Some people seem to have all the luck!
That's an old this people sometimes say, but sometimes I wonder just how true it actually is. Are we really "lucky?" Is luck something that just "happens" and there's nothing we can do about it — either we happen to be "lucky" or "unlucky?"
If you'd asked me when I was in my 20's, I would have sworn that I was unlucky. If there was a single dog poop in a large park, I would find it and step in it. When I played golf, I'd often hit a great shot down the middle, but it would often hit a sprinkler or errant rock on the ground and bounce into thick brush.
However, the more I think about it, the more it seems like a substantial number of the people who are regarded as "lucky" actually have a hand in creating their luck.
If you think about it, we may have a friend we think of as being "lucky" because they show up for a job interview and just land their dream job with a minimum of muss and fuss, even though there were 100's of people submitting their applications. And they just seem to have things like that happen — a LOT — in their life.
But is that really "luck?"
Maybe the truth is that they work extremely hard on their presentation, always do their homework so they have all the right answers handy, research the company so they know the history of the organization and half its employees, and generally are always "on" when they need to be. That's not really luck... that's simply hustle, good preparation and a healthy dose of foresight.
Having positive intentions at all times can also give the appearance of luck. If you're intently focused on some specific goal or dream, the fact that it actually happens isn't really an issue of "luck." It may look like luck to other people who are less driven and focused... but these "lucky" people are essentially creating their own good fortune.
"Pure" luck is actually relatively uncommon, in daily life — mostly encountered in such contexts as buying a lottery ticket or playing the slot machines. Even things like "not being hit by the truck that lost its brakes" when coming out of the supermarket parking lot is more likely a case of "paying attention to the traffic" than pure luck.
Now, I will add that people often mistake — and intermix — "luck" and "good fortune."
For example, I have the good fortune to have above average health... but that's doesn't make me lucky, it simply makes me fortunate. Of course, the line blurs sometimes... but there is a difference.
In closing, maybe the reason we like to think about things/people being "lucky" and "UN-lucky" is that it somehow allows us to pass of a degree of personal accountability to something outside our control.
Thanks for reading, and have a great week ahead!
How about YOU? Do you consider yourself lucky? Do you know someone who seem uncommonly lucky? Do you believe some people simply "are" lucky, or do we "create" our luck? Give me a shout back... Because — after all — SOCIAL content is about interacting, right? Leave a comment — share your experiences — be part of the conversation!
(All text and images by the author, unless otherwise credited. This is ORIGINAL CONTENT, created expressly for this platform — NOT A CROSSPOST!!!)
Created at 20210221 23:18 PST
x109
I've always considered myself a bit lucky (not the luckiest guy though), but I don't think I created my luck myself.
From my point of view, there are things that we can control, and things that we cannot control. Being lucky is when things that are not in your control favor you.
You can do everything in your control to make something happen. You can work hard and push yourself. Give everything. You can even execute your actions very well. However, that does not guarantee the desired result.
I have long understood that the best does not always win. Doing everything well does not mean a good result. There is always a factor that is beyond our control and that ends up being decisive. It can be things that we often overlook like the weather, other people's actions or mood, stuff like that. There are simply times when everything works out for you, circumstances favor you, and it is very easy to success. And there are other times when the opposite happens.
The point is, luck is precisely the sum of all those things that we cannot control.
Of course, I don't think luck is the main determining factor, I think perseverance is. If you do things the right way long enough, no matter how unlucky you are, you will finally make it. In the same way, no matter how much good luck you have, how good your karma is or whatever, if you make a lot of wrong decisions sooner or later you will lose.
So I believe in luck, but I also believe in doing things right to achieve the desired result.
Interesting topic. Cheers!
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Thanks for the thoughtful reply @vieira, appreciate your perspective.
Maybe there are really two parts to the whole equation.
Let's say you catch a free ride to town... that's "lucky," but you only caught that free ride because you walked out of your neighborhood and stood by a busy road which is the "work" part by which we create luck. So yes, there is an element of luck, because you could have walked to the road and not gotten a ride.
Part of what inspired this post is the recollection of how you often tend to notice what you're interested in. I sometimes call it the car shopping effect. If you're shopping for a car, and have decided you want to get a yellow VW, you'll suddenly notice that there seem to be many more yellow VW's around than before. Actually, there are the exact same amount, you're just paying attention now. And because you're paying attention, it's more likely that something specific will happen, than when you are NOT.
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There's a certain randomness to the world to which you could attribute 'good luck', but I think mostly we create it ourselves. Ofcourse, our starting points can differ greatly, so that some have to work less hard for the good things in life. But then there's also your outlook on life. Being happy with the small things will make you feel much more lucky than someone who feels like it's never enough, even with little wealth.
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I try to remember gratitude at all times... and particularly for the small things. People complain a lot, it seems... but we have a LOT we can be thankful for, even when things get difficult.
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