How to Make the Most Out of Luck in Your Career and Life

Editor’s note: This is a guest post from J.D. Roth, who writes about smart personal finance at Get Rich Slowly.

Some people are luckier than others.

How many of you believe this? Why do you believe it? Are you one of the lucky ones? Or does luck seem to pass you by? And just what is luck, anyhow?

According to John D. Krumboltz and Al S. Levin, there’s no such thing as luck. In fact, they shirk the use of the word in their book Luck Is No Accident: Making the Most of Happenstance in Your Life and Career, opting instead to use “happenstance”, a word with less baggage. Krumboltz and Levin argue that luck/happenstance isn’t something that randomly effects us — it’s something that we create out of the chance situations and encounters that run through our lives:

Have you ever noticed that unplanned events — chance occurrences — more often determine your life and career choices than all the careful planning you do? A chance meeting, a broken appointment, a spontaneous vacation trip, a “fill-in” job, a newly discovered hobby — these are the kinds of experiences — happenstances — that lead to unexpected life directions and career choices.

The key is to recognize these opportunities and to act on them. Here are some techniques the authors suggest we can use to turn happenstance to our advantage.

Make the most of unplanned events. We are constantly bombarded by the unexpected. Most of the time, we dodge unplanned events in order to return to our normal lives. We fear the spontaneous. But if you can relax, open your mind, and roll with the unexpected, new opportunities will unfold.
Share your interests and experiences with people you meet. You don’t need to force your story on others. But learn to strike up conversations with people you meet in daily life. Ask them about their lives. They’ll ask you about yours. As Keith Ferrazzi notes in Never Eat Alone, this is a great way to form connections you might otherwise miss. It’s a great way to turn a random encounter into a possible “lucky break”. (Sometimes you will be a source of luck for the people you meet, just as they will sometimes be a source of luck for you.)

Always keep your options open. Goals are good. But single-minded devotion to a goal can often blind one to other opportunities. It’s also a mistake to cling to a path you hate out of a sense of obligation. If you enter law school and discover you hate it, quit. Don’t endure years of misery because you feel it’s expected of you. “Refuse to serve a life sentence of misery,” the authors write. You have more options than you think. But you may need to open your eyes to see them.
Wake up — before your dreams come true. When I was a boy, I loved computers. Computer programmers, like those in WarGames and Real Genius, were my heroes. But when I finally got a chance to program computers, it wasn’t anything like I had imagined it. It was drudgery. I gave up my dream and moved on to something else. Pursue goals, but be sure to reassess your progress and your priorities at regular intervals to prevent yourself from becoming trapped in a reality that is nothing like your dreams.
Try it — even without knowing the outcome. Two of the best ways to “be lucky” are to be willing to take calculated risks and to embrace unexpected opportunities. Try new things. Go new places. Don’t just do the things for which you know the eventual outcome. I’ve learned that the best way for me to grow as a person is to do something completely outside my comfort zone. Good things happen when I do.
Maintain a strong social network. “Building and maintaining good relationships with other people is an important component for job success,” the authors write. Other people can provide support in times of trouble, they can act as resources when you need information, and they can offer valuable connections to other social networks. Again, Keith Ferrazzi covers many of these concepts in Never Eat Alone, a book that explores the value of strong social networks. (And remember: it’s just as important for you to help others as it is for you to draw upon their help.)
Go ahead and make mistakes. Do not be afraid to fail. Yes, it’s trite, but it’s true: those who never try, never fail. And those who never fail, never learn. “First ask yourself: What is the worst that can happen?” Dale Carnegie once advised. “Then prepare to accept it. Then proceed to improve on the worst.” If you can learn to react to mistakes constructively, you can actually improve your situation and get on with life.
Take action to create your own luck. The authors offer a number of useful tips for creating your own luck:
- Act now. Don’t procrastinate. Begin pursuing your goals today.
- Avoid the “sunk cost fallacy”. Just because you’ve spent time and money on something doesn’t mean you can or should continue doing so.
- Take advantage of timely opportunities. Don’t be afraid to say “yes” when a favorable circumstance arises.
- Always do your best work, even when you think the task is unimportant.
- Ask for what you want. If you do not ask, you cannot receive.
- Be persistent. Don’t give up. Work hard.
- Become a lifelong learner. In 50 Success Classics, Tom Butler-Bowdon notes that most successful men and women have made a habit of reading, and of constant self-improvement.
Follow these seven guidelines, and your “luck” is bound to improve.
Enjoy yourself — the good life is a balanced life. Here’s advice I sometimes forget. A person who leads a balanced life is happier, more relaxed, more open to new experiences. If you maintain good relationships, pursue satisfying hobbies, go out of your way to help others, and continue to pursue personal growth, you will become a well-rounded person, just the sort that “luck” favors.
Overcome self-sabotage. Finally, in order to make the most of “luck” and happenstance, you must learn to face down their greatest enemy: your self. Each of us is capable of thwarting good fortune through negative self-talk. We beat ourselves up over our pasts. We tell ourselves that we “can’t” do something before we even try.

Dale Carnegie once said, “Happiness doesn’t depend on ay external conditions — it is governed by your mental attitude.” Some people might dismiss this as bunk, but research bears it out. Don’t worry about circumstances beyond your control. Learn to control the things you can, including your reaction to the world around you. How you respond to an unfortunate event is often more important than the event itself. Krumboltz and Levin write:

You have control over your own actions and how you think about the events that impact your life. None us can control the outcomes, but your actions can increase the probability that desired outcomes will occur. There are no guarantees in life. The only guarantee is that doing nothing will get you nowhere.

Inaction is the surest path to failure. You cannot succeed if you never try. My father used to tell me this, but I never took his advice to heart. I became an expert at doing nothing, at never daring to pursue my dreams. Over the past two years, I’ve begun to overcome this fear, have begun to act. I’ve begun to make my own luck.

Luck Is No Accident is a short book. Nothing in it is groundbreaking or revolutionary. Yet its common-sense wisdom is a powerful motivator. Whenever I read this book — I’ve read it three times in the past year — I cannot help but come away inspired, ready to make more of my situation, and to try new things. Is it worth owning? Perhaps not. But if you’re the sort of person who wonders why good things only happen to other people, I certainly encourage you to borrow a copy from your local library.

If you enjoyed this post by J.D., please check out his site or subscribe to his feed.

How to Make the Most Out of Luck in Your Career and Life

Editor’s note: This is a guest post from J.D. Roth, who writes about smart personal finance at Get Rich Slowly.

Some people are luckier than others.

How many of you believe this? Why do you believe it? Are you one of the lucky ones? Or does luck seem to pass you by? And just what is luck, anyhow?

Have you ever noticed that unplanned events — chance occurrences — more often determine your life and career choices than all the careful planning you do? A chance meeting, a broken appointment, a spontaneous vacation trip, a “fill-in” job, a newly discovered hobby — these are the kinds of experiences — happenstances — that lead to unexpected life directions and career choices.

The key is to recognize these opportunities and to act on them. Here are some techniques the authors suggest we can use to turn happenstance to our advantage.

Make the most of unplanned events. We are constantly bombarded by the unexpected. Most of the time, we dodge unplanned events in order to return to our normal lives. We fear the spontaneous. But if you can relax, open your mind, and roll with the unexpected, new opportunities will unfold.
Share your interests and experiences with people you meet. You don’t need to force your story on others. But learn to strike up conversations with people you meet in daily life. Ask them about their lives. They’ll ask you about yours. As Keith Ferrazzi notes in Never Eat Alone, this is a great way to form connections you might otherwise miss. It’s a great way to turn a random encounter into a possible “lucky break”. (Sometimes you will be a source of luck for the people you meet, just as they will sometimes be a source of luck for you.)

Always keep your options open. Goals are good. But single-minded devotion to a goal can often blind one to other opportunities. It’s also a mistake to cling to a path you hate out of a sense of obligation. If you enter law school and discover you hate it, quit. Don’t endure years of misery because you feel it’s expected of you. “Refuse to serve a life sentence of misery,” the authors write. You have more options than you think. But you may need to open your eyes to see them.
Wake up — before your dreams come true. When I was a boy, I loved computers. Computer programmers, like those in WarGames and Real Genius, were my heroes. But when I finally got a chance to program computers, it wasn’t anything like I had imagined it. It was drudgery. I gave up my dream and moved on to something else. Pursue goals, but be sure to reassess your progress and your priorities at regular intervals to prevent yourself from becoming trapped in a reality that is nothing like your dreams.
Try it — even without knowing the outcome. Two of the best ways to “be lucky” are to be willing to take calculated risks and to embrace unexpected opportunities. Try new things. Go new places. Don’t just do the things for which you know the eventual outcome. I’ve learned that the best way for me to grow as a person is to do something completely outside my comfort zone. Good things happen when I do.
Maintain a strong social network. “Building and maintaining good relationships with other people is an important component for job success,” the authors write. Other people can provide support in times of trouble, they can act as resources when you need information, and they can offer valuable connections to other social networks. Again, Keith Ferrazzi covers many of these concepts in Never Eat Alone, a book that explores the value of strong social networks. (And remember: it’s just as important for you to help others as it is for you to draw upon their help.)
Go ahead and make mistakes. Do not be afraid to fail. Yes, it’s trite, but it’s true: those who never try, never fail. And those who never fail, never learn. “First ask yourself: What is the worst that can happen?” Dale Carnegie once advised. “Then prepare to accept it. Then proceed to improve on the worst.” If you can learn to react to mistakes constructively, you can actually improve your situation and get on with life.
Take action to create your own luck. The authors offer a number of useful tips for creating your own luck:
- Act now. Don’t procrastinate. Begin pursuing your goals today.
- Avoid the “sunk cost fallacy”. Just because you’ve spent time and money on something doesn’t mean you can or should continue doing so.
- Take advantage of timely opportunities. Don’t be afraid to say “yes” when a favorable circumstance arises.
- Always do your best work, even when you think the task is unimportant.
- Ask for what you want. If you do not ask, you cannot receive.
- Be persistent. Don’t give up. Work hard.
- Become a lifelong learner. In 50 Success Classics, Tom Butler-Bowdon notes that most successful men and women have made a habit of reading, and of constant self-improvement.
Follow these seven guidelines, and your “luck” is bound to improve.
Enjoy yourself — the good life is a balanced life. Here’s advice I sometimes forget. A person who leads a balanced life is happier, more relaxed, more open to new experiences. If you maintain good relationships, pursue satisfying hobbies, go out of your way to help others, and continue to pursue personal growth, you will become a well-rounded person, just the sort that “luck” favors.
Overcome self-sabotage. Finally, in order to make the most of “luck” and happenstance, you must learn to face down their greatest enemy: your self. Each of us is capable of thwarting good fortune through negative self-talk. We beat ourselves up over our pasts. We tell ourselves that we “can’t” do something before we even try.

You have control over your own actions and how you think about the events that impact your life. None us can control the outcomes, but your actions can increase the probability that desired outcomes will occur. There are no guarantees in life. The only guarantee is that doing nothing will get you nowhere.

If you enjoyed this post by J.D., please check out his site or subscribe to his feed.

Spewed into the world on 26 November 2007 in Goals & Motivation |
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Brilliant comments (25)

Mark Says:

November 26th, 2007, 8:41 am

Luck is just one of the many ingredients that determines our success.

However, there is no substitute for focus, determination, and persistence.

Through a lot of hard work and preparation we create our own luck!

Megan Says:

November 26th, 2007, 9:24 am

“Share your interests and experiences with people you meet.” I like this sentiment, and think about all the times I was able to overcome my shyness or overcome embarrassment over how people may react to me and do so. I’ve met a TON of people with shared interests this way, and some of them were able to help further my interests by connecting me with other like-minds. When I’m able to get out of my own way, fantastic things happen!

@Stephen | HD BizBlog Says:

November 26th, 2007, 9:45 am

Terrific post J.D., I especially like #8 Take Action to Control Your Own Luck - I have been a firm believer that advantages are taken, not handed out. This has led me on some crazy adventures and a wonderful, varied career path that I would never change.

>>Megan - Getting out of your own way is an awesome feeling! Lately I have had to remind myself of that more often.

Etavitom Says:

November 26th, 2007, 12:14 pm

What a truly profound and inspirational post. Thank you so much for starting my week on the right foot! All the best, Brad

zero255zero Says:

November 26th, 2007, 12:39 pm

Always keep your options open, you never know when something better may come along.

Nancy Says:

November 26th, 2007, 12:46 pm

Great post. My dad used to say, “The harder I work, the luckier I get.” These thoughts give added depth to that.

Eugene (Editor, Varsity Blah) Says:

November 26th, 2007, 13:26 pm

I’m so glad you touched on focusing on the things you can control. I actually wrote about it recently as well:

“The only reason I can say that is because of a powerful lesson I finally learned. It’s all about control. The number one reason my life used to be such a mess was because I constantly tried to control what wasn’t mine to control. I wasted so much time and energy trying to change things that couldn’t be changed. I wasted so much time and energy trying to fix things nobody asked me to fix or solve problems nobody asked me to solve. It never worked and it never would.

“That’s why I needed to let go of the things couldn’t control and start focusing on the things I could. Fortunately, that list was pretty short. There was only one thing in this world I could control. It was me. It had always been me. I couldn’t control the things that happened to me but I could control the way I responded. I couldn’t control the things people said or did, but I could control how much I let them affect me.”

(Extract from “Work in Progress”)

Tammy Takahashi Says:

November 26th, 2007, 13:29 pm

Excellent post. I’ve always wondered why my hubby was such a lucky guy, and I wasn’t for so many years. And why my luck has changed for the better these past few years. You’ve explained it exactly. A change of perspective and what we choose to respond to effects our “luck”. It’s amazing. Thanks for putting into such clear words.

italics Says:

November 26th, 2007, 13:46 pm

When I was 17, this was a great philosophy. I jumped at opportunities to do and see things that presented themselves to me - experiences from socializing to volunteering to jobs and educational pursuits. I took the open doors and discovered a lot about the world. In some respects I’m glad I did; on the other hand, the long road led me down unplanned path after unplanned path, leading ultimately to an unplanned and undesired destination. Maybe I’ll accidently work my way into something better someday.

Sometimes making a plan and sticking to your guns is exactly the right path to take, without deviations beckoned by exciting opportunity and happenstance.

Pistolette Says:

November 26th, 2007, 14:05 pm

I have experienced this first hand. It’s been two years since Hurricane Katrina desrtoyed the homes of my entire family, but now we are more successful financially, mentally, and career-wise than we were before. I suppose its like the saying goes “it’s only when you lose everything that you’re free to do anything.” After a few days of moping around we quickly regrouped and simply felt happy to be alive. Every day since then I have lived strongly in the present, and have an awareness of things around me that I did not have before. We lost most of our fears, and learned to enjoy life through experiences rather than material things. Perhaps a record-breaking hurricane seems like an extreme case of happenstance, but I think it still qualifies. I see many people around me trying to endure life here (in New Orleans) with the same old attitudes and they are suffering so much. I choose to see the positive things the storm brought here, and as a result I am “lucky”.

Todd Says:

November 26th, 2007, 15:30 pm

Good article here. My dad, who is one of the smartest people I know (Harvard, Harvards business school, etc…) thinks everything in life is pure luck. I never understood how he could feel this way, and have always felt the exact opposite. I will be sure to get that book and send him a copy!

Noel Says:

November 26th, 2007, 15:39 pm

(errrrggg! I just lost the original message I typed - I forgot to put in my email address before hitting Submit, got an error message, hit the back button, and presto my message was gone)

I found The Luck Factor by Richard Wiseman at my public library a few years ago. It’s a fairly scientific study of the subject, and has good info on putting the data into practice.

TC Says:

November 26th, 2007, 16:07 pm

Along with JD’s post on the power of saying „yes“, this has been very inspiring and came about the right moment for me.

Time to do some serious life-hacking.
Zenhabits is a great help in doing so.

The New Inspirer Says:

November 26th, 2007, 18:36 pm

Luck -like beauty- is in the eye of the beholder.

Andrew Brunelle Says:

November 26th, 2007, 19:05 pm

I believe that if you are fully committed to following your dreams and you take the steps you feel are right and people pick up on that energy, you will become a success. Just keep things in the positive. Luck is a product of determination and intuition. You know, when everything falls into place perfectly. It truly is a thing of beauty. I’m so glad I found this blog. Top notch. Right up there with Steve Pavlina, but this one is more my taste.

Leo Says:

November 26th, 2007, 19:12 pm

I just want to thank JD for doing this great guest post (and all of you who have left excellent comments!).

Just to let you guys know, JD’s Get Rich Slowly was one of the inspirations for Zen Habits … his was the first blog I ever subscribed to, and I still read it daily. He’s honest, straightforward, intelligent and friendly. A great combination in a blogger.

Keep inspiring us, JD!

jim mcgrath Says:

November 26th, 2007, 19:22 pm

I think the biggest limiter to our success is our fear. Most of us also do not dream high enough. We set limits to our dreams and should not hold back with our dreams. Let it go and dream big. Work on staying as positive as you can in thoughts and this will give the dreams a better chance to come true. Our higher self, or Essence,wants us to be successful. The more positive we stay, and through our meditations communicate to the higher self and as for assistance with the dreams.

Tina Su - Think Simple Now Says:

November 26th, 2007, 19:54 pm

Wow, what a fantastic post! JD, you’re a great writer and I love how each point you touched is so powerful and ringing with so much truth. You now have a new subscriber. :) Thanks Leo for this.

I especially connected with point #8 of creating your own luck. I love this quote: “Ask for what you want. If you do not ask, you cannot receive.”. I’ve found it that once we have a clear and measurable target, and that if we just jumped in with faith, that ways will be created as I am taking action towards that goal. Pretty amazing how the universe operates, huh?

The last quote is also very powerful, I’m adding it to my quote book and will reference it in a future post on related topics: “…There are no guarantees in life. The only guarantee is that doing nothing will get you nowhere.”

Thanks for the inspiration. :)

Love & Gratitude,
Tina

Albert | UrbanMonk.Net Says:

November 26th, 2007, 20:18 pm

Great list - especially the last one. Master yourself, and you master the world. Sadly, it is one of the hardest things to do - I’ve been sharing about my own journey in this aspect in my own blog for close to a year and it’s the best journey ever - but a very long one!

WereBear Says:

November 26th, 2007, 20:47 pm

I think the “sunk costs fallacy” is the most powerful pitfall of all because people cling to what they have… even if they don’t like it!

Getting a degree in something they don’t like, refusing to give up on a relationship where they are not respected, doggedly sticking with a goal that no longer excites them.

“But I’ve invested so much!” cuts no ice when reality has sent many messages that this path has nothing but disappointment at its end. Just investing does not guarantee that this investment will pay off the way we want it to.

Dr. Kirk Laman Says:

November 26th, 2007, 22:47 pm

Great post! As a cardiologist I see this all the time. People wait for luck to bail them out of a situation.

“Doc do you know of a form of exercise that doesn’t involve exertion?” A patient actually asked me this recently.

Talk about letting life roll you over. We can’t wait for luck to rescue us from good old “elbow grease.”

Read my blog at: http://blog.drkirklaman.com/2007/11/26/what-exercise-can-you-recommend-that-doesnt-involve-exertion/

Patrick Says:

November 26th, 2007, 23:23 pm

I was told “it is amazing how lucky you get when you work hard.”

I believe the key to the open options thing is the part mentioning calculated risk.

I am an Executive Recruiter and talk to people everyday about changing jobs for something better…. it is amazing how many people aren’t open to new opportunities.

Maura Says:

November 27th, 2007, 0:58 am

What a charmed world we all live in that we can expect to find opportunities and luck in our lives. There are so many in the world that are denied that, through no fault of their own. We live in a nation not caught in the ravages of war, famine or abject poverty. (And even so there are those among us that suffer through no fault of their own, from abuse, poverty, mental afflictions, abandonment and the like.) I suppose the opportunity these unfortunate or lazy souls have for being open to new experiences or luck include having a famine relief package dropped from above once in a while, or a loved one hold them when the starve or bleed to death.

There isn’t a person on this site who isn’t already wealthy with the luck granted to them in this life.

Open English Says:

November 28th, 2007, 16:02 pm

Maura: I can’t decide if that comment was sarcastic, pessimistic, or optimistic or all 3. It was definitely dark and depressing though.
Chances are everyone that reads this blog is “luckier” than a lot of people who are starving, dying, or in wars. But I think the post was meant to talk about the opportunities in life that come AFTER you already have the basic human needs met.

RP | Ravositti.com Says:

February 26th, 2009, 2:16 am

Think positive, do hard work, be honest & truthful, banish negativity and you shall reap the rewards.

Regards,
RP

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How to Make the Most Out of Luck in Your Career and Life

Editor’s note: This is a guest post from J.D. Roth, who writes about smart personal finance at Get Rich Slowly.

How to Make the Most Out of Luck in Your Career and Life

Editor’s note: This is a guest post from J.D. Roth, who writes about smart personal finance at Get Rich Slowly.

Brilliant comments (25)

Mark Says:

November 26th, 2007, 8:41 am

Megan Says:

November 26th, 2007, 9:24 am

@Stephen | HD BizBlog Says:

November 26th, 2007, 9:45 am

Etavitom Says:

November 26th, 2007, 12:14 pm

zero255zero Says:

November 26th, 2007, 12:39 pm

Nancy Says:

November 26th, 2007, 12:46 pm

Eugene (Editor, Varsity Blah) Says:

November 26th, 2007, 13:26 pm

Tammy Takahashi Says:

November 26th, 2007, 13:29 pm

italics Says:

November 26th, 2007, 13:46 pm

Pistolette Says:

November 26th, 2007, 14:05 pm

Todd Says:

November 26th, 2007, 15:30 pm

Noel Says:

November 26th, 2007, 15:39 pm

TC Says:

November 26th, 2007, 16:07 pm

The New Inspirer Says:

November 26th, 2007, 18:36 pm

Andrew Brunelle Says:

November 26th, 2007, 19:05 pm

Leo Says:

November 26th, 2007, 19:12 pm

jim mcgrath Says:

November 26th, 2007, 19:22 pm

Tina Su - Think Simple Now Says:

November 26th, 2007, 19:54 pm

Albert | UrbanMonk.Net Says:

November 26th, 2007, 20:18 pm

WereBear Says:

November 26th, 2007, 20:47 pm

Dr. Kirk Laman Says:

November 26th, 2007, 22:47 pm

Patrick Says:

November 26th, 2007, 23:23 pm

Maura Says:

November 27th, 2007, 0:58 am

Open English Says:

November 28th, 2007, 16:02 pm

RP | Ravositti.com Says:

February 26th, 2009, 2:16 am

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