3 min read · Jul 9, 2023
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I have begun to build a useful belief on the role of luck. I thought it could be valuable for others, so I will share it here.
So we are all on the same page, I first want to define luck: events that happen outside of our control that are advantageous to us. The most important part of the definition is that it is things happening outside of our control. The luck can be a reaction to one of your actions (like a girl agreeing to go on a date with you after you ask her) or completely unrelated to your actions (like your parents, the elementary school you attended, part of the world you grew up in, or the weather), but definitely involves a piece outside of your control.
The paradox is: view what has happened in your past as extremely lucky, yet assume that in the future you will not be lucky at all.
Looking back to your past and attributing events to luck cultivates gratitude. It makes you more joyful for the various events of your life. It makes you connect all that happens in your life to an advantageous purpose. It connects what has happened to you to a piece of who you are now — and you learn to love that person more.
If you were to look back into what’s happened to you and only view how unlucky you have been (how bad things happen to you), nothing good comes from that. This view does not serve you in any way. You can’t change it, so there is no purpose in thinking about how unlucky you are. However, if you are able to look back and think about how lucky you are to have certain people in your life, certain experiences, certain objects, or certain emotions, you can cultivate appreciation for the past.
An important note here: it is different than looking into your past to think of how many great things you have done. You should be proud of the decisions you have made or the hard work you have put in, but it is critical to see yourself as lucky as well. When you can love what happens to you and what is out of your control, you can be more at ease with where you are not in power. Seeing the luck in your life helps you feel more joy in your current situation.
Now, looking toward the future, you should feel lucky, but assume that you won’t get to where you want to go by being lucky. If you assume you will be lucky, you will only become more complacent as you believe lucky will role you into where you want to go. You should assume that you will be rather unlucky in the future; therefore, you will feel the necessity to put in the hard work to achieve your goals — to go the extra miles. You won’t get to where you want to go by being lucky. You actually may get lucky and have many lucky breaks, but it is much better to have those surprise you than to just assume they will come your way.
However, I want to mention something very important: although you assume that you won’t be lucky in the future, you cannot lose faith that it will work out for you. You can’t think that your hard work just won’t pay off. You must be forever faithful that you will work hard and make it. Unwavering faith is just as important. You must trust the process of the continual hard work you put in. But, achieving that goal won’t come from being extremely lucky.
So, it is paradoxical to view yourself as lucky in the past and super unlucky in the future. But, who cares? It is useful. You should judge a belief like this on how useful it is for you, not how accurate it is.
It is always a good idea to stop and ask yourself, “Man, how did I get so lucky?” This will help you enjoy the people around you and the journey you are on more. But, when it comes to future luck, you can’t assume it will roll your way. You have to work hard and create your own luck.
