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Researchers, led by Alexandro Pino, conducted a simulation to delve into the financial trajectories of virtual individuals, or agents, over a span of 40 years. These agents possessed varying degrees of skills, intelligence, and determination while facing random life events, both favorable and unfavorable. The sobering conclusion of their study was that, contrary to popular belief, the wealthiest agents were often those who were simply lucky, rather than the most skilled or intelligent ones.
This outcome challenges the conventional notion that success is solely a product of meritocracy—where talent and hard work naturally elevate individuals. Instead, randomness and luck played a crucial role in financial success, often outweighing skills and intelligence.