Talent alone won’t make you a success. Neither will being in the right place at the right time, unless you are ready. The most important question is: ’Are your ready?’

The saying contrasts innate ability (“talent”) and external luck (“the right place at the right time”) with a third factor: preparedness. Its logic is that opportunity is only convertible into success when a person has done the prior work—practice, discipline, and professional readiness—to capitalize on it. The closing question reframes success as a test of readiness rather than a reward for gifts or chance, implying that the decisive moment is often unpredictable and brief. Attributed to Johnny Carson, it aligns with a show-business ethos in which breaks come suddenly, but only those who are prepared can sustain them.