How much “Luck” do you want?

“Happy New Year!“

“Good luck for 2017!”

So starts the second week of work in the New Year and I am still receiving a flow of good luck messages for 2017.

Throughout my life from a young age I’ve been frequently labelled as lucky. Whether it was during a game of Monopoly, playing football or building out a successful business on the back of winning business from new clients. 

Rest assured I have endured what many would label as significant bad luck throughout that time period, so here is a near half century of shared wisdom around luck. Is there such a thing and if there is, how to have more of it, how to avoid it, and what to do when whatever it is knocks on your door.

Definitions and Assumptions

We live in a universe that is ordered, the Greek word cosmos means well-ordered. Yet this law abiding universe consistently throws up random events. The "luck" we are discussing here is not referring to such acts of random chance.

I assume all mankind are essentially equal. We may experience significantly different material benefits which may be considered as an advantage or disadvantage in the outcome of achieving positive outcomes, however, we are in our simplest form equal.

We all have the ability to make choices. These choices significantly affect the course of our lives and the outcomes we experience.

Practice Makes Permanent (practice the right thing).

“I’m a great believer in luck and I find the harder I work the more I have of it”

Thomas Jefferson

“The harder I practice the luckier I get”

Gary Player

This is all well and good when we are talking about luck that brings a positive outcome or enhances our situation. What about that rotten slice of bad luck we just encountered? 

Working hard or practicing more depend on one key criteria… are you working with the right focus and direction? Both of these quotes assume this vitally important factor.

Avoiding Bad Luck

If I am to look back at my life and examine the bad luck I can pretty much put each event down to one of the following:

1. Death and taxes - some things are unavoidable, don’t beat yourself up over it
2. I made a seriously bad judgement call on who I trusted 
3. I didn’t prepare properly 
4. I took my eye off the ball

Therefore what can we do after a bad luck event, avoid the next one or indeed promote good luck events?

Learn From The Bumps In The Road

Firstly, when we experience something negative, a loss a mistake, something unsavoury, we can immediately take it on board as a learning experience. If we merely suffer a defeat and don't examine the possible causes we have missed the most valuable part of the misfortune… the opportunity to learn a lesson.

#1 Death and taxes, is by definition unavoidable. If we recognise this and have in place a mechanism for dealing with adversity we will immediately position ourselves to overcome the bumps along the journey of life.

#2, #3 and #4 were all consequences of my actions or lack thereof 

Answering #2 is simple, surround yourself with people you know you can trust implicitly, (friends and partners). Know that people in their humanity will fail, be ready to deal with it.

#3 requires that we input the required level of effort up front, don’t cut corners, ensure you invest significantly in preparation. Not simply up-front but in an ongoing process of continual ground work, reading, investigation, retrospective, analysis, seeking advice, education and learning.

#4 Focus, focus and when you think you've focused enough… focus some more.

So why am I so lucky?

One of my New Year’s messages wasn’t written to me, but rather a contact of mine called me up to wish me a Happy and Prosperous 2017. 

He added the following quote to his message to me:

“Luck is an accumulation of superior effort and focused execution!”

Which sent me away on a journey of self examination, why indeed have I had what others would call disproportionate good luck in my life?

Firstly, I realised that I do continually seek to input significant enthusiasm, drive and intelligence into my efforts.

Secondly, I was able to identify the key skill of focus, sometimes to the detriment of other activities, when I am on a task it is exactly the one thing I am laser focused on.

Thirdly, just as Death and Taxes are unavoidable there have been many instances when something positive has happened outside of anything I have been planning. When we are diligent in our work and appropriately focused it is uncanny that opportunity sometimes comes knocking on our door. When this happens simply be observant enough to notice and make sure you you are ready to answer.

A lot of bystanders will not realise the foundations of input that I put into almost everything I undertake, certainly many don't ever appreciate this invisible work. However, absolutely for sure they will all have a clear view of the outcomes.

So this 2017 I wish you luck! Learn from the bad luck, enjoy the good luck. In wishing you good luck I am hopefully pointing you towards a year of superior effort and focused execution!

As to whether I am luckier than most?

I will answer in the words of a famous politician when asked if she had been a lucky leader...

“yes, but I deserved it.”