Beyond Lucky: Path to Thriving

March marks the beginning of the Major League Baseball season, the excitement of March Madness, and the festive spirit of St. Patrick's Day. Each of these events carries a hint of luck, but when it comes to the first two, success isn't merely about luck—it's about skill, a well-developed process, and being ready. It’s not really that hard to wear green and join the festivities with a leprechaun.

I recall my grandfather's sage advice, 'It's better to be lucky than good.' Over the years, I've echoed those words countless times. Did you know it all started with Lefty Gomez, an all-star pitcher for the Yankees back in the 1930s? I learned recently that he is the one that my grandfather repeated all those years. Luck may have its place, but true success stems from continuous improvement. Regardless of your fortune, striving to become a little better each day is the real key.

Here's the thing: honing your skills can compensate for a stroke of bad luck or even manifest some good luck by improving your situation. As you focus on personal growth, opportunities seem to keep presenting themselves. Thomas Jefferson famously said, 'The harder I work, the luckier I get.' I think my sales team has heard that a few times.

In sports, our workplaces, and our families, we love to celebrate all the great outcomes. I am realizing though; we often forget the process that leads us to the outcomes. The work, the grind, the activity, the mistakes, and the struggles. While winning is certainly important and worthy of celebration, only a few are winning at any given moment. Many are in the middle of the process, diligently working to improve, day by day. We need to make sure we are telling ourselves the right things during the process. It can feel like we are losing even when we are doing the right things that will help us reach our goals. It's crucial to recognize, affirm, and celebrate our progress along the path to success.

I authored an article back in March of 2023 called ‘Win Before Gameday.’ In it, I emphasized how “Preparation allows you to have the right mindset at the right time. It gives you grace. It gives you the ability to not freak out when the proverbial hits the fan.” Preparation is synonymous with continual improvement—it's about sharpening our skills and seizing opportunities when they arise. What do they say, luck happens when preparation meets opportunity.

So, why all the stuff about improving skills, celebrating the process, and preparation? Because in the times we face today, it's tough. It's challenging. We can dwell on our current lack of victories, or we can channel our energy into personal growth, striving to become better versions of ourselves. It's not about embracing false hope; it's about being optimistic. During tough times, we won't always feel comfortable or 'normal,' and things won't revert to how they once were. We must be willing to try things, to fail, and to be okay with not being okay. And who knows? If we're working hard enough, we might even get lucky.

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