Recently, actor Michael Keaton was featured on CBS Sunday Morning. At the end when discussing his success he said, “The key has been my good fortune.”

There’s something to be said for good fortune or good luck. There is little doubt that either can play a role in one’s journey toward success.

Good fortune is often the result of good decisions, one of which is surrounding yourself with good people.

When asked what’s been their key to their success, people in leadership positions will often say that the key has been their ability to hire good people.

Of course there’s some truth to that once you have “arrived,” but to “get there” you have to have the good fortune of deciding who you are going to associate with. Who will be in your circle of influence?

Sometimes it’s the good fortune of where you decide to go to work and who you decide to work for. Sometimes it’s the good fortune of leaving a group of people who aren’t smart enough to let you have a seat at the table and who aren’t feeding you the skills you need for success.

Your good fortune is really all about you. Who you choose to be around? Who you choose to influence you?

I’ve had great good fortune to be influenced by some really great people. It could have been just the opposite.

I could have created my own bad fortune by allowing myself to be around bad people. Good fortune starts with you. That’s all I’m gonna say, Tommy Gibbs