Your best friend scores the first rank while you fail. Your friend is popular and successful but you are struggling. Ask yourself the reason for this mismatch and prompt comes the reply – he is lucky.
Sounds familiar? How many times we say this with respect to other successful people? And how frequently people say this to us when we achieve something in life? But is it always about being lucky? Or, can we choose to be lucky?
Well, yes, we can see pure luck every day, some people are truly lucky, but mostly what happens in our lives is not luck. We can control it. Every day brings with it a new share of challenges – small or big. Every day, we make decisions that affect our present or future happiness. Sometimes, a seemingly small event in our life can have far-reaching effects – effects that may change the whole direction of our life. For example, a small decision like crossing a road when the traffic light is red for pedestrians instead of green can have far-reaching consequences in our life. What if on that fateful day, we meet with an accident? Won’t that change the course of our life? So, how do we choose the right decision – a decision that will help us get lucky?
More often than not, luck shines at us only when our efforts are backed by ‘careful planning’. Following are the five ways which can help us become ‘lucky’:
1. Identify your problem
Think about your problem. What is it that’s bothering you? Identify it. For only when we know what the problem is, can we find its solution?
2. Consider all the solutions
An easy way, of course, is to surrender before a problem and hope that time will solve it for us. This may sound an ideal way but it leads to passive, lazy and unexciting life full of unhappiness. Instead, decide something about your problem and decide it now. And then work on it.
It is, however, important to be careful and don’t make snap decisions. Don’t jump upon the first answer that occurs to you. Think about your problem and then think about the possible courses of action. Ask yourself constantly – is there any other way of solving this problem? Use your imagination to find solutions. A simple way to trigger your imagination is – gather all the facts concerning your problem. Jot them down on a piece of paper. Once you have written everything, read them and ask yourself – what is my goal? Then write down all the ways, no matter how small, absurd or unworkable, you can think of overcoming your problem(s).
3. Visualise the outcome of each plan
Evaluate all the possibilities that you have listed down and analyse their potential results. Don’t be disheartened if one method fails. Be prepared for the trial-and-error technique, that is, thinking up new ways to solve your problem until you find the right solution. But do not throw out an idea without thinking it through. When considering a possible solution, think about the worst that could happen and the best. And then decide.
4. Pick a goal within your reach
We all have limited abilities. One may be good in sports, the other in studies. So set your goals according to your abilities. Remember, if you choose carefully, success will be easier to get. For any failure will lead to disappointment and discouragement.
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5. Then work towards your goal
The only hindrance between you and your success is you. For the greatest deterrent to success is procrastination. And the greatest regret in life is not trying. So, work towards accomplishing results. Remember, every single step you take, however small, is important and will lead to the achievement of your goal. So give it your best.
Follow this simple procedure and you will be amazed how often people will call you ‘lucky.’ And then you will smile back and say to yourself, “I planned to be lucky.”
With inputs from Careers & Courses
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