Five Ways to Have More Luck

Luck. Some think it is some kind of magic. Some think there is no such thing. Some think only others have it. Most wish they had more of it. Years ago I heard the definition of luck as: LaborrnUnderrnCorrectrnKnowledge While I believe there is truth in that clever acrostic, I think it falls short. It does however give you a preview of where this post is going. My belief? While some of the synonyms for luck include fate or destiny (i.e. luck is some kind of magic), other synonyms include chance or circumstances. I choose to focus on the descriptions that I can influence, and that is the point of this article. I believe if you do the five things I am about to describe, you will create more desirable circumstances for yourself, and from the outside others might call it luck. Others can call it what they like, but you will know it is something else – something better. Because when you do the things I describe below, you can keep making more luck (or whatever you want to call it). So, if you want to have (or perhaps more accurately create) more luck, here are five steps you can take. Work Intentionally Sorry to break it to you, but perhaps the biggest reason most people don’t feel “lucky” is they aren’t willing to put in the effort. The first word in the definition above is labor – and that is correct. Work is required to create good things – there is no such thing as a free lunch. Notice though that I didn’t say work hard or work smart. Working intentionally is an intelligent combination of both of these things and also implies working in pursuit of something (more on that in a minute). How intentional are you about your work? Learn About Important Things Part of the idea of working smart is to learn what will help you make better choices and be more productive. Knowing more is certainly part of finding/creating luck. We aren’t talking about knowledge for knowledge’s sake; we are talking about learning things that make a difference for you. What are you learning? Keep Your Eyes Open Louis Pasteur said that “chance favors only the prepared mind.” Let’s tweak it only slightly here and say luck favors the prepared mind. When the door opens, do you notice it? Do you recognize that that door might hold a key to greater success/opportunity/luck? Pasteur’s complete idea is even more instructive and to the point here – “In the fields of observation, chance only favors the prepared mind.” The work and learning are the preparation, now you must be paying attention. When you look around you, what do you see? Stay Focused People that create more luck have their eyes open for opportunity, yet are able to focus too. They don’t try every shiny object, they don’t allow themselves to get distracted or diverted. Single-mindedness is an important attribute of the lucky. Do you stay focused on the most important things? Build Your Interpersonal Skills Great success (or luck) doesn’t come to the Lone Ranger (even he had Tonto). Look at any successful or lucky person and you will see that they had others supporting, helping and cheering for them. If you want more luck, you must get better at relationship building, communication and more. You can’t do it alone; trying to do so will severely hamper your creation of luck. What are you doing to build your interpersonal skills? A Final (Important) Note Did you notice that the first four of these suggestions suggest something else? That something is a goal, mission or purpose. I don’t care what you call it, but you create more luck when you work intentionally in pursuit of your goal, continue to learn things that support the achievement of your goal, look for opportunities, and stay focused on your goal. What is your goal or purpose? You can create more luck in your work and in your life – if you are willing to do what the “lucky” do.