Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity. ~ Seneca
By Mary Jaksch
Do you dream of a lucky break? Maybe you want to get that special job or special opportunity?
We often think of luck as something that happens randomly. And maybe that’s the case when it comes to lotto. But if you want good fortune in your life, there are things you can do to become fortunate.
I tend to have good fortune. That’s because I follow three secret principles that lead to good fortune. They are powerful.
- Create good fortune for others
Most people think of getting and having as a key to good fortune. That’s like thinking that you are the center of the universe and you expect good things to flow towards us from all sides. In my experience that’s not what creates good fortune. The secret is to turn your thinking around and consider what others need. And then to take action.The first principle of good fortune is to enable good fortune for others where you can.
- Meet good fortune half way
As I said before, I tend to be fortunate. And – boy – do I work hard for that good fortune! My sense is that we need to meet good fortune half way. That is, we have to put our heart and soul into a venture, to do our utmost. That effort attracts good fortune.It’s not enough to dream big, visualize outcomes, or set goals. In the end what counts is hard work. If I look at the instances where I have not had good fortune in my life, it was in areas that I wasn’t passionate about, and didn’t really put a lot of research and hard work into.
The second principle is to meet good fortune half way
- Be positive
Good fortune comes to those who are positive. If you’re a whinger or a whiner, you may be keeping good fortune at bay, instead of inviting it into your life. Whatever you see as ‘the story of my life’ is going to come true. So, if story about your life is that you always draw the short straw – that’s how it’s going to be in the future. If, like me, the story of you life is that you tend to be fortunate – then that’s going to shape the rest of your life.
.The third principle of good fortune is to keep a positive attitude.
But what about when bad things happen?
Sometimes bad things happen. But we can learn and grow from whatever life throws at us. The important thing is to focus on the positive outcome. Sometimes that can be hard to see when we are in the middle of a painful situation. In those times I tend to ask myself, ‘What can I learn from this?’ That lesson can then become a new seed for good fortune.
Let go of negative stories
The most important thing is to let go of negative stories. So many people carry grand personal stories of how they were wronged, how they were betrayed, how they had bad luck. Such stories keep us trapped in the past and shut us out from good fortune in the future.
If you carry such stories, ask yourself, “Am I willing to give up this hard-luck story?” You may find that the story is seductive. Because our grand stories tend to define who we think we are. Can you live without this story? Could you never mention it again?
If you want to release yourself from bad luck in the past, you need to give up your negative stories. Whenever you notice that your mind is consumed by them, or when you become aware that you’re retelling it to others, say firmly to yourself, “I let go of that story now.” Then focus on something else.
If you follow these three secret principles, you will find that you attract good fortune.
And not only that. If we live according to these three principles, we create happiness for ourselves – and for others. Seneca was right: luck is when preparation meets opportunity.
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What a fantastic post. It’s so true, we make our own good fortunue. It’s not enough to just hope for it, you have to go out there and get it. And the best way to attract good fortune is to be a good person. I love the tips you’ve listed, and for me nothing beats good old fashioned positivity.
.-= Claire – Gratitude Connection´s last blog ..Today I’m grateful for… =-.
This is great Mary!
I whole heartedly agree; from experience. I had to shift my whole being, and part of it was what you have said above, and it dramatically changed (and quite quickly to) my entire way of being in the world.
I love this post Mary – it’s such a call to action! I agree that big dreams and visualizations won’t get you there but they do help on their own, but they do motivate the hard work! The section of your post dealing with letting go of negative stories is such a powerful one – our self-talk defeats action so often. Learning to let go of negative stories on its own has made such a huge difference to my life – I think it is linked to taking ownership of your self.
.-= mark owen-ward´s last blog ..new habit 1, post 2 – nutrition: visualizations =-.
What a powerful post, Mary! The part about learning lessons from bad fortune especially resonates with me. When bad things happen, I tend to think the universe is simply teaching me a lesson. Also, the suggestion that we give up our negative stories from our past is such a simple idea, yet sometimes so difficult to do because, as you suggest, they tend to define us, mark us in a way. I’m still working on letting go of negative events from my past, still trying to learn the lessons they provide. Thanks for the advice and inspiration!
.-= Ami Mattison´s last blog ..Inner Solitude, Or What You Absolutely Need In Order to Write =-.
Amazing truths. I always believed if you do your best for others, it may not come back directly, but it does find a way back to you. And I definitely like the Positive Attitude. I always try to see the glass half full. Thanks Mary
.-= Fiona Bosticky´s last blog ..Great WordPress Plugins for Blog Comments =-.
“Let go of negative stories”–that one applies to me! I hereby resolve to let go of those stories beginning here and now. They’re just baggage and clutter and mind-sucks.
Good tips. I especially like the “create good fortune for others” . It seems to be the best way for me to succeed in life.
Hi Mary,
I really enjoyed this. Isn’t it amazing the power our stories can have in our life?
I try to re-examine my stories every now and then. It’s amazing how I can take almost any experience in life and give it either a negative or positive spin, just depending on how I look at it. When I make a conscious choice to look at things from a positive angle I seem to learn more, and feel more fortunate as a result.
Thanks for the post,
Cheers
.-= Dave Rowley´s last blog ..The Rarest Angels =-.
What a great post! I’ve been holding on to stories of my past that I can’t let go of, but now I will try to free myself of the negative thoughts. Thank you for your timely post, I can’t wait for your next one.
Yes, Mary, yes! Give, create, work hard and think positive. I love it, live by it! Terrific post for inspiring positive action in life.
.-= Katie´s last blog ..7-Week Life Cleanse: Gathering Ease & Flow in Week 3 =-.
Thanks Mary for this very insightful and timely post, especially during these difficult economic times. As you said, even though you stay positive, bad things do happen to all. Yes, I do believe they all carry a lesson and when we experience the bad, we appreciate the good.
.-= Jenny´s last blog ..The Benefits of Living With Grandparents =-.
I think good fortune or good luck happens to come, when you are doing things you love and without any expectation. It happens to me quite a few times. When I expected to get it, It did not always come to me. It is what we believe in makes a good fortune.
And sometimes, having a fortune without hard work and passion may seem hollow.
.-= Zengirl @ Heart and Mind´s last blog ..Great read: Link love: Getting over sickness =-.
I think that I am a positive person – most of the time. But boy, the one that really hit it for me is “could you never tell that story again.” That is a real gem. Thank you for twist.
.-= Occasionallyserene´s last blog ..What could you do…..If you had unlimited energy? =-.
Wow Mary. “Can you live without this story? Could you never mention it again?” that hits me hard. I have a story I’ve been telling myself and others for awhile…a few months ago I decided I was going to stop telling others, but I still tell it to myself. It totally feels like I cannot live without it, and I know it doesn’t help me at all.
That’s scary. Thank you for pointing it out.
] chloe [
What a great perspective on good fortune. What’s a whinger though? I agree that positivity is a huge plus and letting go of negative stories is really important. Negative stories can be difficult to let go of sometimes. A teacher once told me that each negative karma has it’s own time period, so to speak, before it shifts. So I find it helps to even be accepting and spacious when the story isn’t quite ready to shift. Just having this perspective helps.
.-= Sandra Lee´s last blog ..Reducing your oil use =-.
Great article! So often we struggle with the balance of ‘will’ and ‘allowing’. But you can also think of it in terms of law of attraction and luck. I also completely agree about the negative stories that we can get ourselves into. These are so powerful mainly because they are injected with our emotions! We tell them over and over in different ways until they become part of our identity. Thanks for the reminders!
.-= Tisha Morris´s last blog ..5 Things to Feng Shui in the Digital Age =-.
I liked the way you summed up the principles. These do make a lot of sense. The one that most people miss out on is the hard work. There are really no free meals. Good point about our stories that keep dragging us down. Just got to let go off the excess baggage. Great post. Enjoyed that.
.-= Paramjit´s last blog ..12 Easy Ways to Lose Weight Without Exercise =-.
Letting go of our negative stories is a great one. We all carry a personal story about ourself so we may as well make it a good one
.-= B @ logos coaching´s last blog ..HOW TO FULFIL AN EXPECTATION =-.
Another blockbuster Mary. Concise yet deeply powerful. I love the part about meeting fortune half way. We need to activate ourselves and give fortune a chance to find where we are. Lucky people get lucky breaks by being ‘out there’ and active in what they do. Luck favours the brave but also makes friends with the confident, dream takers and the downright give-it-a-goers. Put something in and something good is going to come out in some form. Brill piece!
.-= John Sherry´s last blog ..Find A Fine Companion =-.
Thanks Mary! Great article. A fortune cookie once told me: “Avert misfortune by calm, poise, and balance.”
.-= Tim´s last blog ..Never Stop Learning. Find Appreciation Through Understanding =-.
Mary, It’s amazing how “luck” comes to those who work hard for what they want. It reminds me of the articles we read about someone who’s become an “overnight success” after 10 years or more of working, learning, and practicing.
I once heard a brilliant speaker who said that people always tell him he’s such a natural. He asked us, “Do you know how to be a natural?” The answer, “Practice, practice, practice.” That’s so true.
What happens to us is our karma.
Excellent article. Quite Inspiring.
Dr.A.jagadeesh Nellore(AP),India
E-mail: anumakonda.jagadeesh@gmail.com