The influence luck plays on our success is hugely controversial, but it shouldn’t be. While I believe that luck exists, it also has much less to do with our level of success than we think it does.
People who always “get lucky” aren’t just getting lucky. Their decisions put them in a position to succeed. This is also true of people who seem to escape “good luck.”
I believe lucky people create their own luck, and here are 26 ways to do that.
1: Stop Believing Luck is the Only Way
Yes, luck exists.
But, I believe it has less of an impact on our lives than our decisions — the choices we make and the habits we build influence our lives in almost every way. Luck happens (both good and bad), but how we react to that luck makes the most significant impact.
Once you ditch the bad habits, you’ll have no choice but to “get lucky.”
2: Start Moving!
Doers achieve while “thinkers” are stuck watching from the sidelines. Get yourself out there and try. Make mistakes. Try again. We learn by doing, not sitting still or waiting for the perfect time. The ideal time may never come.
3: Say “Yes” to 99% of Opportunities
The more opportunities that we say yes to, the more exposure we get to new things and new people. Once I started saying “yes,” my world changed almost instantly. I gained more knowledge and experience with marketable skills that made me money.
4: Ignore the 24-Hour News Cycle
The news is built around negativity. And, it’s been proven to distort your thinking of the world around us. I used to be glued to the 24-hour news cycle and was always anxious and stressed. But, once I fixed that bad habit, I became happier and more content with my life.
5: Have Lunch With Two People You Aspire to be Like
Always make an effort to keep up with your network of professionals because you never know when you’re going to need them. This week, make it a goal to reach out to two people who are in the position you want to be in and buy them lunch. Use that opportunity to connect with them, ask them questions, and offer to help them in any way you can.
6: Go Out (to parties, dinners, meetups, etc.) Regularly
Getting outside of your comfort zone is how people expose themselves to opportunities. Dinner parties and meetups are a great place to connect and network with like-minded people; the larger your network, the more opportunities for success there will be.
7: Stop Believing That Luck is “Dumb Luck”
For 99% of people living in the developed world, we create our own luck. However, good luck doesn’t consistently happen by chance. Good luck is often the result of good choices and healthy habits. If you think you’re unlucky, you have poor daily habits.
8: Ditch Low-Value People Who Drain Your Energy
Your network of friends significantly impacts how you go through life. This isn’t always an easy process, but shedding friends who are a drain on your psychological well-being or encourage bad behavior is the best way to improve your peer group.
9: Weight Train for 30 Minutes at Least 3x per Week
Regular exercise has been proven to boost our energy, confidence, and outlook on life.
“Regular exercise often leads to an improved body image, makes your heart and bones stronger, lowers your risk for chronic disease right along with your blood pressure, keeps your weight under control, and reduces feelings of anxiety and depression,” writes LiveStrong.
There are no downsides to adopting a weekly workout regimen.
10: Stop Arguing With Strangers
Arguing is a giant waste of time, especially when we argue with complete strangers on the Internet. Your job isn’t to convince other people of your opinion. That wastes our time and keeps us focused on the wrong things. Stop using the Internet to argue and start using it to learn new things and connect with people.
11: Adopt an “I can” Attitude Until Proven Otherwise
The more confident you are, the more successful you will be, period. Adopting the right mindset is critical to improving your life and getting “luckier.”
Henry Ford once said, “Whether you think you can, or you can’t – you’re right.”
12: Make Friends With Those Who Are Smarter and More Successful
Your friends should always include those in a position you aspire to be in. These friends provide a model for success. And these folks are often the best people to learn from. So keep your circle of friends high quality.
13: Help Other People; You’ll Often Find Out How Lucky You Are
Giving back produces the dopamine we need to see the world in a positive light. Studies consistently prove that helping others helps us as much as it does them. It makes us happy and fulfilled when we help, and happiness and fulfillment are the recipes for success.
14: Visualize Good Fortune, Then Work Backward to Get There
Getting what you want first depends on knowing what you want. Your goals are there to give you direction. Use that direction to visualize the finish line. Without goals, you will wander aimlessly through life.
15: Stop Chasing Women/Men
Chasing women or men is largely unproductive behavior. Instead, chase your dreams. Spend time working on yourself, such as exercising and eating right. It’s okay to relax and have fun, but resist making those things all you do in life.
16: Stop Planning so Much and Let Things Happen
While it’s great to have goals, be careful not to over plan. Planning takes a lot of time, and as we know, most things don’t go to plan anyway. Make goals and establish high-level milestones that you want to achieve to get there. Don’t spend time planning each and every little detail. Let them happen.
17: Adopt Positivity; Positive People Are Always Luckier Than Negative Nancies
Stay away from people who bring you down. A positive attitude is the best way to keep our minds in a healthy headspace. When you expect things to go right, they usually do.
18: View Failures as Learning Opportunities
Failures are only failures when we don’t learn from them. Failing is one of the best ways to learn because each failure makes us a more intelligent person. Instead of beating yourself up after failing, understand that it just taught you something that makes you stronger.
19: Tell Yourself, “I am Going to be Lucky Today” Every Day
Positive reinforcement is key to staying upbeat day after day. Every morning, tell yourself it will be a good day, then take steps to make it happen. Positive reinforcement keeps us expecting the right things. It’s a mental trick that works almost every time.
20: Narrow Your Focus to Two or Three Main Priorities
When we stretch ourselves thin, we often miss things we should be doing. Instead of maintaining a long list of priorities, establish one or two and focus your efforts on those main priorities. Then, when you have spare time, focus on a few smaller priorities that you can knock out quickly, especially those that might help you achieve your bigger goals.
21: Spend More Time With Those in Your Professional Network (Outside of Work)
Talking with your professional network is a great way to stay abreast of what’s happening inside your industry (or theirs!). You will hear about opportunities. Bounce ideas off of like-minded professionals. There is no limit to what an extensive professional network can accomplish.
22: Raise Your Standards of Yourself and Lower Your Standards for Others
Always keep high standards of yourself. Double down on maintaining those standards rather than trying to elevate the standards of others. You’ll never be able to control other people, so you might as well not even try. Keep focused on you, your life, and your family. Good luck comes to those who remain focused and look forward.
23: Always Learn From Those Around You (Even if What You’re Learning is What Not to Do)
Observing the world around you is a great way to learn. How do people act at work? What’s their attitude like? Then, ask yourself the vital question: Are they successful? If so, you just discovered an excellent model and pathway to success. Do what other people do right and learn how to avoid doing what people do wrong.
24: Try New Things All the Time; Foods, Routes to Work, Gym Exercises, etc
I have consistently found that trying new things opens my mind to new possibilities. It gets me out of my comfort zone. Exposing myself to something unfamiliar is an excellent way to learn about the world around you and what’s possible.
25: Ask for Help, for Opportunities, for a New Job, for a Sale
Always ask for help. The worst answer you’ll get is a “no,” but you might be surprised at how many people out there are more than willing to help you. If you want that raise or a promotion, ask for it. Good things come to those who ask.
26: Volunteer Your Time and Energy; It Creates Relationships, and Relationships Directly Create Good Luck
Volunteering is a great way to meet new people and give yourself a sense of satisfaction, purpose, and drive. You’re doing something positive for the community. You might be surprised at how getting involved in something healthy and productive can directly come back to benefit you in spades. It sets your mind straight.
Previously published at Wealth of Geeks.
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