Paul Graham and his partners invest in startup businesses.
He says, “We learned quickly that the most important
predictor of success is determination. At first we thought
intelligence. Everyone likes to believe that’s what makes startups
succeed. It makes a better story that a company ‘won’ because its
founders were so smart. The PR people and reporters who spread
such stories probably believe them themselves. But while it certainly
helps to be smart, it’s not the deciding factor. There are plenty
of people as smart as Bill Gates who achieve nothing.”