How to Create Your Own Luck in 5 Easy Steps
“Success is simply a matter of luck. Ask any failure.”
– Earl Wilson
Ever wonder why some people seem luckier than others? I’ve heard that some people are just born lucky. I don’t believe that.
Last time I checked, no genetic markers have been found to substantiate it.
People thank their lucky stars, but astronomers have yet to prove that one star is luckier than another.
Same holds try for ‘lucky days.’ What makes one day luckier than the next?
Rabbit’s foots are said to be lucky – but not for the rabbit.
Lucky horseshoes are another one, but pity the poor horse walking around with nails in his hooves.
So what gives?
Oxford English Dictionary defines luck as “success or failure apparently brought by chance rather than through one’s own actions.”
Does that mean that so-called lucky people who throw fate to the wind and walk under ladders or in the path of black cats, ‘luck out’ when nothing bad happens to them? Are they able to manipulate the odds in their favor by wearing lucky charms?
Ever the optimist, comedian Steve Wright once admitted ‘I busted a mirror and got seven years bad luck, but my lawyer thinks he can get me five.” Does that imply that only a good attorney, can manipulate the odds? Not in the least. YOU can manipulate the odds because we all have the capacity to create our own luck.
Luck is not arbitrary and you can’t rely on chance.
Chance is winning the lottery.
Luck, according to former Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau, is simply, a place where preparation and opportunity meet.’
What can you do in your own life to ready yourself when you reach the intersection of preparation and opportunity?
- Practice optimism. People who consider themselves lucky are infinitely more optimistic than those who feel unlucky. Instead of dwelling on the negative, they maintain a positive mindset and find things to be thankful for every day. It allows them to be more open to the world around them and be receptive to opportunities those with closed, negative attitudes don’t even see.
- Show up. Lucky people are more attuned to the world around them and have learned to maximize their potential by exploring new opportunities to meet and participate with those who can expand their networks. In turn, they increase their chances and their good fortune.
- Listen to your inner voice: Trust your instincts and ‘go’ with your gut. Lucky people are more attuned to themselves and the world around them and have learned to trust themselves. By practicing mindfulness, or some other form of meditation, they’ve learned to focus on the present, tune out other distractions and are quicker at recognizing opportunity. Consequently, they trust themselves and make better decisions. You can too.
- Expect to be lucky: To lucky people, there’s no other option. You can’t identify opportunities when your mind is closed. Take off your blinders and open your eyes. When you’re optimistic the world holds countless opportunities. When you wear your blinders, you’re essentially dwelling in a negative place, too wrapped up in your angst to see the bigger picture and the greater good. (Frankly, at that point you wouldn’t see luck if it hit you in the face).
- Be resilient: Showing up once or twice doesn’t guarantee success. You need to maintain a steady course of action, create a positive force of energy, and keep your goal in mind. Perseverance pays dividends. (Just ask someone ‘lucky’).
Can ‘bad’ luck be changed to good? Absolutely, because lucky people share one common denominator. They have the ability to rationalize the worst of situations and always find something good to take out of the experience. Things could always be worse, so they’re lucky. What’s most important is to accept each day as it comes, find something to be grateful for, and bring that positive energy forward into tomorrow.
Try it. You’ll be amazed at the impact it has on your life, and your luck!
“It’s hard to detect good luck – it looks so much like something you’ve earned.”
– Frank A. Clark
This post was originally published May 5, 2014