The two most important requirements for major success are:

“The two most important requirements for major success are: first, being in the right place at the right time, and second, doing something about it.” Thus declared Ray Kroc, the man who transformed a small hamburger stand into the mighty empire of McDonald’s. His words ring not merely with the wisdom of commerce, but with the ancient truth that fate and effort walk hand in hand. For it is not enough for fortune to present an opportunity; nor is it enough to labor blindly without occasion. True success is born when destiny opens the door and courage steps through.

The origin of this saying lies in the union of chance and will. Many speak of luck, as though success were a gift that falls like rain upon the undeserving. Others speak only of labor, as though effort alone could carve mountains. Kroc, with the clarity of one who lived the struggle, reminds us that both are required. To be in the right place at the right time is the gift of circumstance—but to seize that moment, to act with boldness, to shape it into triumph—that is the task of human will.

History resounds with such examples. Consider the tale of Christopher Columbus, who sailed westward into an unknown sea. He lived in an age hungry for trade and discovery, an age of monarchs eager to expand their dominions. Columbus was indeed in the right place at the right time, for his voyage aligned with the rising ambitions of Spain. Yet had he not acted, had he not crossed the ocean with daring, the opportunity would have been lost. His courage transformed chance into history.

Another tale shines forth in the life of Alexander Graham Bell. In a time when men sought faster communication, he stood at the threshold of invention. Others, too, dreamed of harnessing the voice across wires, yet it was Bell who not only conceived but built, tested, and acted. Thus the telephone was born, and the world was remade. Here again, fortune prepared the soil, but the harvest was reaped by action. The moment opened, and Bell moved without hesitation.

But there are also countless souls who stood in the right place, at the right time, and did nothing. They watched the door of opportunity open, but failed to step through. Their names are lost to history, for history remembers not those who saw the chance, but those who seized it. In this we hear Kroc’s deeper warning: the moment may come but once, and to delay is to let it vanish like smoke.

The lesson for us is clear: we must train ourselves to recognize opportunity when it comes, and we must prepare our hearts with the courage to act. For the world is full of doors, but few walk through them. Fortune alone cannot carry you; effort alone cannot win without the tide of time. Yet together—chance and action—become the twin pillars of greatness.

Therefore, let each one live with vigilance. Watch for the moments when life whispers, “Now.” Do not linger, do not hesitate, but move boldly. Prepare yourself with knowledge, with discipline, with strength, so that when the right time and place arrive, you will be ready. And when readiness meets opportunity, when courage answers fortune’s call, then major success is not a distant dream but a living reality.

So let the words of Ray Kroc echo within you: “The two most important requirements for major success are: first, being in the right place at the right time, and second, doing something about it.” Remember, chance may open the gate, but only action marches through. Be vigilant, be prepared, and be courageous—for when destiny comes knocking, it will not wait long.