Making your own luck
Are you a gambling man (or woman)? Do you look at the rising trajectories of others and wonder about their good fortune? In business, luck is just the tip of the iceberg that is success. It pays to really analyze how some entrepreneurs seem to always be in the right place at the right time. Luck can (and does) smile down on everybody, and those who notice and take action have the potential to pull far ahead of the pack.
Know It When You See It
A lucky break can be extremely flagrant or incredibly subtle. Learn to recognize when luck descends upon you. It seems that having an open, positive attitude goes a long way toward making your own luck. Those with a negative attitude close themselves off to being able to see opportunities.
Be Prepared To Act
Doing the right thing at the right time has a lot to do with making your own luck. Hesitation can kill luck. Don’t act without thinking but do act as decisively as possible. A combination of previous experience, learning and research will aid you in making the right move.
Use Your Network
Who you know is an important part of keeping your business healthy. Making acquaintances and alliances and developing genuine friendships can equal lucky breaks for you. Collaboration instead of competition means more opportunities to be creative and do interesting things that lead to greater fortune.
Keep Trying
Sometimes luck is closely tied to persistence. Being stubborn can be a good business trait. Thomas Edison took a thousand attempts to create the incandescent bulb and the framework of an electrical system. However, he didn’t invent the concept of incandescent lighting, he simply spent an enormous amount of time and energy in perfecting it for practical use. Edison made his own luck.
Learn From Your Mistakes
Successful entrepreneurs are always looking for ways to turn lemons into lemonade. They are only temporarily daunted by failure, and use the information to learn how to do things better the next time. Edison was stubborn and it paid off, but most of us must temper persistence with research. Knowing when to give up, move on, and do something else can give you more chances to get lucky on the next try. Eric Ries’ Lean Startup methodology is based on iterating, learning from feedback, and making rapid changes. This means your business is nimble and responsive, giving it a greater chance of success.
…The Upshot
All of these things point to the notion that maybe luck doesn’t exist – but extremely prepared, optimistic people do. My friend Lane Becker has just released a business book called Get Lucky about this very topic. He calls making your own luck “planned serendipity” which provides wiggle room for chance, smarts, creativity and timing. If you are careful, making your own luck and making opportunities for luck to visit you is far more reliable than waiting for it to appear out of the blue…so, what are you waiting for?
Thankyou Rena Tom for these words of wisdom!
