Some people firmly believe in 'luck'. They may blow on dice while gambling, carry around a lucky token, search for four leaf clovers and let the belief that they are either lucky (or unlucky) influence their decision to act (or not to act).
An article I read in Psychology Today (May/June 2010) called "Make Your Own Luck" (Rebecca Webber) makes an interesting distinction between luck and opportunity that I'd like to touch on and expand upon....Webber writes that people take different approaches to being presented with an opportunity to act. Some individuals see opportunities that others miss. How? They have open-minded approaches to life, more positive attitudes and are more resilient when faced with failure.
I believe that if you're waiting for luck to discover you, you'll find yourself passively sitting and waiting...and waiting...and waiting...On the other hand, being open to new opportunities means that your approach is active. You have conscious awareness of your surroundings, what opportunities are presenting themselves to you and which ones you can purposefully seek out.
As well, having a positive outlook on life can make a big difference in terms of taking opportunities. In this article, the author writes that people in good moods have a broader field of view - they see more of what's going on around them and as such, take in more beneficial information that can help them to seize successful opportunities.
As well as having a positive outlook, try introducing more flexibility into your life - whether that be flexibility in your actions or your mindset. Many of us live with tunnel vision, pursuing one goal at the expense of others. Of course, it's sometimes essential to focus solely on the task at hand. However, on a daily basis, try to open your eyes to what's around you. Keep an open mind...your world is bigger than you think and hidden opportunities abound!
A great point was raised in the article - that as we age, we are often less open to opportunities that are available to us. Sometimes younger people are more likely to take chances, experience both successes and failures, and use these experiences as a tools for discovery. However, when we age we often become more "crystallized" in our thinking and "create rigid rules and eliminate chances to change all the time." Having a youthful mindset is healthy, and breaking out of our negative thinking patterns and rule bound lifestyles are exciting changes to make.
If we can conquer our anxiety over taking chances and making changes, we can move forward in our lives, seeking out and grasping opportunities that we'd never imagined.
Moving you forward, WLS
Posted on
Mon, October 25, 2010
by Erin-Brie Warwick