As I sit here daydreaming about St. Patrick’s Day celebrations (it’s one of my favorite holidays, don’t judge me on my daydreams), I started thinking about luck.
Do I feel lucky to be in the AV world? You bet! I truly love my job and our industry. I feel lucky to get to meet new and interesting people nearly every day; expanding both my business relationships and friendships with #AVTweeps makes my heart happy.
But, let’s be honest, luck doesn’t have a whole lot to do with it. Hard work and perseverance does. I’ve spent years diligently grinding away, strategically moving up the corporate and industry ladders. This is why it pains me to hear people say they’ve gotten to where they are in the corporate world by being “lucky.”
Can you believe there have actually been studies on the “science of luck?” A 10-year study done by psychologist Richard Wiseman revealed that, for the most part, people make their own luck, both good and bad.
One major finding from the study fascinated me: “Unlucky people miss chance opportunities because they are too focused on looking for something else.” When we’re always looking for the next big thing, we’re not taking the time to truly realize the experiences and opportunities we already have at our disposal. I’m guilty of that, as I’m sure we all are; some days I actually wish I could soak up more of the moment, rather than being so laser-focused on what lies ahead. Shocking, because it’s usually quite the opposite.
Another finding was that “lucky” people are actually skilled at maximizing chance opportunities. What are you doing to create your own luck (or opportunities)? Networking and being open to new experiences have been proven to increase your opportunities.
One other key finding was expecting good outcomes, and having a positive attitude. Practice your “glad to be here” mindset.
So, when you break it down, all signs suggest that luck is little more than a state of mind. Let’s dump the superstitions and start creating our own good fortune.
