I had some random thoughts on luck that I wanted to share with you.
We tend to think of luck as the dice coming up seven, or the lottery ticket coming in - random chance working for or against us.
There will always be that kind - the wild haymaker of fantastic dumb luck that visits like a Zeppelin on the sofa - where all you can do is swear that it never happens to you.
But then there's another kind of luck, the everyday kind, the kind of luck that happens on the sidewalk and in chance emails and telephone calls and the fortunate noticing of something that was about to go very wrong, or maybe very right.
"It was so lucky I called you." "I'm glad I noticed the burner was still on - that was lucky!" "It was so fortunate that he made that odd comment."
Consider that luck is a function of what you are pointed at, what you are able to see, and the possibilities you can recognize.
Where there is more attention, there is more luck
Where there is more discrimination, there is more luck
Where there is more appreciation, there is more luck
Think about that for a moment.
How often do we feel it was so lucky that we noticed that the burner was still on (or something like that). "Thank god I checked!"
Yes, but thank god for what, exactly?
For the physics of attention, discrimination and appreciation.
You looked, noticed the flame was on and realized that that was bad.
What a surprise!
Thank god you decided to place your attention where you did. THAT was an important decision.
So if we have control of the very thing that we thank god for, how do we decide where to place this precious attention?
Isn't that always the highest value question? Where, on what, should I put my attention?
Well... where would you like to be more lucky?
It's probably a bit like pop corn in the mind, first one than three than a rat-a-tat tat of places you'd like to be more lucky.
Which one do you want the most? Which one has the most longing? In what area would you most like to look, and see more opportunities that you love?
Look there. All the time. Work hard, stay focused, dream constantly. Love that where you look the most you are most likely to find everyday luck, frequent good fortune and every now and then you can distinguish something in the distance that you would not have spotted before, the wild haymaker landing nearby that you just might be able to get in the way of.
Focus begets luck, so work hard on the thing you most want luck in.
Louis Pasteur said, “Chance favors only the prepared mind.” What are you preparing yours for?