Luck and being lucky is a funny concept. Nobody is born naturally more lucky than anyone else. Those people who are always in the right place at the right time and get the big breaks in their careers largely make their own luck, whether they are aware of it or not. Compared to something like winning a lottery, which is pure chance, with luck you have the ability to influence it and increase those chances of being lucky. Read the rest of the article for three tips on how to do just that (no lucky leprechauns included).
Learn as much as you can
Knowledge is invaluable for opening doors, getting more informed than others and ultimately, being clued up about any opportunities that show up. Everybody can pick up the basics, it’s the subtleties that come from knowledge and experience that make all the difference.
For example, if you want a job promotion, learn as much as you can about the position and the people involved in it. Beside the obvious benefits of having done your pre-interview research you may also come across key information you can use to your advantage. For instance, one of the managers in the new position may be an old school friend who can put in a good word for you.
Be proactive
Once you have learned as much as you can, put it to use as much as possible. The biggest mistake you can make is to wait for a lucky break to come along. You need to take matters into your own hands. Using the job application example again, once you have learned as much as you can about the job you are applying for and researched good interview technique, you need to put it into practice as much as possible. Get feedback from your current managers and practise your interview technique. Be prepared to take any opportunities that come your way.
Put the odds in your favor
I’m going to use a sports analogy to emphasis this point. Fans and the media will often pin the blame on biased or incompetent referees, but the most successful football (or soccer if you really want) teams get more penalties because they get the ball in the penalty area more than anyone else. It’s basic statistics. The penalty area is where most goals are scored so it makes sense to put the odds in your favor and get players with the ball in there as much as possible.
Let’s take this principle further. Using the job interview example again, be sure to wear your smartest suit if it requires it and get a good nights sleep too. By dressing better and being more rested than all the other interviewees you instantly increase the odds in your favor.
July 11, 2007 at 07:38AM
Your luck is your own product. Do the right things and never surrender. This is the way to gain luck!