The thing about "LUCK," to most people, is that it seems like chance.
Like a throw of the dice that determines whether they win or lose.
We believe NOT! LUCK is not the same as gambling.
If all good or bad fortune is 'chance' then we are giving in to a belief that life is - Que Sera, Sera (what will be, will be.)
Unfortunately, we apply the idea of 'chance' to our relationships too. "Oh, I was so LUCKY to have met her/him/Them/Those/It.
But on reflection, we should never rely on 'chance' or the belief that it's fate when it comes to important events in our lives. We think you'll agree that it makes more sense to be wiser about love, work, and family, when you define what LUCK really means in your life.
We define LUCK as one part Preparation, one part Action and a splash of Opportunity.
By opportunity, we mean, seizing the moment when a job, project or wonderful person comes in your path.
What have you done to prepare? Did you study the industry, honed your social media skills.
Or in the case of that gorgeous person walking your way. Have you brushed your teeth and combed your hair?
Is it LUCK that brought you that opportunity or preparation and action that achieved your goal?
We think it's both.
When a frustrated gambler at the casino table once chirped at an OG (Old Gangster) winning every hand, "Wow, you are just lucky!" The humble but wise OG replied, "I'd rather be lucky than good." All the other gamblers at the table just nodded in agreement. They knew luck is what you make of it. And that amigos is true in all of life!
But was it only luck getting the right cards dealt that gave the OG good fortune? Let's review the facts:
All the gamblers chose to make their way to the casino. They showed up!
They all chose to sit at the table and test their skills. They took action!
And, they all knew the game, Poker, was commonly known as a game of chance. They had experience!
They had studied the game having played it many times before. It's true, they'd never know for sure what card they'd draw, but they certainly knew when to hold'em and when to fold'em. Did the gods of chance or odds of arithmetic embrace them? Do the math, ese.
Still not convinced that LUCK has little to do with chance? Well lets use another common activity; job hunting.
We've all known the family or friend who just couldn't catch a break finding a job, especially after 2020 and the Rona pandemic.
Jobs were scarce and some couldn't be filled because of the lack of interest.
In the new era of identifying "essential" workers. There are now more workers available to fill lower paying jobs!
Career jobs remain harder to come by.
So when someone gets a lucky break and finds meaningful employment the first words from their mouth is, "I got lucky." Did they? Or was it more than chance that determined their fate?
Researchers have attempted to decode whether there’s an actual measurable aspect to what we understand as LUCK. Surprisingly, they found what a person might perceive as “luck” has more to do with psychology than probability. That right, your attitude is more important in getting the job than dumb luck!
We know it's tough to admit that LUCK, good or bad, is our own fault. But here at PuroChisme we don't lie (We just occasionally put more creama on the taco). The truth is, all of us have our superstitions we hold dear, that we think gives us an edge. And, of course they do, cause we believe it!
We don't walk under ladders cause it's a bad omen; we cross our fingers, thinking it will improve our odds.
We knock on wood for good fortune; and some creepy vatos still have a rabbits foot key-chain for good luck — poor bunny rabbit!
Most of us don’t know where superstitions like these came from.
But many of us practice them fairly often. In fact, several studies show that superstitions might work, though not in the way that YOU think they do.
Wearing a lucky shirt, jumping over the baseball chalk line or throwing up hand powder before a game, like LeBron James does, are routine rituals that reinforce a belief that doing so will help in the immediate quest.
Good fortune is more often a case of having a positive attitude that keeps a person open to new opportunities. Be it gambling, dating, jobs, sports. Your mind-set counts for more than just random chance. Still not convinced? Pues, here's what the experts say!
Professor Richard Wiseman has published over 100 academic papers examining the psychology of magic, illusion, deception, luck and self-development. In collaboration with researchers Matthew Smith and Peter Harris (both University of Hertfordshire), they identified four principles used by lucky people to create good fortune in their lives:
Maximize Chance Opportunities - Lucky people are skilled at creating, noticing and acting upon chance opportunities. They do this in various ways, including networking, adopting a relaxed attitude to life and by being open to new experiences.
Listening to Lucky Hunches - Lucky people make effective decisions by listening to their intuition and gut feelings. In addition, they take steps to actively boost their intuitive abilities by, for example, meditating and clearing their mind of other thoughts.
Expect Good Fortune - Lucky people are certain that the future is going to be full of good fortune. These expectations become self-fulfilling prophecies by helping lucky people persist in the face of failure, and shape their interactions with others in a positive way. They don't get discouraged and they don't give up!
Turning Bad Luck to Good - Lucky people employ various psychological techniques to cope with, and often even thrive upon, the ill fortune that comes their way. For example, they spontaneously imagine how things could have been worse, but don't dwell on the ill fortune in front of them. Instead, they take control of the situation by accepting the challenge to turn a bad outcome into good.
If we all gave the aforementioned principles a try perhaps our LUCK would improve. As Dirty Harry would say, "Are you feeling lucky?"
References: