Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.
This quote, attributed to Roman philosopher Seneca, reminds us that we create our own luck. Even when it comes to getting rich by winning the lottery, money doesn’t just randomly fall out of the sky and into a person’s bank account during some supernatural event. That person would have had to create the circumstances in which he or she could win, i.e., purchase lottery tickets, pay attention to what numbers were chosen, show up to collect to their winnings. We might call that person lucky, but their lucrative payout wasn’t purely luck because luck is simply success or failure brought by chance rather than through one’s own actions. Clearly, the lottery winner had to take actions to win, including paying to choose a set of numbers.
You can’t rely purely on luck to get you where you want to go, despite what Vegas casinos would have you believe. You must create your own destiny by taking your life by the reigns and at the very least, preparing for when the right opportunities come long. For instance, one day you might be seated at the same table as the CEO of the company where your dream job exists at a networking event – the same dream job you applied for twice already but never received so much as an email back saying, “Thanks for applying but we’ve gone in a different direction.” Now, in a seemingly lucky and serendipitous encounter, the CEO is one bread plate and butter knife away from you. Are you prepared to confidently open the conversation, praise her company, give your elevator speech, and leave such a great impression on her that she gets out her iPhone and schedules your interview right then and there? You should be. Being prepared could mean the difference between getting offered your dream job and getting told where you can apply (just to be passed over… again). You should always be prepared for when the right opportunities come knocking so you can open the door and successfully make your way through it. When it comes to getting what you want out of this beautiful life, luck just doesn’t cut it.
