How to Get Luky

Some people are lucky and some people unlucky, and there is nothing that can be done about that. If we are lucky, well good for us, if not, we have to do the best we can with what we have. If we are unlucky we will just keep suffering and suffering and have to deal with it.

Do you believe that first paragraph? You shouldn't. It is full of lies.

It may seem that other people get all the opportunities and that nothing works the way we want it to, but we can change that. We can create our own opportunities and make our own luck. Often what looks like luck from the outside is hard work and preparation. There is also one other ingredient: good choices.

Bad luck follows reckless decisions; when we do something just to be doing something without thinking of the long game. A good decision is made by looking at the facts, the chance of success, the amount of control we have over the outcome and the amount of risk we have if the outcome does not happen.

It is not just a matter of choosing our battles, we must also be realistic about picking the fights we can win. Wanting to win is not enough. Hoping to win is not enough. We have to pick fights that are reasonable for us. We must have the skills, the resources and the drive to overcome the challenges that wait for us.

If we do all this we will be lucky. Opportunities may begin to come our way as our 'luck' grows but sometimes we will have to make our own opportunities.

More on that tomorrow.