Make Your Own Luck

Expect good things to happen, and they will!
BY JON GORDON

Do you feel lucky? To paraphrase Clint Eastwood in Dirty Harry, that’s one question you need to ask yourself. It turns out that luck, like much in life, has a lot to do with your beliefs and the energy and attitude you project. The luckier you feel, the luckier you are.

British psychologist Richard Wiseman, author of The Luck Factor, conducted a 10-year study on the nature of luck. He discovered that people who seem to get all the breaks "generate their own good fortune" to a large extent. There are ways, based on Wiseman’s research, that you can enhance your luck—today.

1. Make the most of chance opportunities.
Strike up conversations with strangers. Ask people where they’re from. When you’re on an airplane or a bus, talk to the passengers next to you. I do this, and it’s amazing how many wonderful relationships have developed as a result. I met my wife as she was walking by the place I worked 12 years ago. I took a chance and said hello. Best decision I ever made. Be aware of and open to new possibilities.

2. Believe good things are going to happen.
Lucky people expect positive results, and that’s what they get. It boils down to the power of belief. Whatever you put your attention on starts to show up more in your life. Lucky people expect to find a parking space. They expect clients to say yes. They expect tomorrow to be even better than today. Expect success, and you’ll attract more of it.

3. Turn bad luck into good.
Lucky people believe everything happens for a reason. They see obstacles as opportunities to learn and grow and make changes for the better. They face adversity like everyone else but they transform dead ends into detours and bad experiences into good outcomes. Do you feel lucky now? Good!

Richard Wiseman has gained an international reputation for research into quirky areas of psychology. His latest book, Quirkology, explores the curious science of everyday life, including lying, love and laughter.

This article appeared in Guideposts magazine.