Mark Cuban Said Billionaires Who Claim They Could Do It All Again Are 'Lying Their A** Off' — You've Got To Have 'Luck And Timing' To Get Rich

Mark Cuban Said Billionaires Who Claim They Could Do It All Again Are 'Lying Their A Off' — You've Got To Have 'Luck And Timing' To Get Rich**

By Steven Orlowski, CFP, CNPR

In a world where billionaire success stories are often treated as blueprints for wealth, Mark Cuban—entrepreneur, investor, and owner of the Dallas Mavericks—has a different take: the myth of the self-made billionaire is just that—a myth.

During a recent interview, Cuban cut through the noise of hustle culture and entrepreneurial bravado, delivering a dose of reality: “Any billionaire who tells you they could do it all over again and get the same result is lying their a off,”** he said. “You’ve got to have luck. You’ve got to have timing. You’ve got to be in the right place.”

The Billionaire Reality Check

Cuban's remarks strike at the heart of a growing skepticism around the idea that wealth is purely the result of grit and grind. While hard work and intelligence undeniably play a role, Cuban emphasizes that factors outside of one's control—serendipity, timing, and being in the right market at the right moment—are just as critical.

His point isn’t to discredit the effort entrepreneurs put in, but to add nuance to the conversation. Too often, those at the top paint a simplistic picture: follow your passion, work 100-hour weeks, never give up—and you too can own a sports team and a private island. But Cuban is calling BS on that narrative.

Cuban’s Own Story: A Mix of Hustle and Happenstance

Mark Cuban himself is a prime example of success meeting opportunity. After selling his first company, MicroSolutions, for $6 million, he hit the jackpot with the $5.7 billion sale of Broadcast.com to Yahoo during the dot-com boom—a deal many now consider wildly overvalued in hindsight.

Was he smart? Absolutely. Was he lucky? He’ll be the first to admit it.

“I worked hard, but I also got lucky,” Cuban has said in the past. “The timing of the internet boom was everything. If I started that company five years later, it might’ve gone nowhere.”

Why This Matters

Cuban’s comments are more than just a billionaire being candid—they’re a public service. They serve as a counterweight to the toxic myth that success is entirely meritocratic. That myth can lead people to beat themselves up for not "making it" despite working just as hard as the next person. It also fosters unrealistic expectations and a warped sense of personal failure.

The reality is, not everyone will be a billionaire—not because they didn’t hustle hard enough, but because not everyone gets the golden ticket of timing and luck.

Leveling the Playing Field

Cuban isn’t just about pointing out the problems—he’s also focused on solutions. He’s invested in affordable healthcare through Cost Plus Drugs and regularly supports entrepreneurs on Shark Tank. His actions show a belief in giving others a shot, especially those who might not have been dealt the winning hand at the start.

His message to aspiring entrepreneurs is clear: “Do your best. Work hard. Take your shot. But don’t let anyone tell you success is just a formula you can plug in. It’s never that simple.”

Final Thoughts

Mark Cuban's candor is a breath of fresh air in a sea of self-congratulatory billionaire lore. By acknowledging the role of luck and timing, he reminds us that humility belongs in every success story. And for the rest of us—grinding, dreaming, building—it’s okay to recognize that even the best plans need a little help from the universe.

Because even for a shark, sometimes the tide has to be just right.