Luck VS Hard Work - How to improve your luck ?

“Oh! Hard Luck!...”

“Only if luck had favoured us...”

“I was not lucky enough ...”

We hear these statements all the time.. I have been part of many a serious argument on Luck

Group 1 says : LUCK is everything. You may do things perfectly but you need luck if you need to succeed.. On the same vein, you may do an OK job and still get the top prize for that.. if you have luck.

Group 2 says : LUCK is nothing. The self believing group thinks there is no such thing as luck. You just need to work hard and smart, thats all, they say. Believing in luck is lame, they add.

Then there is the 3rd group (the corrupt group ??) which keeps oscillating between Group 1 and 2 as it fits the situation. This is the dangerous group and also the most crowded one.. ??

Now what is true ? Do you have the same doubt about luck and does it even exist ?..Hmm read on.. you are in the right place

The way I define luck is,

In everything you do, there is a part of it which you can work for (PREPARE hard for) and there is a part that is never in your control (society, world or nature controls that). The part you cannot control is LUCK

How to get Lucky ?

When you work hard and are prepared for the 100% of the things you can control in an activity, you have greatly improved your chance to be lucky.

John, Jacob and Joey are atheletes training in one of the best academies along with 20 other atheletes. For an international sports meet, there is only one entry from this academy and John being the outstanding of the whole group is the one expected to attend the meet. The coach conducts a 10 day camp to select the athelete representing the academy. Thinking John as the default choice, Joey does not put his 100% but Jacob sweats it out. He works really hard. On the 9th day, Jacob is still far below John. He is at a distant 2nd. Then luck plays its part. John slips and injures his leg. The coach is upset but calls out for Jacob and announces him as the selection for the international meet.

Now was Joey unlucky ? NO. He was unprepared. He did not deserve the luck. Jacob deserved the luck.

Fortune favours the brave/prepared

What to do if you are unlucky ?

Bhagavad Gita says, “Do your duty, but do not concern yourself with the results”

I think this is something that teaches you about luck. You do your 100% and if if still slips your hands, then don’t stress yourself about it. Its a great advice and if followed might increase your productivity while reducing your stress and anxiety.

John was unlucky to have injured his leg. But it was an accident which he cannot prepare for. So there is no point in imagining what if he had not slipped. He did his 100% and so should move on without regrets to the next.

How to improve yourself ?

When you win or fail and think that luck played a part in it, first check if it is indeed luck by asking this question

Q1: Could i have changed the outcome with more/different preparation or work ?

While the temptation is to go to a NO immediately, you need to try hard to answer YES. Why ? Because you are increasing the things in your control more and more with every yes.

Nature is our best teacher in this. There are millions of sperms in millilitre of semen. Nature wants to increase its luck by working hard, making more sperms.

Now, if the answer is YES, you could have changed the outcome with your work but did not. So if you were lucky this time, you may not be the next time. Note this aspect and work on it. If you NOT lucky, well you deserved it and so work on it.

But after careful and critical analysis if the answer is NO, then it is indeed luck. Then take the next 5-10 seconds to relish or rue your good or bad luck and get on with your work.

Practice this sincerely.

I even recommend you to maintain a journal named, “ Taking control of my Luck” where you can write the list of things you failed to control, took notice, worked and took control of.

Wish you ... GOOD LUCK !! ??