"I feel that luck is preparation meeting opportunity"
About this Quote
The phrasing matters. “I feel” softens what is essentially a hard-edged ethic. It reads like personal reflection, not a sermon, which is part of Oprah’s long-running cultural skill: delivering discipline as reassurance. “Preparation meeting opportunity” is almost business-speak, but the word “meeting” gives it a human charge. It suggests a rendezvous, a moment you can miss if you’re late or unready. That subtext is both empowering and subtly demanding: if you didn’t get the break, the question becomes whether you were prepared - which can motivate, but also risks sounding like a tidy answer to structural inequality.
In the context of American hustle mythology, Oprah reframes luck as something you can manufacture without claiming total control. Opportunity still has to show up; preparation can’t conjure it. That balance is key to her brand: optimism with a spine. The quote comforts audiences who want agency, and it protects her legacy from being dismissed as mere serendipity. It’s a mantra that converts admiration into a to-do list.
Quote Details
| Topic | Motivational |
|---|---|
| Source | Help us find the source |
| Cite |
Citation Formats
APA Style (7th ed.)
Winfrey, Oprah. (2026, January 18). I feel that luck is preparation meeting opportunity. FixQuotes. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/i-feel-that-luck-is-preparation-meeting-1136/
Chicago Style
Winfrey, Oprah. "I feel that luck is preparation meeting opportunity." FixQuotes. January 18, 2026. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/i-feel-that-luck-is-preparation-meeting-1136/.
MLA Style (9th ed.)
"I feel that luck is preparation meeting opportunity." FixQuotes, 18 Jan. 2026, https://fixquotes.com/quotes/i-feel-that-luck-is-preparation-meeting-1136/. Accessed 12 Feb. 2026.










