“You’re so Lucky”
This past year, I have had such an amazing time traveling, studying, and soon to be working abroad. When talking to friends and family in my hometown, I often hear the phrase “you’re so lucky”. Every time I hear someone say that to me, It makes me think: Am I an extremely lucky person? I mean I suppose this would depend on the context of who I am being compared to. There are people in this world with a lack of basic necessities (water, shelter, family), but for the purpose of this discussion, let’s assume that I am comparing someone coming from an average middle class family.
This phrase “you’re so lucky” begs the question of is it luck? Is there a secret to success? Am I legitimately lucky or are there other factors to consider? Let’s dig deep!
Luck can be defined as “the force that causes things, especially good things, to happen to you by chance and not as a result of your own efforts or abilities” (Cambridge Dictionary). This definition is important to keep in mind while I compare different factors of my life while determining what is the most accurate causation.
To give a little background of what led me to studying abroad, I am currently a Brock University student in the Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) International Co-op Double Degree. I come from a very middle-class family. I have never felt like I was lacking the necessities of life, but I certainly wasn’t over-spoiled as a kid: I didn’t go on vacations, I only got expensive gifts on rare occasions, and both of my parents are currently unemployed. So in that sense, we can cross off that my “luck” did not originate from being born into a rich family.
Ironically, I think that it can actually be quite the opposite. Thinking back to when I was younger, going through my parents’ divorce, parents’ health challenges and other various events, forced me to mature faster. I learned quickly and alongside my brother how to cook, clean, manage challenges and become self-sufficient at a very young age. Through developing independence and learning the outcome of actions, I learned that it is important to take matters into my own hands, and that anything is possible with the correct hard work and motivation.
Hard-work can be defined as “constantly, regularly, or habitually engaged in earnest and energetic work: industrious, diligent” (Merriam-Webster). Following the divorce of my parents, I was very involved in school with various clubs, initiatives and events — developing my leadership and business-related skills, as this was the path I wanted to pursue in the future.
The motivation to work hard and become involved can also certainly be attributed to role models in my life and those I aspire to become like. For example, my brother has always been someone extremely hard working (likely attributed to our identical upbringing). When comparing yourself to what others do, it is easy to see why some people succeed and thrive, while others that fall into bad habits tend to struggle. Not to say that I am an extremely successful person, but I certainly work towards leading myself on this path. Something that my brother has often said to me (which has stuck with me), is the saying “if it was easy, everyone would do it”. Thinking of anything fulfilling and successful in life, it probably came from hard work, attention to detail and persistence, which is not easy.
While entering university, I worked diligently towards applying to scholarships and government funding, allowing me to secure more than enough financial resources to pursue a university degree, without the weight of student debt. This ability to receive scholarships and government money can be attributed to multiple factors: my family’s financial situation, my involvement / experience and my academic grades. Therefore, I realize that family income is not “hard work”, so possibly the criteria for receiving financial aid could be attributed to luck. Along with my experiences, jobs and academic grades propelling me to receive various financial streams, I was able to support myself enough to switch into a study abroad program.
It was throughout my early years of university that I realized that everyone is in control of their life. If you are determined enough, you can make anything happen for yourself, regardless of your situation (to a certain extent). Taking initiative to network with others who have expertise, asking questions, seeking clarification, and most importantly taking on opportunities, is totally up to you. Looking to the future, securing internships (as part of my program), and building upon work experience is certainly mainly correlated with hard work and determination (and possibly a bit of luck if you network correctly or have a family connection).
From my personal experience, I would say that hard work was the anchor of my success with a small amount of luck allowing me to fully thrive. There are so many elements of life that can be attributed to what led me to being able to study abroad (faith, influence of friends, past decisions etc.) that I could write an entire book. It is interesting that every decision you make plays a part in leading you to where you are, who you meet and who you become. I am certainly grateful for the people I have met and opportunities I have had at my disposal to take advantage of.
Going back to the definition of luck being “not as a result of your own efforts or abilities”, I believe that my destiny has in contrast been mainly a result of my own efforts and abilities, therefore, being more in line with hard work with only a slight amount of luck. I have always loved the saying “hard work makes you lucky”, because it motivates me to work hard, rather than wait around for luck to come my way.
