You know, “The meeting of preparation with opportunity” isn’t just a nice phrase. It’s the real secret to creating your own luck, and it’s something I’ve seen play out time and again in my career. It completely reframes how you should approach your goals.
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Meaning
At its core, this quote means that luck isn’t a random force. It’s a direct result—an “offspring”—that’s born when your readiness intersects with a chance to act.
Explanation
Let me break this down for you. For years, I used to think some people were just born lucky. But then you start to see the pattern. The “preparation” part is the grind—the late nights, the skills you build when no one’s watching, the relentless learning. The “opportunity” is the moment the market shifts, a project opens up, or a key conversation happens. Most people are waiting for the opportunity, hoping they’ll be ready. The people who win? They’re so prepared that they create the opportunity, or they’re the only ones even able to see it. When those two forces finally meet? Boom. That’s the luck everyone else marvels at. It looks like a sudden break, but it’s actually a long, quiet process that just became visible.
Quote Summary
| Context | Attributes |
|---|---|
| Original Language | English (3668) |
| Category | Success (341) |
| Topics | luck (5), opportunity (17), preparation (15) |
| Literary Style | aphoristic (181), witty (99) |
| Emotion / Mood | realistic (354) |
| Overall Quote Score | 85 (305) |
Origin & Factcheck
This is straight from Tony Robbins’ 1994 book, Giant Steps. It’s a common idea, often misattributed to Seneca or other philosophers, but this specific, elegant phrasing is all Tony. He has a real gift for packaging timeless principles in a way that just clicks.
Attribution Summary
| Context | Attributes |
|---|---|
| Author | Tony Robbins (102) |
| Source Type | Book (4032) |
| Source/Book Name | Giant Steps: Small Changes to Make a Big Difference (26) |
| Origin Timeperiod | Contemporary (1615) |
| Original Language | English (3668) |
| Authenticity | Verified (4032) |
Author Bio
Born Anthony J. Mahavoric in 1960, Tony Robbins rose from a challenging childhood to become a leading voice in personal development. He started as Jim Rohn’s assistant, then built Robbins Research International and created globally attended seminars such as Unleash the Power Within and Date With Destiny. The Tony Robbins book list spans self-help, business, finance, and health, with several No. 1 bestsellers. He co-authored finance works with Peter Mallouk and a longevity guide with Peter H. Diamandis and Robert Hariri. Robbins’ foundation supports youth, prison, and hunger-relief programs.
| Official Website | Facebook | X| Instagram | YouTube
Where is this quotation located?
| Quotation | The meeting of preparation with opportunity generates the offspring we call luck |
| Book Details | Publication Year/Date: 1994; ISBN/Unique Identifier: 978-0-7432-2787-8; Last edition: Simon & Schuster, 2001; Number of pages: 416 |
| Where is it? | Day 32 Reflection: Creating Luck, Approximate page from 2001 edition |