Get Lucky

My friend Beth recently won $1,000 on a scratch ticket. “How lucky are you?” I commented when she shared her good news. “Very lucky!” she promptly responded. “In fact, this is not my first big win. I also won $5,000 on the Christmas Bonus scratcher!”

But was she really just lucky? Or was there something else at play? I wanted to find out: What makes some people lucky, and others unlucky?

Turns out, there is a science to luck, and psychologist Richard Wiseman happens to be an expert in this field. He has studied thousands of people and discovered that luck isn’t random—it’s the result of specific behaviors and mindsets.

While reading his book The Luck Factor, I learned pretty quickly that lucky people think and act differently than unlucky people. The good news? Luck isn’t something you’re born with. If you consider yourself unlucky, you can actually change your luck.

Before reading on, ask yourself, “Do I consider myself to be a lucky person? Or an unlucky person?” Do you often get all the green lights on your commute to work, and the best seat at the movies? Or are you someone who never gets a break and wishes your luck would turn around?

To all you lucky people, I’m going to share some insights about you first. Lucky people regularly do the following:

✅ Look for chance opportunities. You’re the ones who talk to strangers at the grocery store, say yes to invitations, and regularly put yourself in situations where good things can happen.

✅ Stay relaxed and open to new experiences. You don’t overthink every decision. You willingly try new foods, travel to different places, even take a different route to work—just to see what happens.

✅ Believe life will always work out. Lucky people expect good things, which makes you more likely to notice and seize opportunities.

✅ Find silver linings. If something bad happens, you tend to reframe it: “Well, at least I learned something from this experience.”

✅ Ask for feedback and are coachable. You are constantly looking for ways to improve, so you seek out advice rather than assuming failure is just your “bad luck.” And when people offer advice, you are coachable and make changes.

Conversely, there are characteristics that are common among unlucky folks. According to Dr. Wiseman, if you are someone who thinks of yourself as unlucky, you probably tend to:

❌ Stick to routines and avoid risk. Unlucky people don’t like to try new things or to put themselves in unfamiliar situations. They default to what they already know.

❌ Live in a state of stress and anxiety. You tend to be worried, which makes it challenging for you to notice opportunities right in front of you. It’s harder for you to recognize opportunities even when they present themselves.

❌ Focus on the past and what didn’t work. Instead of looking forward, unlucky people tend to replay their misfortunes like a greatest-hits album of bad luck. Their focus is often on what didn’t work out in the past, rather than refocusing on the future.

❌ Blame bad luck for failures. If something goes wrong, unlucky people assume it was fate. You may be less coachable than your luckier friends and less apt to ask for advice. You believe your life is fated to go a particular way, and you do not have much control over it.

So, let’s go back to my friend Beth. She thinks of herself as very lucky. She won $1,000 and $5,000 on two scratch tickets in the past 90 days! But it’s not because she has a lucky rabbit’s foot—it’s because she creates more chances to win by buying scratch tickets all the time.

The same principle applies to just about everything in life: The more jobs you apply for, the higher your chances of landing a great one. The more dates you go on, the more likely you are to meet someone you click with. Lucky breaks often come down to sheer volume—and that's because lucky people show up more often.

Here’s how you can start shifting your luck today:

🍀 Say yes more often. Show up more frequently, accept invitations, and put yourself in new situations. The more often you do this, the more opportunities will present themselves.

🍀 Practice talking to strangers. Ask people open-ended questions that spark real conversations. Strike up a conversation at the grocery store with the person in the line next to you. Compliment people— it not only gives them an unexpected shot of dopamine to hear your kind words, but it also has the same positive impact on you.

🍀 Break up your routine. Try a new coffee shop. Take a different route home. Introduce some variety into your life. Then pay attention to the new things you see and opportunities that arise.

🍀 Relax! Stress blinds you to opportunities. Meditate, exercise, or do whatever helps you stay calm. People with low stress tend to be luckier because they are not distracted by their worries all the time.

🍀 Have a clear vision of the future. Know what you want so you can recognize opportunities when they appear. Tell your brain what it is that you are striving towards. Write down your vision for what you want. Focus on the future rather than the past.

🍀 Focus on what’s possible, not what’s gone wrong. No need to replay that awkward conversation in your head over and over. You said what you said. Now learn from it and move forward.

At the end of the day, many lucky people will tell you that they create their own good fortune. In honor of St. Patrick’s Day, remind yourself that the real key to luck isn’t a shamrock, it’s how you think and act.

Now go out there and get lucky! 🍀

Ready to Start Managing Your Own Luck?

Tune into the "Luck Management" podcast, which delves into personal development and the concept of creating one's own luck. The show explores how to seize opportunities and make the most of fortunate moments. It's available here on Spotify.

Looking for more inspiration on how lucky people do it?

Explore the article "Unlocking The Secrets Of Lucky People" by Liana Zavo. This piece explains the habits and traits that contribute to individuals experiencing good fortune and offers insight on how you can cultivate your own luck. Check it out right here at Forbes.