I'm up all night to get lucky
“You’re soooooo lucky! Always at the right place at the right time!”
Yeah…lucky 😏
Nevermind the risks, the late nights, the investments, the struggles, the ups, the down, and everything else that comes with being “lucky”
If there is one thing that irritates me, is when someone says I’m lucky.
I don’t believe in luck.
Actually, I don’t believe in luck so much that this was the license plate on one of my cars...
I believe that we make our own luck. No matter what our circumstances. No matter where we were born, who our parents are, or where we went to school, “luck” is in our own hands.
It’s a simple formula really…
Luck = Preparation + Opportunity
“But Ralph, not everyone gets an opportunity, no matter how much they prepare!”
Yes... Yes they do.
Opportunity is constant. You just need to be looking for it and be prepared to jump on it.
Like Ahmed did.
Ahmed was the cab driver who picked me up at La Guardia in NYC almost a decade ago while I was in town for some meetings with the Apple gaming team.
Ahmed was very energetic, engaging, and had a smile that could brighten the entire city!
“Ahmed, how’s your day going?,” I asked...
“My day is going GREAT! I just found out that I’m getting my second cab medallion!” (Cab medallions are essentially what allows you to own cabs in the city and can be VERY expensive - sometimes up to a million dollars!)
“Ahmed, that’s great! Congratulations man! You are so lucky to have been able to get another one of those! I’ve heard how hard those are to get…”
Ahmed’s demeanor changed almost instantly. His smile went away as he looked at me through the rearview mirror. “Sir, with all due respect. There was nothing “lucky” about it. Would you mind if I share my story with you?”
Ahmed, was born in a remote village in Ethiopia to a very poor family. At the age of 13, Ahmed packed a few belongings and went off to find better opportunities for him and his family. His journey took him over a hundred miles, and several months. Once he arrived in the capital city of Addis Ababa, Ahmed became an apprentice at a textile mill and refined his skills over 4 years (preparation).
One day, while at a local eatery, he overheard two businessmen talking about a new business they were starting and he boldly offered his services. Impressed by his drive, they hired him on the spot. (Opportunity he was prepared for)
Ahmed continued to work at the textile mill and dream of his next opportunity - coming to the U.S. He researched, he studied, and he saved money - for years. During that time, he met his wife and started a family. And then, the opportunity to come to the U.S. opened up for him. But only him. So Ahmed decided to come to the U.S. and once again, leave his family behind, knowing all the while that he would, someday, be able to give them a better life.
After arriving in NYC, Ahmed worked non-stop as a cab driver. But he knew that in order to make it, he had to be the master of his own destiny. So he started learning everything there was to know about the taxi industry. Several years later Ahmed secured his first medallion, was able to bring his family from Ethiopia to the U.S. and now, he was getting his second.
Was Ahmed “lucky”? I think not…
🍀 Making Your Own Luck
Anyone can increase the amount of luck they experience in life by preparing and putting yourself in a better position to create and notice opportunities and circumstances.
Here are some things you can try to increase the amount of “luck” in your life:
Expect good things to happen. You tend to receive what you expect. The more you focus on positive things, the more you’ll notice them. Remember, you can only take advantage of the things you notice.
Follow your gut. Your brain receives a lot of information from your surroundings, far more than you’re capable of dealing with on a conscious level. Your brain is also amazingly good at solving problems. The messages your brain is sending you might be subtle, but they’re present. That little voice that tells you to turn left instead of right? Listen to it.
Give yourself more opportunities to be lucky. Be open and alert. Plenty of great opportunities are passing you by each day. You’ll never be lucky while sitting on your couch or not looking for opportunities.
Be mindful and present in the moment. If you’re busy worrying about the future, or regretting the past, you’ll probably miss out on lots of opportunities to be lucky right now. This might be the most effective tip for putting yourself in a position to notice all that life has to offer.
Experiment being lucky. Choose to be lucky and measure your success. Try the “Find a Penny Pick it Up” experiment. Decide that you’re going to find 25 pennies over the next month. Remind yourself several times each day and visualize yourself finding pennies. Keep track of how many you find. You’ll be surprised by how many “lucky” pennies you’ll find. Try it!
Get busy. The harder you work, the luckier you’ll be. If you spend 10 hours each day digging for gold nuggets, you’ll find a lot more than if you’re only digging for 2 hours. The luckiest people are often those that put in the most time.
Learn. Your ability to be lucky grows with your knowledge. The more you know, the better prepared you’ll be for the opportunities and people that cross your path.
And finally…
Be generous. When you do things for others, you’ll find your life fills with more opportunities. Be generous with your time and wealth.
So how do you feel about luck? Do you agree with me? Drop me a note and let me know what you think…
As always, keep coming up with ideas, dreaming big, and taking action! (and go out there and make your own luck!)
‘Till next time...
Ralph Q out!
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