Shallow men believe in luck or in circumstance. Strong men believe in cause and effect. ~
Put more succinctly by my brother, “You make your own luck.” All that said, I wouldn’t say that people who believe in luck are shallow. However, I do think that whether someone is encountering good fortune or horrible circumstances, the result is too often attributed to luck. That’s just my opinion, though. What do some authoritative voices say?
Denning’s article recaps a book by Richard Wiseman, The Luck Factor. My initial reaction was extreme skepticism. After reflection, I have decided that his speculations have merit. I just don’t label things the same way he does. Here’s a brief summary with my take in italics:
- Lucky people actively look for opportunities everywhere. They are open to taking risks.
- Lucky people deny fate. They believe they can overcome whatever obstacles confront them.
- Lucky people bounce back from failed ventures quickly. They believe that the next shot is the one that will be a big winner.
- Lucky people have a high level of confidence in their instincts. They trust their judgment in project selection and purchases.
- Lucky people are generally optimistic. They think everything is going to work out.
All told, Wiseman seems to think that luck is primarily a result of mindset. I would argue that when anyone keeps plugging away at his dreams and finally makes it, that isn’t the function of luck. It’s persistence, and that is mentioned in Denning’s wrap-up as well. To take it a step further, the try, try again method won’t yield success if the person trying hasn’t put in the work to achieve the necessary skills our target conditions demand, assuming the goal is possible.
Being confident, open to possibilities, and tenacious are all useful. But they still won’t guarantee, for example, an NBA career for a coordination-challenged player less than 6′ tall.
Luck implies chance
People have been talking about luck for centuries. Even Aristotle had something to say about it. Well, he did according to an article by Nafsika Athanassoulis. A few points outlining Aristotle’s theory indicate that chance is:
- Indeterminable (can be good or bad);
- Irregular (doesn’t follow a pattern);
- Unstable (can’t be accounted for using logic).
I can’t explain the article in detail; it’s 12 pages and I admit some of it is over my head. What I did get out of it, though, is that Aristotle believed that luck and choice are connected. In my own words, are you lucky when you snag the last rib roast on a buy-one, get-one-free deal? Or does your choice to shop early impact availability?
Lest you misunderstand, I’m not saying luck doesn’t exist. I simply believe there are multiple factors at play.
Luck by any other name
Rarely a day goes by that I don’t look back on a scenario from the day before (or decades before) to consider what went well or had “room for improvement.” I normally own the results, regardless of whether they are flattering or otherwise. That is, was it by chance that I was late for an appointment last week, or did I sit with my coffee five minutes too long? Was I lucky that I enjoyed my role as an underwriter? Or did I prepare myself to the extent that I felt confident and comfortable in the role?
About that impression people have that they’re lucky–part of that is literally considering themselves lucky. As the saying goes, happiness is not having what you want, but wanting what you have. It’s no wonder that people who have a bias toward optimism consider themselves lucky. They are more likely to see things on the bright side, which makes me wonder if they just think they’re lucky. What if, in actuality, their unintentional good fortune is delivered at a rate no greater than their Eeyore-minded friends who think their lives are never the recipient of undeserved grace?
As an example – I don’t know anyone happier than I am–with my spouse, my friends, my church, and my location. This is not to say there haven’t been tough times along the way. I get the blame for those bumps in the road I paved with bad judgment.* It follows then that at least some credit is also mine for the education I earned and the relationships I enjoy. (*See extensive documentation in Wiser Now 
.)
I am with my brother on this, apart from an exception for instances where people have higher-than-average, catastrophic health issues. To a great degree, we are “the masters of our fate,” as Winston Churchill stated. To believe otherwise is to label ourselves as nothing more than flotsam. Whether we are driving our lives’ results or desperately hanging on to grab handles as our appointed bus barrels through this world is up to us–individually.
I believe as you do you have to do your part. It’s not handed to you on a platter. You may get lucky but usually you have spent more than gained but call it luck. Good article.
cutting to the chase, if your road has potholes, it is your own asphalt!