I found this quote very motivating and it actually solves the problem for you. Wiseman said it on the basis of a lengthy and interesting research investigating "luck", get the detailed description of the research here
“ My research revealed that lucky people generate good fortune via four basic principles. They are skilled at creating and noticing chance opportunities, make lucky decisions by listening to their intuition, create self-fulfilling prophesies via positive expectations, and adopt a resilient attitude that transforms bad luck into good. ”
Richard Wiseman
Richard Wiseman is a psychologist at the University of Hertfordshire.
Little is known about the situational factors associated with gambling behavior. We induced 180 male participants (mean age: 21.6) into a positive, negative, or neutral mood prior to gambling on a video lottery terminal (VLT). While gambling, participants were observed by either a male peer, female peer, or no one. Induced mood had no effect on gambling behavior. Participants induced into a negative mood prior to gambling, however, reported more positive moods after gambling, whereas those with positive and neutral moods reported more negative moods after gambling. Participants observed by either a male or female peer spent less time gambling on the VLT compared to those not observed. Participants observed by a female peer lost less money relative to the other observer conditions. Degree of problem gambling in the last year had little influence on these effects. Some practical implications of these findings are discussed
This image was used by Jan Chipchase to note Ritualised Luck, situations where rituals exist which aim to increase someones luck. In this image a prayer card is shown which the driver touches before every ride.
I think however, this speaks about a greater source of luck, valuable rituals strategically designed to enable luck to integrate into your life. What I am suggesting is a bit like a serendipity strategy, a strategy designed to expose you to conducive situations, new information, creative ideas and extraordinary people to help you find great opportunities regularly.
I think some examples are: watching TED, taking part in community building, regular and diverse reading, enforced seclusion and bordom, and continuous context shifting such as traveling.
I'm always telling those close to me that I'm arguably the luckiest guy in the world. That's not to say that I'm definitely the luckiest, I just feel there's a case to be made...
So of course, I enjoyed Tara Hunt's take on this article by Richard Wiseman. Her perspective lines up with mine: Being "lucky" depends on your state of mind, which includes always being open to new opportunities.
I read a lot of Calvin & Hobbes as a kid. My favorite strips were the ones where they rode the wagon (or sled) down a gigantic hill, only to fall off a cliff at the end. But along the way, they managed to have philosophical discussions and learn important life lessons. For some strange reason, I always related to those moments...
During a flag football game in college, I severely broke my right index finger. It was bad. Compound-fracture bad. There was a chance it would never be the same. But I made up my mind that I would be able to play piano again, no matter what. After the successful surgery and rehab, I realized how lucky I was that the surgeon and therapists were so good at what they do. I knew that the whole ordeal could have been much worse. And I've been playing the piano ever since.
I think there's also part of this "lucky" outlook that embraces futility.
After college, I moved from Western Pennsylvania to Northern Virginia with $300 to my name. I tended bar until I landed an internship with a public affairs firm, which I parlayed into a full-time gig. Later, in 2005, I moved from Alexandria to Indianapolis without having a job or knowing a soul (except for my girlfriend’s family). Again, I served and tended bar until I caught on with a consulting firm. During each one of these stops, I made the most of some amazing opportunities, turned setbacks into successes, and managed to learn from all the experiences. Plenty of episodes in my life started out as acts of "futility." And I'm sure there will be more. But somehow I know, in the back of my mind, everything will be okay...
Of course, I didn’t get through all that alone. And it wasn't easy. But it was much easier with a positive outlook, a willingness to work hard, and the ability to treat everything as a learning experience.
Oh, and that girlfriend I mentioned... She is now my fiance, and she'll soon become my wife. And she understands how lucky we are, too. After all, it all depends on your outlook.
"The thrill of possibility, the chance for recognition, the chemical high of anticipation.That's what people pay for." - Seth Godin
Don't take Godin's words literally and say that people also pay for their plain bread loaf daily. If you are a startup making bread loaves, good for you and read no further.
Many of us in the startup space start out with dreams of changing the world. (Being the next Google is secondary; We actually dream of dwarfing GOOG). But then, quite mysteriously, we tend to forget that dream while conceptualising & engineering the product. For example:
"Aggregation / mashup / kitchen sink": My product has all the features that all competitors have. [So, what? Can it change the world?]
"Differentiated": My product has features that no one else has out there. [So, what? ...]
"Improved": My product improves productivity / experience. [So? ...]
Those are actually examples of subtly disguised "me too" products. Since there's no 'thrill of possibility', such products are at the mercy of luck.
Poor Cyndi, my partner, had to miss my son's first day of school because she was beginning classes. She was very sad. But, at least, I got to go. Cyndi mentioned that sometime this semester she may be able to get out to his school for some kind of activity.
We joke that Cyndi has a horseshoe stuck up her butt. But really it's just that the universe (and everyone else) is in love with her. Can God have a crush? Cuz Cyndi is definitely his favorite.
This is the girl who seems to get whatever she asks... which makes me wonder why she doesn't ask for a million dollars...
Anyways, such examples of Cyndi's luck being things like saying, "I don't want a dog. Well, I'd like a dog for an hour or two to play with, but then it can just go back home".
****Bling****
The next day a dog accosts her as she's leaving the house. It seems a little skittish at first, walks up to me and then starts playing with us. We take him in to the back yard for an hour or two and then the dog leaves and we never see him again.
"Oh, Coady you need some dressy khaki shorts for the summer, and some nice tshirts".
****Bling****
Within the next 2 days Cyndi has a pile of shirts and khaki shorts that fit me. These were new clothes that weren't faded, that smelt knew, and she got it all for free, while cleaning a student house. The student had abandoned lots of good quality stuff.
And so many more little instances that on their own would seem like coincidences in isolation. Our massive apartment (also a result of her weird luck) is full of stuff she wished aloud (at home) for and then received within the week.
While I am bad luck's bitch, all technology is mystically destroyed by me, and all 3 of our computers were dying, I forced Cyndi to say every night before bed to say we'd get a new super-computer. She didn't believe we would and scoffed. She saw absolutely no way that we'd get it, but I forced her. Told her she didn't have to believe it, as long as she really wanted it for me. So she did.
****Bling****
One week later I'm writing this from my $1200 computer that I got for free... which shows that she doesn't even need to believe it.
I guess the cost of her luck is that is she's kind of a klutz sometimes and that she has to deal with me. See, there is balance to the universe :P
So, today Cyndi found out where she would do her placement. Her three choices in order were:
1. A clinic where she would be heavily taxed by the work load.
2. Palliative care (end of life care).
3. A school where she teaches children health-care.
Cyndi generally gets her first choice. Not only cuz she's lucky, but because she is a hard worker (and everyone is in love with her- remember). A very influential teacher actually wanted her to go to her prestigious clinic.
Maybe luck wasn't on her side today... She got her third choice.
****bling****
She came home today and told my son some very exciting news: She would be teaching health at HIS school!
