Rethinking Luck

“You are so lucky!”

I seem to be getting this comment a lot lately as I tell people that my not even 2 month old sleeps through the night.

It is amazing, agreed, but I wonder how much of it is just my baby’s natural way and how much is due to the work that I am putting in to keep her on a good eating schedule, and the work to help her self-soothe.  Regardless of what it is, it has made me reflect more on the concept of luck and how much we use the term in our everyday lives. 

Good luck
Bad luck
Rotten luck
Lots of luck
Luck of the draw
Lucky streak
No such luck
Beginner’s luck
Best of luck
As luck would have it
Down on one’s luck
Your luck has run out
Luck out
Out of luck

I was talking to someone about this the other day and he said that some people refuse to even use the word luck because their belief is that luck doesn’t really exist and that it is really about circumstance and preparation. I have to agree. 

As we tell people, “Good luck,” on a regular basis, I feel that in a way we are almost diminishing all the work that they put in to prepare for whatever it is they are undertaking.         

• The actor who got up on stage put tons of effort and practice into the rehearsals so that on opening night he could truly shine. 
• The Olympian who trained for hours a day to ensure that she had a shot at a medal. 
• The person who aced the interview who prepared by doing mock interviews with friends and also extensively researching the company. 
• Even the poker player, who may get “lucky” cards, still has to use her skills to win the game.

Sometimes, when our envy rears it’s ugly head, we tend to forget about all the hard work that a person put into getting the results that they did. But, you know what, we could probably get the same results if we were willing to put in the time and effort.

For some of us it might take longer than others, but as my friend said above, it is really about circumstance AND preparation.  You can find countless examples of people who overcame crazy odds to succeed.  They overcame their circumstances and put more time into preparation. 

When you notice yourself thinking of someone as being lucky, pause and and ask them how they prepared. You might find yourself just as lucky someday!

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