Intentionality and talent always matter. An extraordinary feat is certainly made more likely by someone's focus, hard work, etc. But chance also matters.
I think the fun of following the movie box office and stocks is very similar to the fun of sports - all three combine passion and unpredictability.
In all our perceptions, from vision to hearing, to the pictures we build of people's character, our unconscious mind starts from whatever objective data is available to us - usually spotty - and helps to shape and construct the more complete picture we consciously perceive.
'Subliminal' is about how we misinterpret our behavior because we're unaware of what our unconscious minds are doing.
By subliminal, I mean things that occur in our world that are below the threshold of consciousness but do have a psychological effect on us.
The truth is that our unconscious minds are active, purposeful, and independent. Hidden they may be, but their effects are anything but, for they play a critical role in shaping the way our conscious minds experience and respond to the world.
