Have you ever thought about the role of luck in our lives? If not, it's high time we talked about it. I'd like to start with a quote from Malcolm Gladwell's book "Outliers":
"We pretend that success is entirely a matter of personal merit, but the stories we've looked at show that it's not so simple. They tell of people who were given a unique chance to work hard and who didn't turn it down. Of people who came of age when society rewarded perseverance. Their success is not solely their doing. It's the product of the world they grew up in."
Luck undoubtedly plays a huge role in our lives. What's more, many successful people got where they are not because of outstanding merit, knowledge or experience but because of luck. Of course they won't tell you that — everyone prefers to highlight their personal qualities rather than admit the role of luck. They attribute their success to experience and knowledge, not luck. I'm not saying they aren't good at what they do, but they may be far from the best. In other circumstances some might not have pulled off this or that deal, and others might not have become the best brokers or managers.
To some extent even my current intermediate successes and achievements have been down to luck. At the same time I wouldn't call myself a lucky person; I'm probably much like everyone else. Luck doesn't really play favourites — we're all equal in its eyes. The only factor that makes luck favour one person over another is activity. When someone doesn't sit idle but tries to do something, they increase their chances. Luck in any given area is more like a matter of probability, where both failure and success are possible. Everyone knows that nothing ventured, nothing gained. So even to win the lottery you have to at least buy a ticket. In trickier situations, for luck to turn your way in your personal life or work, you have to at least take action. Sooner or later luck will favour your endeavours — if not all of them, then at least some.
