Learn How to be Lucky (and More Successful) With 3 Underrated Steps
Takeaways from How to Fail at Almost Everything And Still Win Big by Scott Adams
Wait, you can learn how to be luckier?
I also used to believe luck was just a trait that you had.
Not a quality that you could improve on.
And so I was an ardent pessimist who just focused on working hard…
Until I read this book.
It turns out that you can (sort of) influence how lucky you get.
Here’s how:
1. Train Yourself to Have a Lucky Mindset
Your perspective influences your behaviour.
What kind of perspective do you need for more luck to come your way?
Be happy
Being happy gives you energy to work towards success (therefore inviting more luck).
Let your imagination influence your reality.
Imagine an incredible future.
If you find it difficult to be happy — just trick yourself into it.
Start with just smiling.
People also tend to approach you and have a good first impression of you if you look happy.
Be optimistic
If you think your odds of solving your problem are bad, don’t rule out the possibility that what is really happening is that you are bad at estimating odds.
Being optimistic allows you to see more opportunities.
You never know what doors will open when you have a positive attitude.
And even if one door closes?
You’ll see another one open in no time.
Be bold
Even if you see the door open…
You still need to walk through for it to be useful.
Don’t be afraid of being embarrassed.
Take meaningful risks.
They might pay off.
If you’re naturally shy?
Pretend to be someone who isn’t.
You will gradually become more bold this way.
2. Do Things that Improve Your Energy, Contacts, and Skills
What can you work on that will help you become:
- smarter
- more talented
- better networked
- healthier, and/or
- more energized?
If you do things that guarantee those outcomes, you will come out ahead.
So even if your original project fails?
You now have more people and skills to help with your next venture.
Every skill you acquire doubles your odds of success
You don’t have to be the top 1% of a certain skill to be successful.
You can become more valuable by combining skills you’re just good at (ex. the top 25% in two different skills).
Stacking ordinary talents can turn into an extraordinary combination.
If you think something might someday be useful?
Learn the basics.
Form your own niche, and no one can compete with you.
Try different things until you get the timing right by luck
Always seek opportunities where you have an advantage.
Your job is to find a better job.
But that job won’t always become available the moment you say you’re ready.
So keep trying different jobs and projects until something works.
3. Prepare for Good Things to Happen to You
Take care of yourself
Improve your attitude and raise your energy by:
- exercising
- eating healthy
- sleeping well
Staying in good condition lets you get everything else you need.
You can also try affirmations to help train your mind to be luckier.
Identify your skill stack
How do you know what skills you have?
And which ones you can combine to get something useful?
You can start by asking yourself:
- What were you obsessively doing before you were 10 years old?
- What would you accept outsized risk for?
What interests you is usually related to what you’re good at.
You naturally want to do things you feel comfortable doing.
Your risk appetite (as related to a skill) can also show where you might have talent.
For example:
A child who eagerly accepts the risk of embarrassment in front of a crowd even a friendly crowd — probably has some talent for entertaining.
Spend time with people who have traits you want for yourself
You learn by example from the people around you.
This includes energy, skills, and character traits.
Your community can help you by:
- Making success feel ordinary (because you see people achieving it)
- Giving you information you need, or encouragement, or contacts, or even useful criticism
Look out for your X factor
Do people engage with your work?
Test your work’s potential by watching what people do with it.
Do they share your work?
Tweet it?
E-mail it?
Put it up somewhere?
Small successes can grow into big ones. (ex. think of early cellphones and computers).
But does this actually work?
Having tried these myself?
I can’t say for sure that I’m luckier.
But I do feel like good things happen to me more often.
Using these tips helped me:
- get opportunities to learn more valuable, stackable skills
- make more weak ties
- access more insider information
All of which have helped me make better decisions and greatly improved my quality of life.
The only other tip I’d add on to this?
Offer your help to someone else first.
Helping other people makes you feel good (contributing to your happiness), gives you a chance to connect with someone new, and helps you practice being bold (in offering first).
And the other person gets the help they need.
It’s a win-win.
So:
- Stay optimistic & flexible
- Put in the energy to take care of yourself
- Try lots of things
- Learn as much as you can (and help others when you can)
- Stay in the game long enough for luck to find you
Good luck!
