Can we create our own Luck?
Our chances of being successful may seem quite slim if we are not taking reasonable steps to get to where we want to be. We may look at others and describe them as being ‘lucky’. On the other hand, with no disregard for the work ethic and circumstances in which people are able to obtain success, it is unfair to only assume that people obtain success from their own merits alone. It is quite common that we have people that open doors for us or lead us in the right direction. In that regard, we are lucky and privileged to have such opportunities.
Luck, according to my good friend google, is defined as success or failure apparently brought by chance rather than through one’s own actions. From this definition, it is clear that when it comes to luck there is nothing we could possibly do to change it — as it is out of our hands. Or so we may think.
Luck to the pessimistic is a bad word, quickly stomped out as soon as it is mentioned. And to the realist, an insignificant impossibility, and impractical to rely upon. But I have a spanner to put in the works. A spanner named serendipity.
Serendipity is known as the occurrence and development of events by chance in a happy or beneficial way. Notice how this differs from sheer luck? The brilliance of serendipity lies behind the fact that we can influence events to happen in a positive way. And, through our actions, we can increase our chances of repeating our successes. There are many steps we can take to ensure that we are in a good position to obtain success and here are a few of them.
Open-mindedness
Often we may find ourselves being stuck in our ways and doing the same things over and over again — simply because it is what we are used to. I call this the ‘business as usual’ mindset. It is easy to become complacent when we are comfortable, however, the amount of success we aspire to have most likely resides outside of our comfort zone. So how do we get out of this rather comfortable rut? By being open-minded and seeking to experience. Sometimes the best things in life are on the other side of the unknown. A place of great uncertainty can lead to great reward.
This means that we should be welcoming change and sacrifice our time to try something new. A good example would be attending networking events. I often hear students quite distraught about how to gain work experience and are eager to find some. The same students shy away from attending events that could allow them to get that experience. By attending such events you are being active and a step closer to your goal because you are present. The fact that you are there, changes everything because you would not be able to experience or have encounters that could potentially lead to success — if you were absent.
Accuracy and Precision
Luck is based on chance. And chance refers to the probability that something is likely to occur. Now, it is fair to convey that we would like our chances of success to be more likely than not. So how do move from a dependency on luck to a guided course of serendipity? Here is where accuracy and precision come into play.
Accuracy is defined as the degree to which the result of a measurement, calculation, or specification conforms to the correct value or a standard. I understand this to mean when we are close to the desired target or goal. For example, if you wanted to work as a fashion designer, gaining experience as a sales assistant in a high-street clothing store is not too far from your desired goal. Then again, you could gain transferable skills elsewhere that could just as well be an ‘accurate’ work experience for your desired goal.
Precision, on the other hand, is defined as refinement in a measurement, calculation, or specification, especially as represented by the number of digits given. The keyword that can be taken from this definition is ‘refinement’. Honing into the area as much as possible — to the closest degree. I believe that even though some things may come down to chance, we can be accurate and precise in our decision making to give us a better opportunity to be where we want to be. Work experience at a tech firm is an accurate choice if you want to work in this sector. However, having work experience at the said firm and specialising in a niche area of tech such as artificial intelligence would be precise.
I think that in order to best prepare ourselves for the future and have the best chance at achieving what we wish, we must have a combination of accuracy and precision in our choice making. In some cases we can look broadly at experiences that could give us transferable skills and in others we can aim to be more precise and find experiences exactly related to our desired goal.
Below is a diagram that will help you visualise accuracy and precision.
Determination and Direction
Leaving everything to chance is not the stance I take on finding success. I believe that our chances are uncertain but more can be done to influence our chances and make us sure about our path to success. I believe that we can be guided to make positives outcomes more likely than not — if we are active in pursuing them. On one hand, we have personal strive and determination which serves as the fuel that allows us to be persistent in our course. This determination is an unwavering belief in excelling and the confidence within ourselves to achieve. And by having this self-belief it is very hard for us to be held back or be discouraged. However, this confidence must be guided. This determination must have direction.
Direction, on the other hand, refers to knowing where it is you are going or where you want to be. Not knowing what you want to do in the future should not be seen as a limitation. Not knowing what you want to do in the future and not doing anything about it — is the problem. You can have direction in actively seeking out opportunities. Take being lost in the woods, for example, you can simply remain lost and wander aimlessly in hopes that you will find your way or, you can use a map and find the right path. What we want to do is be aware that we are unsure but have an idea of what we could perhaps do and, have the motivation to pursue that idea.
As we advance in our journeys, we gain knowledge, we have new experiences and become more confident in our endeavours. Knowing this, we are destined to face circumstances that we are uncertain of. That is why preparation is vital. We need to consider as many outcomes as possible. Addressing the what ifs and, what will I do when these occur. By doing this we are planning what will do in the future and giving ourselves more control over what might be.
Below is a scale that shows us what the probability of an outcome can be and it can be used to identify the preferable and unpreferable outcomes based on our current situations. From these outcomes, we can plan what we may do, to ensure positivity as much as realistically possible.
To conclude, I do not believe that our paths to success simply hang in an unknown balance with a reliance on a roll of a die. Nevertheless, the future is often uncertain and the most we can do, in most circumstances is make decisions that allow us to unravel the future in layers. And at the same time, it is important to address that things may go wrong but also, thoroughly enjoy the moment when we know for certain that things have gone according to plan. We must continue to seek to find more and more certainty as we continue to develop, gain more skills and prepare for the future. And even when this is not possible, we can be sure that being unsure, is not necessarily a bad thing.
Thank you for reading.
Do you believe in luck?
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