Preparing for Success: What Makes People Succeed

This mini-monograph supplements the author’s “Beyond Competence,” which is also posted on this site. The latter asks how training is accomplished. But training success is ultimately judged by one’s success at the trained-for tasks. This leads to asking: “What makes people succeed at their tasks?” If this could be known, then preparation could be more effective. Such influences as training, talent, chance, and discipline are considered. Yet, for goals requiring creativity, decision making, or moral judgment, we find that training alone cannot ensure success. In its elaboration on the issues for success, the discussion expands on the Thought Experiment, begun in “Beyond Competence,” based on Bernard Suits’ analyses of playing games.