you know what you're doing, are friendly, have a good sense of humor, and know when to speak up vs. when to STF up, you'll work a lot more.
"Do this for a few weeks and one of those people will hire you at a very high level and at a salary that you probably don’t deserve."
... Truer words were never spoken; and it was always thus
True story.
After sweating to death in his father's 50,000 sqft corrugated metal warehouse the prior summer, Tony decided that he would proactively find any other summer job in the summer of his 14th year. (Getting off his ass and proactively finding his own summer job so as to not work in his father's sweaty warehouse again was, I suspect, his father's entire point)
And that is how Tony found himself doing a summertime daily commute, from The burbs to Manhattan. Turns out Mr Sugar, Mr. Bonanni, and Mr Arledge, all caught the same train down to the city. And decided that Tony would make a good fourth for the morning bridge game down. And that having a kid fetch them beers in the evening poker game in the bar car of the train back home was more convenient than giving up their seat and walking back and forth to the bar car themselves.
When You're 14 years old talking to your friend's father's there's not a lot to say. And you don't want to appear to be an idiot. And you don't know very much. So you wind up talking about the only thing you do know very much about. Which back in the early '70s was computers. The Bell school had four terminals, in high school, Greeley had 8 terminals, all hooked up to the IBM Stretch 90 at Watson.
And when you're a 14-year-old boy and you do know what you're talking about, perhaps you talk about it too much.
" Hey Tony if you're so good at computers could you help with a problem I'm having down at the magazine." The others laughed. Tony foolishly said "Sure thing, Mr. Sugar".
And that's how Tony found himself working the autumn semester of his junior high school year for Ring Magazine ... Screwing around with an Apple ][ ... Trying to keep track of every boxing match reported to Ring Magazine which went back at least to 1902.
That experience led to some early computer jobs, which led to some early I-banking jobs, which led to some trading jobs, etc etc.
Great deal of luck. Tony's father could have moved from Brooklyn to any other Westchester suburb, and Tony never would have met those three gentlemen, and his life would have turned out completely different.
I rarely read comments on the WSJ pieces I write. But they tend to follow a pattern. The first few are about the article. Then the responders start to bicker among themselves. If they are made in the image of the Almighty we may be in serious trouble
One other thing to remember, though, about comments... It means people are reading. If I got a really negative comment my first reaction would probably be: "thanks for reading!"
The most succinct comments get the most "likes."
Excellent advice. Resume to follow. 😀
When my TV pilot gets made into a series and I'm a guest on all the podcasts and daily shows:
I'll read those idiot comments, and laugh. Because occasionally, once in a blue moon, someone will say something I can use.
"Success always required more luck than we’re willing to admit, and different talents than we usually take pride in."
Very true. The importance of being in the right place, at the right time -- with the right attitude -- can't be overstated. Never having walked the gilded hallways above-the-line, I can only speak the truth as I learned it toiling in the trenches on set: If you know what you're doing, you'll get work ... but if you know what you're doing, are friendly, have a good sense of humor, and know when to speak up vs. when to STF up, you'll work a lot more.
"Do this for a few weeks and one of those people will hire you at a very high level and at a salary that you probably don’t deserve."
... Truer words were never spoken; and it was always thus
True story.
After sweating to death in his father's 50,000 sqft corrugated metal warehouse the prior summer, Tony decided that he would proactively find any other summer job in the summer of his 14th year. (Getting off his ass and proactively finding his own summer job so as to not work in his father's sweaty warehouse again was, I suspect, his father's entire point)
And that is how Tony found himself doing a summertime daily commute, from The burbs to Manhattan. Turns out Mr Sugar, Mr. Bonanni, and Mr Arledge, all caught the same train down to the city. And decided that Tony would make a good fourth for the morning bridge game down. And that having a kid fetch them beers in the evening poker game in the bar car of the train back home was more convenient than giving up their seat and walking back and forth to the bar car themselves.
When You're 14 years old talking to your friend's father's there's not a lot to say. And you don't want to appear to be an idiot. And you don't know very much. So you wind up talking about the only thing you do know very much about. Which back in the early '70s was computers. The Bell school had four terminals, in high school, Greeley had 8 terminals, all hooked up to the IBM Stretch 90 at Watson.
And when you're a 14-year-old boy and you do know what you're talking about, perhaps you talk about it too much.
" Hey Tony if you're so good at computers could you help with a problem I'm having down at the magazine." The others laughed. Tony foolishly said "Sure thing, Mr. Sugar".
And that's how Tony found himself working the autumn semester of his junior high school year for Ring Magazine ... Screwing around with an Apple ][ ... Trying to keep track of every boxing match reported to Ring Magazine which went back at least to 1902.
That experience led to some early computer jobs, which led to some early I-banking jobs, which led to some trading jobs, etc etc.
Great deal of luck. Tony's father could have moved from Brooklyn to any other Westchester suburb, and Tony never would have met those three gentlemen, and his life would have turned out completely different.
So here’s my advice: instead of writing petty, anonymous comments on a website, write positive and complimentary ones using your real name.
Well said! Karma, Grace, Self-fulfilling prophecy, Forgiveness Serendipity = Search for the positive. Real name = Being accountable.
I rarely read comments on the WSJ pieces I write. But they tend to follow a pattern. The first few are about the article. Then the responders start to bicker among themselves. If they are made in the image of the Almighty we may be in serious trouble
Hmm... Funny thing about a fallen world. Made in the image, yet...
Great column, especially today when there are so many sour pusses complaining about Musk becoming a trillionaire.
Love it, Rob, as always. -Ryan
One other thing to remember, though, about comments... It means people are reading. If I got a really negative comment my first reaction would probably be: "thanks for reading!"