Duolingo co-founder and CEO Luis von Ahn has joined a growing chorus of successful entrepreneurs who believe that how people think about luck can significantly impact their achievements. Von Ahn recently shared his perspective that changing one’s mindset around luck can lead to greater success, a view that aligns with both academic research and the philosophy famously espoused by Apple founder Steve Jobs.
The Guatemala-born entrepreneur, whose language-learning platform serves over 500 million users worldwide, suggests that luck isn’t merely a random force but something that can be influenced by one’s approach and perspective. This viewpoint mirrors Jobs’ famous Stanford commencement address where he emphasized the importance of trusting that life’s random dots would somehow connect in the future.
The Science Behind Luck Perception
Von Ahn’s statement reflects findings from psychological research that has examined how perception of luck correlates with success. Studies have shown that people who consider themselves “lucky” often display behaviors that create more opportunities, including:
- Greater openness to new experiences
- Stronger networking tendencies
- Increased persistence after setbacks
- Higher levels of optimism
Research from psychologist Richard Wiseman, who has studied luck perception for decades, found that people who believe they are lucky tend to notice more opportunities, make more positive decisions from those opportunities, and maintain more positive expectations about outcomes.
From Academia to Business Success
Von Ahn’s perspective carries particular weight given his track record of success. Before Duolingo, he created CAPTCHA and reCAPTCHA, which were acquired by Google. His academic background as a computer science professor at Carnegie Mellon University brings a research-oriented approach to his business philosophy.
“What von Ahn is suggesting aligns with growth mindset theory,” explains Dr. Sarah Martinez, organizational psychologist at Stanford University. “When people believe they can influence outcomes rather than being passive recipients of fate, they take more actions that lead to success.”
This perspective doesn’t dismiss the role of random chance or privilege in success. Rather, it suggests that how individuals interpret and respond to events—both fortunate and unfortunate—can significantly shape their paths.
Practical Applications
Business coaches and career advisors have long recommended specific practices to “create luck,” which align with von Ahn’s suggestion:
“Expanding your network, pursuing diverse interests, and maintaining optimism in the face of setbacks all increase the surface area for luck to strike,” says career strategist Michael Thompson. “It’s not about magical thinking—it’s about positioning yourself to recognize and act on opportunities.”
Von Ahn’s own career demonstrates this approach. His willingness to pivot from academic research to entrepreneurship opened doors that might have remained closed had he maintained a more rigid career path.
The connection to Steve Jobs is particularly notable. Jobs famously told Stanford graduates: “You can’t connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backward. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future.”
For aspiring entrepreneurs and professionals, von Ahn’s advice offers a practical framework: rather than viewing luck as an external force beyond control, consider it something that can be influenced through mindset, behavior, and perspective. This shift in thinking might be the first step toward creating the conditions where success becomes more likely.
