The Trick with Luck

It seems like ages since I last wrote. To be honest, lots of issues have come up between the last write-up and now. Things that I cannot wait to share with you as the weeks unfold. Today, the topic trick with luck will be explored. Just before you roll your gorgeous eyes at me and/or raise your eyebrows, I think you should finish reading this article first.

I am sure most of us would have used or heard people say things like ‘that girl is so lucky, she just landed a bank job!’ or ‘that girl is so lucky, she married a good looking and wealthy man’. I cannot help but raise my eyebrow anytime I hear comments like that. I decided to understand the real meaning of luck and why it is popularly used. Dictionary.com’s definition goes thus: ‘luck is the force that seems to operate for good or ill in a person's life, as in shaping circumstances, events, or opportunities’.

According to Wiseman 2004, belief in luck has been shown to be associated with self-esteem, gambling behaviour and the perception of positive and negative life events. "Luck is a really interesting aspect of risk and chance," says Cambridge University psychologist Dr Mike Aitken, co-creator of BBC Lab UK's new Big Risk Test, which explores the type of person likely to be a risk-taker or risk-averse. (culled from  http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-12934253)

Reading through this definition and many others from enlightened people, I am of the opinion that there is no such thing as luck. I actually think that luck can sometimes be the excuse for people to be lazy and un-ambitious.

I believe that a person is in charge of their own lives and a total reliance on luck sometimes might make a person put little or no effort towards achieving a goal or a dream.  It is true that I do not believe in luck, however, I am very impressed and respectful of the impact that a belief in good luck has on people.

It has been shown that people who think they are lucky have better mental health than those who think they are not. They take bigger risks with more optimism, confidence and a sense of control than those who do not think they are lucky. Most times, the risks we might be afraid to take might be well worth it. But we would not know for sure if we don’t take it would we? The belief in luck actually makes people better able to cope with difficult situations that are beyond our control.

A belief in luck while looking for employment might help you to be more confident. However, a belief that is tied to something like a lucky shirt, pen or charm might not be helpful at all. Nothing beats an old recipe that a lecturer of mine gave. Opportunity + Preparedness = Desired Outcome. 

Being at the right place, at the right time, meeting the right people at occasions and getting the best out of that meeting is not luck. It is taking advantage of a good opportunity and using it to your benefit. If you get a huge contract or a job interview with someone important after a dinner party where you were introduced for the first time, I do not think it is luck. If you were not smart enough to take advantage of the introduction, you would not have had a successful outcome.

I strongly believe that the trick with luck is to believe that you have it while you prepare for unforeseen opportunities. Work hard, work smart and an opportunity will come to showcase your talent and move you to the top.

I would love to hear your views and opinions about this subject.

Regards

Sharon