Lee,

As I have said before, you are a very good writer and comment on topics of great relevance. I think your points are well made in the subject article but my take on things is slightly different.

First, your observations / conclusions are a bit Gladwellian, that is, I’m not sure the effect is directly related to the cause or is for the reasons you describe. I think a lot of people “invest with no guarantee of a return.” Anyone who buys a lottery ticket is really doing that. That doesn’t really make them “Elite,” as you call them.

I think that your description of how you got your miracle job evidences your dedication to a task and your tenacity, as much as ROI thinking. You are a fairly prolific writer. You clearly have the drive to accomplish things but I am guessing that you expect an ROI and / or you really get value out of the effort itself.

In so many areas, the tenacious, dedicated, obsessed person has the better odds of success. You did what you had to do to get that job!! You changed the odds with what you did and how you proceeded. This is what YOU did, elite vel non!! You narrowed the odds by your efforts.

“Chance favors the prepared mind and those prepared to take a chance.” Pasteur

The online dating world is a mess. It is driven by the laws of supply and demand, among other things. In a densely populated area, the number of contacts go up dramatically, just by virtue of the volume of users in the relevant market.

Consider also that the squeaky wheel usually gets the grease. If you continue to contact someone repeatedly online (within reason), you increase the likelihood of getting attention and a response (or maybe a block 😉).

I don’t know how many times I have responded to someone just because of their dogged efforts. I was impressed that they were so committed to getting my attention, and so I gave them mine.

In my business, I have pulled out a number of miracles (I so call such results with less than a 10% likelihood of success) but it was mostly due to an assiduous effort towards an end, not really from a talent or intellect of mine.

My point, I guess, is that your suggestions make a lot of sense but maybe for reasons other than or in addition to the reasons you propose.

Love your writing – keep raising these timely issues!!