Sunday, January 28, 2007

Mind, Body & Soul Sessions (#28)

Create your own luck

"Shallow people believe in luck.
Strong people believe in cause and effect."
- Ralph Waldo Emerson

Recent research shows that people who tell you to “look at the bright side” are right. A person’s approach to life matters a lot more then intelligence or psychic ability. Apparently there is no such thing as lucky (or unlucky - hurrah) people. People who appear to be lucky do in fact create their own luck. How? By hard work of course! But that’s not all; there is more to it. It’s almost a magical combination of hard work, a positive attitude and the willingness to see good in even the worst situations. That last one is a bit of a tough one, but it can be done. The key is that you need to deal with your misfortune even if you want to run for your duvet for cover. You need to turn your misfortune around, look at it differently, imagine how things could have been worse, or look at what can be done about the problem.

Other things you can try:
  • expect good fortune (instead of expecting misfortune). Be positive about all the things you do, and don’t look for all the bad luck that could come your way. Get away for the “worst case scenario” thing. When you expect luck it can become a self-fulfilling prophecy.
  • Listen to your “gut feeling” and act on it. Don’t ignore hunches; they are there for a reason.
  • Notice, act on and create opportunities. When you pay more attention to your surroundings you can maximise your chances of luck. Who knows, luck might be right in front of your nose.
  • Refuse to see yourself as a victim and take control.
  • It also pays to be flexible. Your plans and life do change. Accepting the fact that things do change, is a huge step forward. Remember, change always means some upheaval in the beginning, but don’t give up. With the right attitude and a bit of hard work, it’ll all be worth it in the end.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

You are indeed, wise. Sometimes though, life gets too much to look on the bright side.

Phil said...

Article from Time Mag
Think, too, about why we sometimes remind ourselves that "life is short." It is an impetus to extend a gesture of affection to a loved one, to bury the hatchet in a pointless dispute, to use time productively rather than squander it. I would argue that nothing gives life more purpose than the realization that every moment of consciousness is a precious and fragile gift.

This may be a little off subject but life is too precious to waste on being negative.

KJ's muse said...

As a recovering pessimist, wink, I fully agree that attitude plays a huge role. I've also heard luck described as the meeting of preparation and opportunity. Or something to that effect.

b o o said...

i believe in cause & effect. i try to tell as many people as possible, if they wish to listen.

Phil said...

"Lucky people just take risks"
I can't remember who said that now, but it's true... You get out of life what you put in... Put in the effort and take some risks and you'll get lucky from time to time.

Dakota said...

I don’t think of myself as wise, Lord Hutton. Let’s just say I (like most people) have experienced enough of the bad stuff to know a few things. I know that life can get too much at times, but I also have found that you can still give a more positive spin to the things that happened (or are happening) so that life becomes more bearable.

Okay, it’s a little of subject, Phil, but it also a nice reminder. Thanks for sharing :)

Been there, done that, KJ’s Muse :) I can only say “Attitude is everything!”

Keep telling them, Boo

"Lucky people take risks, unlucky people don’t see what’s right in front of them” – Richard Wiseman. Or did you mean another one, DoGGa?
I totally agree with you. In my opinion it has a lot to do with karma – what you give is what you get :)