Pasteur on Good Luck

“Chance favors the prepared mind.” – Louis Pasteur

by

March 25, 2014

Get the Big Think newsletter on Substack

“Chance favors the prepared mind.” – Louis Pasteur

bigthinkeditor Full Profile

A grid of eight open magazines on display above text inviting viewers to join for access to classes, print issues, community, and more. A yellow “Join Today” button is below.

A middle-aged man with short gray hair and a receding hairline is smiling, wearing a dark t-shirt against a light blue background.

Productivity for Mortals

Oliver Burkeman

Author, “Meditations for Mortals”

A person with glasses and a bald head is looking slightly to the side, centered in a green-tinted square frame.

AI and the Future of Civilization

Yuval Noah Harari

Historian and Philosopher, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, and Best-Selling Author

Abstract geometric design featuring concentric circles, quartered background, and scattered solid and outlined dots in blue, green, and white hues.

The 6 Disciplines of Strategic Thinking

Michael Watkins

Professor of Leadership and Organizational Change, IMD Business School, and Author, “The Six Disciplines of Strategic Thinking”

A woman with long hair and glasses wearing a blazer, posed with her hand under her chin, looks at the camera. The photo is overlaid with a semi-transparent colored square.

Radical Respect at Work

Co-Founder, Radical Candor, and Author, Radical Respect: How to Work Together Better

A middle-aged bald man with light skin and blue eyes, wearing a dark crewneck shirt, looks directly at the camera against a plain background.

No-Nonsense Leadership

Founding Partner, Andreessen Horowitz and Author, The Hard Thing About Hard Things

An older man with short gray hair and glasses, wearing a blue striped shirt and a red sweater, is framed by an orange translucent square overlay.

A Primatologist’s Guide to Human Behavior

C.H. Candler Professor Emeritus at EMORY University, Atlanta, GA

A wall clock is combined with the silhouette of a snail against a textured blue and light blue background.

Slow Productivity

Computer Scientist and Author, Slow Productivity

Related Content

Starts With A Bang

Protected: Ask Ethan: Could evolving dark energy lead to a Big Crunch?

There is no excerpt because this is a protected post.

by Ethan Siegel

Starts With A Bang

Groupthink in science isn’t a problem; it’s a myth

Scientists are notoriously resistant to new ideas. Are they falling prey to groupthink? Or are our current theories just that successful?

by Ethan Siegel

solar system model

Mini Philosophy

If humans went extinct, could we re-evolve?

Maybe — just don't expect a carbon copy.

by Jonny Thomson

Six orange origami shapes on a light background, with hand-drawn arrows connecting them to illustrate a progression or transformation—evoking themes of change and even human extinction.

Resilience is overrated: Unlock the real secret to business longevity

Andrew Markell — philosopher, martial artist, and CEO advisor — argues that true endurance comes from desire, ritual, and learning to evolve through chaos.

by Eric Markowitz & Ethan Siegel

A collage featuring Andrew Markell thinking at a desk, a close-up of a handshake, and a person standing alone, overlaid with swirling red and green arrows.

Learn from the world's biggest thinkers.

© Copyright 2007-2026 & BIG THINK, BIG THINK PLUS, SMARTER FASTER trademarks owned by Freethink Media, Inc. All rights reserved.