We often talk about success as if it’s purely a matter of intelligence, courage, or hard work. If you’re smart enough, brave enough, and willing to take risks, success should follow. But reality is far less fair, and far more dependent on timing.
One of the clearest examples of this I’ve seen is my stepdad. He was always steps ahead in business. Not slightly ahead, years ahead. In 2009, when most companies barely understood what artificial intelligence was, he was already working on AI-related ideas. Long before today’s “AI age,” before ChatGPT, before AI became a boardroom buzzword, he saw where the world was going. The market, the technology ecosystem, the investors, customers, and even other professionals weren’t ready.
Today, he works with open innovation, a management and business strategy that is still relatively unknown outside certain circles. Again, the idea is strong. Again, the timing is questionable. Open innovation has existed for years, yet many organizations still prefer closed systems, internal thinking, and familiar routines. Once more, he’s ahead, but not rewarded for it.
In business, success lives at the intersection of three things:
- a good idea
- the ability to execute
- and timing
Miss the third, and the first two may not matter.
You don’t just need to do the right things, you need to do them at the right time.