The Drunkard's Walk

I just finished reading "The Drunkard's Walk" by Leonard Mlodinow. A well-written book; however, non-math lovers may not appreciate it for its emphasis on math technicalities. The author dedicated most pages to probability theory, using it as a tool in explaining the role of randomness in our lives.

Some of the quotes from the last chapter of the book:

Always keep in mind the other term in the equation - the role of chance.

Since chance does play a role, one important factor in success is under our control: the number of at bats, the number of chances taken, the number of opportunities seized.

It is no tragedy to think of the most successful people in any field as superheroes, but it is a tragedy when a belief in the judgement of experts or the marketplace rather than a belief in ourselves causes us to give up.