We know many people who are regarded as successful because of their financial achievements and ability to create wealth. Across various media, we repeatedly read and hear about their creativity, hard work, profound insight and ability to recognise opportunities.

They are also credited with an array of personal, managerial and even spiritual qualities—so much so that they are gradually portrayed as exceptional and almost unattainable figures.

Short, instructive quotations are frequently attributed to them, some so remarkable that their authors appear to be playing in an entirely different league.

From my teenage years onward, whenever I found a book or article about the lives of such successful individuals, I read it eagerly. These stories usually left me feeling inspired. As I read about their behaviour, decisions and responses to challenges, I sometimes saw a reflection of myself in their stories. Deep down, I felt certain that a similar path and future awaited me.

Years passed, and the scope of my social and business activities gradually expanded. I considered myself reasonably creative. I worked day and night, possessed considerable endurance, was willing to take risks and felt an intense desire to succeed.

Together, these qualities created a promising outlook and suggested that financial and professional success was within reach.

Reality, however, gradually revealed a different face.

Although I was generally satisfied with my own performance, I could not see the expected relationship between the effort I invested and the results I achieved. Numerous obstacles appeared along the way—not primarily because of negligence or a lack of effort on my part, but because of external and environmental factors. These were forces beyond my control that could significantly reduce the effectiveness of my personal efforts.

They began with human relationships involving employees, colleagues and business partners, and extended to a broad range of economic variables, laws, social conditions, political developments and even geographical circumstances. Each of these factors had the potential, on its own, to destroy all my dreams.

Experience taught me that the reality of success is far more complex than the repetitive ideas we hear in motivational speeches—narratives that tend to attribute success entirely to determination, perseverance and having started from “zero” or even “below zero.”

Perseverance, creativity, discipline, risk-taking and resilience are undoubtedly essential, but they do not tell the whole story of success.

Later, by closely observing many people who inherently possessed these qualities, I came to realise that almost all of them had the potential to become successful, wealth-creating entrepreneurs. Why, then, do more than 90 to 95 per cent of them never find the path to their highest aspirations?

My conclusion, drawn from experience, is that all the qualities commonly associated with a successful entrepreneur can only be fully expressed within a particular environment—one shaped by at least three fundamental elements:

Time, place and choice.

The first two—time and place—are largely beyond our direct control. The third, however—choice—lies more than the others within the sphere of our responsibility and influence.

Time

By “time,” I mean the answer to this question:

Is the timing of the arrival and emergence of an individual, entrepreneur or idea aligned with the conditions required for success?

“Arrival” refers to the period in which a person is born, grows, receives an education and becomes prepared to create or implement an idea.

“Emergence” refers to the moment when that idea, product or service is introduced to society.

An idea may be highly creative, yet society may not be ready to accept it. The market may feel no need for it, social beliefs may conflict with it, or the competitive environment may be so powerful that the new idea has little opportunity to grow.

Conversely, an idea may be introduced at precisely the moment when society urgently needs it, no effective competitor is present and social and economic conditions are favourable. In such circumstances, timing can become one of the most important foundations of success.

Place

By “place,” I am not referring merely to a point on the map. I also mean the social, cultural, political and economic background of the environment in which a person lives, as well as the family circumstances in which that person was raised.

The country in which someone is born and grows up—its level of economic stability, laws, educational opportunities and access to capital—can profoundly affect that person’s journey.

Likewise, a family that provides knowledge, experience, emotional support, social connections or financial backing may offer opportunities that another person, with the same degree of intelligence and effort, may never receive.

If something called “luck” plays a role in human success, it is perhaps most clearly manifested through these two elements: time and place.

Choice

The third element—and the central subject of this article—is choice. More than time and place, choice lies within our influence and control.

The quality of our present lives and the future awaiting many of us are shaped by choices we have made, consciously or unconsciously.

Our choice of education, career, spouse, business partner, place of residence, business strategy, target market, business location, equipment, technology and the people with whom we work can all change the direction of our future.

The ability to choose is one of the most valuable human capabilities. Yet history and experience show that we have not always used it wisely.

The right choice generally leads to greater productivity, deeper satisfaction and less waste. A poor choice, by contrast, can consume a substantial share of our capital, time and energy—even if every subsequent step is carried out with considerable effort and care.

Put simply, many failures do not occur during execution. They take shape before the work even begins, at the point of choice.

Our choices, however, are not always completely free, independent or fully informed. Numerous factors can alter their direction and divert them from our original intentions and objectives.

Once again, I cannot say with certainty that every involuntary change works against us. We may have made an uninformed choice, and external pressure to change direction could ultimately serve our best interests.

However, I am confident that when a choice has been made carefully and on sound principles, forcing it off course can resemble diverting a river from its natural path—a river that may eventually disappear into the sand or become trapped in a stagnant swamp. In the same way, diverting a sound choice can lead to failure and lasting regret.

The known forces capable of influencing or undermining our choices can be divided into two broad categories:

1st Social barriers

2nd Personal barriers

Social Barriers

Some of the forces that deprive us of authentic and informed choices are social in nature. Under such circumstances, society or our surrounding environment makes decisions on our behalf and imposes the outcome as an unavoidable choice.

The reality is that the lives and destinies of many people have been shaped by the choices of others. Only a limited proportion have been able to determine their own path independently.

Family, tribe, traditions, culture, religion, social conditions and even governments can predetermine how people live and what their futures will look like.

After living under such conditions for many years, some people come to regard their existing circumstances as an unchangeable destiny. Even if they later gain the freedom to choose independently, they may no longer find within themselves the desire or ability to change direction.

Imposed choices can be observed in many areas of life. Even the starting point of many entrepreneurs is shaped by their family’s profession, resources or economic position.

Some continue the family business without making fundamental changes. Others reform its traditional structures and create a newer, more efficient version of their parents’ occupation.

Continuing a family profession is not necessarily negative. Extensive experience, knowledge of the market, mastery of techniques, professional relationships and an understanding of the social dynamics of a particular business can create greater security and provide a valuable competitive advantage.

My purpose in raising this issue is not to reject the choices made by earlier generations. It is simply to remind us that even decisions we consider personal may be rooted in choices that others made long before us.

Personal Barriers

Another group of barriers relates directly to how we make decisions. Unlike many social barriers, these obstacles are largely within our control.

The most important are:

1. A Limited Range of Options

The first requirement for sound decision-making is access to a sufficient and diverse range of options.

When only one or two possibilities are available, what we are doing may not truly be “choosing.” Sometimes, we are merely accepting one of a small number of limited possibilities.

Before making any important decision, therefore, we should expand the range of available options as far as reasonably possible.

2. Time Constraints and Hasty Decisions

Rushing a decision deprives us of the opportunity to examine the available options carefully and reduces the quality of our choice.

The more important and consequential a decision is, the more time should be devoted to understanding the options, comparing them and anticipating their likely outcomes.

Making a quick decision is not always a sign of decisiveness. Sometimes, it is the result of inadequate preparation, external pressure or an unwillingness to conduct proper research.

3. Insufficient Information

Without reliable information, meaningful comparison between options is impossible.

If we lack sufficient knowledge about the background, capabilities, limitations and likely performance of each option, our decision will be based less on analysis and more on assumptions, impressions or unsupported preconceptions.

4. Choosing the Wrong Criteria

Assessing the future performance of any option requires us first to select appropriate criteria and then to evaluate and compare the alternatives against those criteria.

If the criteria are incomplete, invalid or impossible to measure, even accurate information will not lead us to the correct conclusion.

The good news, however, is that a significant proportion of the personal barriers to sound choice can be controlled.

We need to take the initial choice in every social or economic undertaking seriously. We should regard research as an integral part of investment, develop a comprehensive plan for evaluating our options, allocate sufficient time to the process and avoid unreasonable cost-cutting when professional assessment is required.

The right choice does not guarantee complete success. Time, place and many environmental conditions remain beyond our control. Nevertheless, an informed choice increases the likelihood of success and minimises the losses caused by poor decisions.

When the right choice is combined with capable execution, we can take satisfaction in that part of success produced by our own decisions and efforts.

And when the right choice and strong performance are also accompanied by the right time and place, we may finally hear the starting whistle for our own game—in a higher division, or perhaps an entirely different league.

Gholamreza Reihani Bozorg
18 September 2026