The short answer is a qualified “yes”. By that we mean that you can create conditions where positive outcomes become far more likely. In other words, you can dramatically increase the probability of “luck”.
The word “luck” seems to have entered the English language only around 1500 – it is not found at all in Old English.
The word appears to have come from either what is called Middle Low German – also known as Saxon – (lucke) or Middle Dutch (lucken). It was initially used as a gambling term (of course!).
According to the dictionary, luck is success or failure brought by chance rather than through one’s own actions – i.e. chance is considered as a force that causes good or bad things to happen. If we accept this concept, then it follows that there must be ways and means by which we can increase the probability of good or bad events. And we all know some of the weird and wonderful concepts humanity has devised over the centuries to achieve this – from sacrifices to the gods, to lucky numbers, reliance on “influential” people (shamans, etc.) and many, many more.
Having made those derogatory remarks, the fundament concept of being able to increase the probability of good or bad events, is true – just not in the manner previously thought.
The psychologist Richard Wiseman’s decade-long research has clearly shown that “lucky” people share common habits and perspectives that make them more likely to attract positive outcomes. They are open to opportunity, trust their intuition, and turn adversity into advantage. By contrast, “unlucky” people miss opportunities because they are too focused on what could go wrong or fixated on past misfortunes.
Other studies show that our expectations shape what we notice and how we respond. This means that the luckiest leaders aren’t those who’ve never faced setbacks, but the ones who refuse to let setbacks define what’s possible next. Some studies even suggest that belief in luck acts like a placebo, producing positive thinking and improving people’s responses to events. Supporting this, it seems that good luck and good mood often co-occur. People who believe themselves to be lucky are often comparatively happy and optimistic whereas people who believe themselves to be unlucky may feel comparatively anxious and depressed.
It is certainly a truism that when someone consistently learns, builds, collaborates, and experiments, they create a dense network of actions and connections. Eventually something emerges – a breakthrough, a partnership, a new business direction.
So, how can you shift from waiting for luck to making it work for you? Here are some thoughts:
- Lucky people actively look for opportunity – they don’t just passively hope for it. Diverse interactions and exposure to new ideas increase the likelihood of discovering unexpected opportunities. Make a habit of engaging in conversations outside your industry or normal circles. Attend events, reach out to an unfamiliar colleague, explore ideas beyond your comfort zone. The more you expand your field of vision, the more you’ll notice what others miss.
- Many of the world’s most successful leaders credit their biggest breaks to moments that initially felt like failures. Shifting from a victim mindset to a creator mindset allows you to find hidden opportunities in what initially seems like misfortune. Every situation can be turned into a win if you’re looking for it.
- Take more chances. Jeff Bezos once called Amazon’s success a result of its willingness to make “many small, smart bets”. By embracing micro-risks, you create more opportunities for positive outcomes.
- Another often neglected characteristic – persistence. Never give up. Rarely do any of these things happen suddenly – a tipping point must be reached.
Having made all these assertions, it is important to state that this perspective doesn’t eliminate randomness from life. The universe is full of uncertainty. What the above perspective does suggest is that you can dramatically increase the probability of “luck”.
Let’s conclude with another interesting study. A statistical analysis in the book “The Success Equation” attempted to clarify the differing balance between skill and luck with respect to how teams finished in the major North American sports leagues. This analysis concluded that, on a luck continuum, the National Basketball Association (NBA) had the most skill-dependent result while the National Hockey League (NHL) was the most luck-dependent.
So, go ahead – put yourself in luck’s path. But remember – be patient. Just because you can’t see the fruits of your efforts right now doesn’t mean they aren’t coming. Your next bold step might just achieve the tipping point.