L.U.C.K.! How Do We Create Luck In Our Lives?
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The Art of Manifestation, in some ways, is a matter of luck. Sounds ironic, doesn't it? Many discuss manifestation as a proactive course that requires regular engagement and input for the very best results that help create happiness. This is true. But belief also helps sustain us while we attend the manifestation process on a daily basis. And belief requires faith and optimism, providing us openness, which creates growth and – you guessed it – manifestation. Take a look below at a wonderful excerpt from HEART, SMARTS, GUTS and LUCK that shows us how the many forms of luck allow us the create the lives that we really want – and really need.
LUCK: Random, coincidence, or created? Some people believe in luck and this belief, in many ways, makes them luckier. Luck is part of their optimistic outlook and openness to new things. Importantly, they embrace the notion that there are other forces beyond themselves and their own understanding, as well as serendipitous encounters that play a critical role in their success. There are many things that make up this Lucky Attitude, but the most critical is the trifecta of humility, intellectual curiosity and optimism. Here is a brief definition of these crucial factors, which help create your luck. The foundation of a Lucky Attitude is humility.
Humility is a key trait of high-performing leaders. Having a Lucky Attitude begins with awareness of your own limitations; appreciation of the broader efforts of those around you; and a nonjudgmental stance. If you’re in a position of power, leadership is not always easy. You need enough self-confidence to win the respect of others, but that confidence – which often comes with positional authority – needs to be counterbalanced with the recognition that there is so much more that you do not know.
Humility humanizes leaders and permits them to be luckier. It is the root of self-awareness and it crates the space to take on our next Lucky Attitude trait: intellectual curiosity. Intellectual curiosity is an active response to humility. Humility leads to intellectual curiosity or at least the capacity for it. People who are fully confident are less likely to question their personal assumptions or outlook on the world. A life builder who is intellectually curious has a voracious desire to learn more just about anything. He devours books, listens to suggestions and tirelessly explores new ideas. In the end, thanks to his willingness to meet new people, ask new questions, and go to new places, he has a greater chance of being exposed to and rewarded by luck. Optimism is the energy source for positive change.
If humility is the foundation for intellectual curiosity, then optimism gives people the belief, inspiration and energy that enable the realization of new possibilities. More, better and faster are always possible in the mindset of an optimist. It is a self-fulfilling prophecy: more luck tends to come to those people who believe in possibility and see the good in something before the bad. Optimists are givers of energy, rather than takers of it. Their positive dispositions put them in the path of a greater number of “surprise” encounters with good fortune. Driven by an unshakable belief in the potential for better, they tend, as well, to act on what they find through their intellectually curious pursuits. This completes the virtuous circle of the Lucky Attitude: optimism coupled with execution capabilities is what allows us to take full advantage of the luck bestowed on us. The luckiest people in the world are those who say to themselves: I am humble enough to realize that I don’t know how to and can’t do some things on my own; I am curious and courageous enough to ask questions that may be embarrassingly naïve; and I embrace the “glass half-full” optimism that the end result can always be improved upon.
Types of Luck Luck comes in three forms: Dumb Luck, Constitutional Luck and Circumstantial Luck. Of these, it is Circumstantial Luck that we can influence the most. Constitutional Luck deals with elements and environments into which you are born, and Dumb Luck is just what it sounds like – and is, therefore, the least within our sphere of influence potential.
Dumb Luck When we pick a card from a deck, we have a 2% chance of drawing the ace of hearts. The odds that the card will end up in our hands are slight, but a small chance exists that it might. Whatever card we end up holding will simply have to do with neutral probability, or put another way, pure Dumb Luck. Because we cannot govern this kind of Dumb Luck, I won’t say much more about it here.
Constitutional Luck Where one is born and the environment one is brought up in determines this kind of luck. Specific resources help define constitutional luck as well. If you are reading this, then you are already a benefactor of constitutional luck.
Circumstantial Luck You’re planning to meet your older brother for a casual lunch at a new restaurant. At the last minute, he calls to say he’s running late. To utilize your time, you make your way into a nearby park and you catch sight of an old friend you haven’t seen in years. After enthusiastically telling her about your new business, your old friends suggest you speak with an acquaintance of hers. This meeting results in driving you to new levels of success. You were uncannily lucky in the course of events. Why Ignorance Is Beneficial Having an optimistic Forrest Gump-like view of the world can unlock new perspectives. If you are oblivious to, or dismissive of, the risk factors in a given business situation, you might ultimately end up becoming more successful. It’s curious when you think about it: knowing your constraints in one case helps drive creativity, but not knowing them can also drive you toward innovative brilliance.
Excerpts from HEART, SMARTS, GUTS and LUCK by Tjan, Harrington and Hsieh