"Believer in Luck" from Sacred and Profane - click for info

A few days ago, I was with a friend of mine at a conference and we were talking about our lives and our careers. Eventually, towards the end of our conversation, I said something about how I felt lucky to be able to do something I love full-time, especially since I realized that not everyone has that luxury.

But the real word I was searching for was ‘grateful,’ not ‘lucky.’

So I quickly corrected myself, and we moved on to some other topic; but as I was sitting there, I realized something.

Often times people, myself included, get luck confused with something entirely different.

Has that ever happened to you?

Is it just easier for us to identify our successes as luck as opposed to the results of hard work and dedication? And if so, why?

Well, I don’t have an answer for why we do this, but I do know one thing. For the large majority of us, the following is true…

Things happen because you make them happen.

You don’t wait for someone else to stroll across your blog and website. You go to them. You work for it. And you deserve the credit, not luck.

And when someone seeks you out ‘on their own’ it may seem entirely random. And sure, you’ll think that luck is on your side when an editor approaches you about being featured in their magazine. But is it really all that random? How much luck is truly involved here?

After all, you are working hard day after day, getting your name out there, and producing something of value. So naturally, you are going to start drawing a crowd, and not just any crowd – a crowd that will tell their friends about you and share your articles and products. And that is how your success starts to spread – through tweets and blog mentions and emails and Facebook shares.

It may seem random at first, but when you stop to think about the bigger picture, it’s actually a lot more intentional and a lot less ‘lucky.’ Don’t you think?

This article is not the end of the conversation. It’s just the beginning. So it is time to share your thoughts…

What is your opinion on luck?

Leave your response in the comments below.