Karma Is Not Luck

I need everyone to stop mixing up karma and luck. Right now.

By doing it, you’re giving luck way too much credit. And it pisses me off that luck gets any credit at all when it’s just that: luck. Maybe it’s because people don’t see the difference.

Here’s an example to help you out. People say I’m lucky. And I don’t disagree. I am lucky to a certain extent. Luck is the fact that I was born in the Soviet Union during a time when people were able to get out. Actions were taken that led to that opportunity, but connecting the dots that lead to me specifically is nearly impossible. That’s luck.

When I can actually piece together how something happened, that’s karma. I wrote an article for someone or I appeared on someone’s show and now I’m seeing enormous benefits. I introduced that friend to the person who got them their dream job and now my friend wants to do something in return. Karma.

See the difference? The very definition of karma implies that some kind of work on your end is needed, but luck? Luck just happens.

I’m not a person who believes it is 100% one or the other in life. Both exist, but people seem to give credit to luck more often and point out that people are lucky. But I think that’s a symptom of people not wanting to put the hours in, to work hard. Luck is easy. Luck requires no effort. Karma takes work, real hustle, real drive.

There is a cynicism towards hard work that seems to emerge a lot in our world. People don’t want to admit that maybe they have to put in extra hours, stay up late, give up TV binge watching, and WORK. It’s easy for you to say I’m lucky, but does luck have anything to do with the fact that I’m writing this at 7pm on a Sunday?

I didn’t think so.

Now the question becomes: how do you make yourself more about karma, and less about luck?

It’s a very simple mindset: do things for free, with no expectations of what you might get in return. People are stuck and captivated by the idea that every action has an ROI. If you’re behaving in that sense, you don’t get it. Sometimes it pays to just do something awesome. For yourself, for someone else. Whichever. Just take action.

And pay attention. Because you’ll start seeing a couple things. One, karma is real. And two, luck has nothing to do with it.

Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed it, please hit the “recommend” button below. It would mean so much to me.