Meeting Good Fortune Half Way

Luck is a matter of preparation meeting opportunity.- Seneca

We have all been there: taking a test, going to an interview, applying for a promotion, starting a new business… What do we tell those who know we are doing this? WISH ME LUCK!

Call it luck, good fortune, serendipity, happy accident, odd chance, or fortuity; some even get to the point of having their own ” lucky charms”, horseshoes, coins, four leafed clovers -really hard to find by the way-, bamboo, pulling a wishbone, wishing on a shooting star (I am guilty as charged on the last one). We have these things and use them but still, there are times when nothing is going the way we expect it. But then, we see many people who are doing amazing things, getting recognition, being successful at everything they do. Are they just lucky or do they know something we don´t?

Many of these outstanding people will tell you that yes, there was a strike of luck in their lives, but as we dig deeper, we find that they worked their way up to that.

Here are some points to ponder for us to make changes in our way on meeting good fortune halfway:

FIND YOUR PASSION 

We don´t invest time and effort in something we don´t care about. Make a list of the things you “might like to try someday”, think of the first item on the list and ask yourself: Do I see myself doing this for the rest of my life? Is that a frown in your face? OK! That is not your passion. Move on to the next item and ask yourself the same question: Do I see myself doing this for the rest of my life? It might take a while to find it but once you do, you have already eliminated other things that may distract you from your main goal. Do you think it is too late in your life to start something new? Fashion designer Carolina Herrera was 40 when she launched her first clothing line.

TAKE THE FIRST STEP

We all dream big, but it takes action to make those dreams come true. If you wait until you have all the resources, until the fear is over, you will never make it. JUST DO IT ALREADY! Nike figured it out years ago…

KEEP ON GOING

It’s not only about taking the first step, it’s about perseverance. Even if things are slow or don´t go like you’d imagined, keep on trying.  Vincent Van Gogh only sold one painting in his lifetime!  Just one painting… to a friend. Yet he kept painting and finished over 800 pieces. Now everyone wants to buy them and his most expensive painting is valued at $142.7 million.

ASK FOR HELP

Find people with experience in that area and ask them to share their experiences, it might help you avoid mistakes along the way. Ask your friends for their opinion, people you can trust and will tell you the truth, make changes if needed based on that and try again.

PROVIDE SOME HELP

Help others with their goals, not only because you will get something out of it, but because IT IS A NICE THING TO DO! You might be an expert on what other are having trouble with, your opinion and ideas will be of great help. And who knows? In the end it can even be something good for you too. Do you believe in KARMA?

 LEARN MORE

Read, investigate, search the web, take classes, attend a conference, and follow the new trends and updates in your field. It will give you a whole new source of fresh ideas that will help you grow.

… AND LEARN SOMETHING NEW

Every new step will come with new challenges, make sure you are prepared to meet them before they arrive. It will give you an edge and make you stand apart from the rest.

NEVER, EVER, EVER, EVER GIVE UP … EVER

Albert Einstein didn’t talk until he was four years old, Michael Jordan was cut out from his high school basketball team, The Beatles were rejected by many record labels, and Dr. Seuss´s first book was rejected by 27 publishers. Steven Spielberg applied twice to the University Of Southern California’s School Of Film and was rejected both times. Do I need to say more?

In the end, it is your decision. You can try and fail, and get up again or keep on dreaming. How big is your passion?  How bad do you want to achieve it? Let that passion be your engine, and hey, GOOD LUCK WITH THAT!